After days of waiting in what may rank as the most unusual and unexpected NFL Draft slide in recent history, projected first-round pick Shedeur Sanders managed to last until pick No. 144 overall in the fifth round before the Cleveland Browns finally pounced on him.
Despite the fact that this was a bit of an odd fit due to the presence of three other quarterbacks on the roster (including third-round choice Dillon Gabriel), many analysts and fans were thrilled to finally see him get selected after a fall that no one could have seen coming.
Mel Kiper Jr. made himself one of the stars of NFL Draft weekend, as his love for Sanders overshadowed his analysis of every other pick in the Draft. Kiper's crush on Sanders may have influenced his grade for the Browns, who had the best draft class out of anyone in his eyes.
The Browns erre the only team to earn the elusive A+ mark from Kiper in his 2025 NFL Draft grades after taking Sanders. After making some solid picks in the earlier rounds, it doesn't take a genius to see that the Sanders pick is clearly what put them over the top in Kiper's eyes.
Mel Kiper Jr. believes Browns earned A+ NFL Draft grade after Shedeur Sanders pick
As good as this draft was, mistakes were made. Using two top 40 picks on an off-ball linebacker and a running back right before another RB was taken in the fourth round isn't amazing positional value, and trading away the pick that was going to be Travis Hunter is a tough pill to swallow.
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The Gabriel mistake is its own can of worms for Berry and Cleveland. Sanders will immediately need to compete with a fellow rookie who got drafted higher in addition to two veterans in Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, which makes the decision to pick a 5-11 left-handed quarterback on Day 2 even stranger.
However, no one will doubt that picking Sanders here is terrific value. Based on talent alone, Sanders is the best quarterback on Cleveland's roster, and there's no such thing as having too many good quarterbacks for a team like the Browns.
Sanders needs to overcome a ton to justify what has quickly become a crowded Browns depth chart, but Kiper's immense love for Shedeur has him believing Cleveland outsmarted the rest of the league. Time will tell if he is proven right or if this becomes another Jimmy Clausen take.