​Shedeur Sanders rarely leaves people with a quiet, measured impression. Since entering the NFL, the Cleveland Browns quarterback has been a lightning rod, his famous last name and a surprising fifth-round slide sparking constant debate after almost every throw, remark, and social media post. Xavier “Chef Zae” Crocker of BIGPLAY Cleveland believes some of the backlash has gone too far. He compared Sanders’ career arc to that of Sam Darnold, who endured a string of tough stops before turning his trajectory around and ultimately contributing to a Super Bowl-winning team.
“You know who I think he is? Sam Darnold,” Crocker said. “Sam Darnold was a highly regarded recruit, expected to be the No. 1 pick, and then Baker Mayfield went ahead of him. A highly touted prospect who slipped a bit on the draft board, didn’t immediately meet the lofty expectations, but that’s the path people are hoping Sanders follows. ‘He’s not good enough for the league. He’s a bust.’ People are already counting him out even though he’s shown real franchise-quarterback traits.”
Darnold’s career once seemed destined for journeyman status after uneven stints with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers. Yet he rebuilt his image as a starter and later became a catalyst for Seattle’s championship pursuit, throwing for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns in the regular season.
Sanders’ ceiling is viewed much higher by some than those assessments, though. The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner has framed him as a potentially solid long-term backup rather than a regular starter week to week. “When I see Shedeur Sanders the hopeful media tycoon, I see the son of an icon,” Baumgardner wrote. “When I see Shedeur Sanders the quarterback, I see Andy Dalton or Teddy Bridgewater. He isn’t necessarily a year-to-year starter in today’s NFL, but he does look like a capable thrower who, with continued growth in his grasp of NFL offenses and the speed of defenses, could be a dependable backup for a long time. He projects as the kind of backup who can hold the fort for a few weeks if a starter gets hurt.”
Sanders’ rookie season began with him buried on the depth chart, but an unexpected turn when Dillon Gabriel sustained a concussion thrust him onto the field against the Baltimore Ravens. He started the final seven games, finishing 3-4 with a 56.6% completion rate for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. The numbers tell only part of the story, as Sanders also exhibited the playmaking ability that drew attention before the draft: he threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans and produced several explosive plays after taking over the offense.
He hasn’t claimed to view his rookie year as a completed project. His father, Deion Sanders, has echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that there remains ample room for growth and improvement as the quarterback learns the speed of the NFL, the complexity of defenses, and the nuances of professional football.
As Sanders continues to navigate his early NFL career, observers remain divided. Some see a talent with a ceiling far beyond a backup role, a quarterback who can develop into a franchise cornerstone with the right development and opportunity. Others caution that the path to sustained success is narrow and that early promise must translate into consistent performance at the highest level. In the meantime, the discourse surrounding his future—whether he becomes a long-term starter, a reliable part of a quarterback rotation, or something in between—will likely endure as teams weigh the potential in a player whose name alone has already sparked a national conversation.