The 2025 NFL draft had a lot of big storylines pop up during the seven rounds of action, but easily the biggest storyline of them all was Shedeur Sanders’ fall down the board. Initially expected to be a first round pick, Sanders’ name wasn’t called until the fifth round of the draft, when the Cleveland Browns surprisingly decided to trade up the board and nab him with the No. 144 overall selection.
Sanders’ slide was unprecedented, as he was believed to be the No. 2 quarterback in his draft class behind Cam Ward, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans. Instead, he slid all the way to the third and final day of the draft, with several other quarterbacks getting selected ahead of him. Sanders’ slide was so impactful that a fan opted to file a $100 million lawsuit against the NFL.
Shedeur Sanders’ Slide in the 2025 NFL Draft Could Prove Costly for NFL
Players fall down the board in the draft all the time, but rarely does it draw as much attention as Sanders’ slide did, and it’s tough to remember another top prospect taking as steep of a fall as the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback just did. The Browns, who entered the draft as one of Sanders’ top suitors, finally decided to trade up with the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round to select the divisive passer.
What made this decision so surprising was that Cleveland passed over Sanders and selected another quarterback earlier in the draft when they picked Dillon Gabriel in the third round. Now, they are teaming up on the Browns, joining a quarterback room that features Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Deshaun Watson, who is expected to miss the entire 2025 campaign after he re-ruptured his Achilles back in January.
Sanders’ draft day debacle was a head-scratcher, and many fans are upset with the league’s perceived disinterest in one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft. One fan took things to another level, as they filed a $100 million lawsuit against the NFL, claiming that their teams caused them “emotional distress and trauma” due to their fandom of Sanders and the Buffaloes.
“’Despite Sanders’ demonstrated skills and significant attention during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the NFL drafted him at the 144th pick during the 2025 NFL Draft,’ said the complaint filed in Georgia federal court by a plaintiff under the pseudonym John Doe,” Jordan Rubin wrote for MSNBC.
“The self-described ‘dedicated fan of Colorado football’ and Georgia resident alleged that reports and leaked statements about Sanders negatively influenced the league’s decision-making process, ‘causing emotional distress and trauma to the Plaintiff as a fan and consumer.’”
Shedeur Sanders Looking to Prove Doubters Wrong with Browns
Despite falling all the way to the fifth round, Sanders finds himself in a decent spot with the Browns. Their starting quarterback gig is wide open, as he figures to have just as good of a shot at earning the job as Flacco, Pickett, and Gabriel do. Considering how far he fell in the draft, the decision to select Sanders could prove to be a wise investment.
While this lawsuit may not pan out for this fan, they could enjoy watching Sanders embark on a redemption arc of sorts as he attempts to prove the league wrong for their decision to pass on him. However, this case will be worth keeping tabs on over the upcoming weeks.
