Shedeur Sanders set for huge financial hit from Colorado as Cleveland Browns contract details emerge
Slipping down the NFL Draft board isn't just a hit to a young player's pride, it also takes a toll on their bank account. Shedeur Sanders, once projected as a top-five pick, experienced this
firsthand when he fell to the fifth round
, which significantly reduced his potential earnings.
After leaving Colorado with a $6.5 million NIL valuation, the second-highest in all of college sports, Coach Prime's son will now begin his
NFL
career with a base salary of roughly $951,000. While this is a substantial amount for the average American worker, it falls short of the millions he was expected to earn if his draft projections had remained steady.
Despite being ranked
as the No. 2 quarterback prospect
after last season's evaluations,
five quarterbacks were chosen before him.
Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, a Heisman finalist who Sanders once outranked, was drafted by Cleveland in the third round. This selection secured Gabriel an estimated annual salary of $1.2 million.
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Before being selected with the 144th pick, Sanders was considered college football royalty in Boulder. He was the No. 2 highest NIL earner, behind
Texas
prodigy Arch Manning, even surpassing future stars like
NBA
No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, Georgia transfer quarterback Carson Beck, and Ohio State superstar wide receiver and National Champion Jeremiah Smith.
Sanders made history as the first college football player to sign with Nike under NIL rules. He also joined an 11-player endorsement team for Beats by Dre last August and used his influence through Colorado's 5420 Alliance, which supported over 350 CU athletes across 11 sports.
However, he now finds himself in a crowded Browns quarterback room, which could limit his chances of playing in the league. The controversial starter, Deshaun Watson, is still recovering from an injury but remains at the top of the depth chart. Former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, three-team backup Kenny Pickett, and newcomer Gabriel are all vying to outperform Sanders for the starting position.
Shedeur Sanders slid to round 5 before being taken by the Cleveland Browns
(Image: Getty)
ESPN's official depth chart highlights the tough competition, listing Watson, Flacco, Pickett, and Gabriel among the rostered quarterbacks. This leaves Sanders needing to prove his worth to secure a role.
Alongside Gabriel and Sanders, Cleveland's draft included first-round pick Mason Graham, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. , Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson, and Ohio State transfer Quinshon Judkins. While Sanders won't be handed anything on a silver platter in Cleveland, the NFL is already capitalising on his star power. His selection to the Browns remains the pinned tweet on the NFL's X account, a post that has garnered over 9 million impressions.
To put it into perspective, top pick Cam Ward received 1.2 million impressions on X when he was selected, and Sander's former teammate and No. 2 pick, Travis Hunter, racked up 2.1 million.
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Irish Daily Star
29-04-2025
- Irish Daily Star
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Irish Daily Star
29-04-2025
- Irish Daily Star
NFL coach doesn't hide feelings on Quinn Ewers following dramatic NFL Draft slide
Draft night didn't pan out as expected for former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. Ewers, once celebrated as the second-ranked high school recruit, was taken by the Miami Dolphins as the 231st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. It's a consensus among NFL scouts that he was only the 14th-best draft-eligible quarterback of his class in 2025, with two FBS quarterbacks from Division II picked before the ex-Longhorn. This is particularly notable considering Ewers had previously turned down nearly $6 million in potential earnings to transfer with an NIL deal. Shedeur Sanders, who signed an eye-watering NIL deal while at Colorado, suffered a slide of his own before being taken by the Cleveland Browns . Read More Related Articles Bill Belichick's ex's life now as NFL icon's girlfriend Jordon Hudson causes scene Read More Related Articles Shedeur Sanders set for huge financial hit from Colorado as Cleveland Browns contract details emerge Not everyone has overlooked him, though; Jon Gruden, the former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and now an analyst at Barstool, expressed optimism about Ewers' future. He even shared a photo standing with Ewers captioned: "Welcome to the great state of Florida , Quinn! Miami got themselves quite the arm and a young man that loves football!". In the photo, Ewers is sporting a shirt saying "Gruden's QB Class," which tips the hat to Gruden's traditional pre-NFL Draft show, reports the Mirror US . As things stand, it seems unlikely that Ewers will secure active playing time with the Dolphins in 2024, considering he's presently third on the quarterback depth chart behind the frequently sidelined Tua Tagovailoa and former number two pick Zach Wilson. Ewers was universally heralded as the number two high school recruit. After securing a significant NIL deal, he reclassified and played backup to C.J. Stroud, who is now shining for the Houston Texans. tweet Ewers made his move to Texas and impressed during his three seasons as a Longhorn, clocking in 9,128 yards and 68 touchdowns, along with a sharp completion rate of 64.8 percent. Despite leading Texas to an impressive 21-5 record over two years and earning two spots in the College Football Playoffs, Ewers watched his draft status take a hit. His time with the Longhorns was marred by sporadic injuries, including issues with his AC and SC joints, which led to seven missed starts. Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian sang high praises for his ex-quarterback's influence on the program. "I think about a lot of the people that come through this program over the last four years that have impacted the growth and trajectory of our program, and he's right there near the top, if not at the top of the impact that he's had, not only on the field but off the field," Sarkisian stated. Read More Related Articles Eagles player calls Ivanka Trump 'his type' in inappropriate posts after White House visit Read More Related Articles Donald Trump claims he told Giants to re-sign Saquon Barkley before Eagles move After the previous season concluded, Dolphins GM Chris Grier promised that "every stone will be unturned" in Miami's quest for a reliable backup QB. Grier had kind words for his seventh-round pick. "Sark really likes him and was high on him, talking about him playing through the injuries this year -- which affected his play a little bit," Grier expressed. "But [Sarkisian] talked about his toughness, his mental toughness pushing through with the injury, the expectations, all the pressure with [Arch] Manning there coming in." Grier also highlighted the player's drive and effect on the team: "He loved his competitiveness and how he plays, and how his teammates respond to him. So, he was someone that we always had an eye on, and the opportunity at that point in the draft just made sense for us."
Irish Daily Star
29-04-2025
- Irish Daily Star
Bryson DeChambeau's brutal assessment of 'diabolical' LIV Golf course
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