A surprising team was reportedly poised to select quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft before they were jumped by the Cleveland Browns.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Philadelphia Eagles were strongly interested in drafting Sanders in the fifth round. Rapoport suggested that the Browns may have traded up in front of Philadelphia to land him before they could.
“There have been rumors all day that the Philadelphia Eagles were interested in Shedeur Sanders,” Rapoport said. “It would be a perfect landing spot for him. A veteran quarterback room, a team with a really good culture.”
From our NFL Draft coverage: The #Browns traded over the #Eagles to take QB Shedeur Sanders. pic.twitter.com/QvRdy7zNCJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2025
The Browns clearly felt that trading up for Sanders was in their interest, as they moved up 22 spots to make the pick at No. 144 overall. The Eagles were waiting in the wings with the No. 145 pick, so the Browns’ move probably was not coincidence.
It is fair to ask what the Eagles would have wanted Sanders for when they already have Jalen Hurts on the roster. The Eagles are firm believers in drafting for value, and Sanders in the early fifth round may well have represented that for them. One team just got a fifth-round pick for a quarterback they drafted in the sixth round last year, so the Eagles may have felt that could be one route for them.
The Browns ultimately landed Sanders, though they did not seem that excited about it. That is certainly a better spot for Sanders in terms of having a path to starting quickly, but if he does not work out, one might eventually wonder if the Eagles would have been better for his long-term development.
