Shedeur Sanders’ draft slide is widely seen as a blessing in disguise. Now, he won’t have the pressure to perform and live up to a first-round standard. He can also learn the ropes behind a veteran like Joe Flacco and prove himself by winning the QB competition against someone like Kenny Pickett.
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However, James Jones couldn’t disagree more. He believes that being a fifth-round selection means Shedeur will face an uphill battle right away.
On an episode of The Facility, Jones recalled an anecdote from his early years in Green Bay to illustrate why Shedeur will face a tough battle to secure the QB1 spot. Jones remembered his teammate explaining how the team prioritized their top picks and put them in positions to make more plays.
At first, Jones didn’t quite understand, but when a new recruit arrived, he saw firsthand that it was true. And it’s something Shedeur might experience as well in Cleveland.
“I remember when I got to Green Bay, I remember Revel Martin. We were on the sidelines, and he said, ‘They do this every year, they always put the high draft picks in the position to make the plays.’ And I’m like, what was he talking about?” Jones recalled.
“I’m just out here balling… And then the very next year, they drafted Jordy [Nelson]… They were putting Jordy at the Z every time the Z was supposed to get the ball. And I’m like, dang, that’s what they did with me last year,” Jones added.
It was a good anecdote for the former wideout to share, and one that gave fans insight into something we don’t think about often: practice. Practice is more crucial than we realize, and it’s tough for lesser-known players to carve out a role. Typically, the highly drafted players get more opportunities to prove why they were drafted so high.
That’s why Jones believes Shedeur will face a tough road ahead — he doesn’t have the same draft capital. As a fifth-round pick, he’s not in the same position as Dillon Gabriel, the third-round pick, who will likely be given more chances to succeed in practice. As unfair as it may seem, that’s just the reality of the NFL.
“This is an uphill battle for Shedeur… He’s not walking in there in these first three rounds with the opportunity to truly be the starter on that team. He’s going to have to have a Russell Wilson-like preseason to even make the team… This is not a blessing in disguise.”
However, it may be even harder than that for Shedeur. Russell Wilson was selected in the third round by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012. So, they probably felt somewhat inclined to give him a chance to start. The Browns, on the other hand, most likely don’t feel inclined to give Shedeur a chance. They now have Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders. That’s a ton of options.
.@89JonesNTAF says Shedeur Sanders’ draft slide is not a blessing in disguise:
“This is an uphill battle. He has to have a Russell Wilson-like preseason to even make the team.” pic.twitter.com/9eqoyJxLJG
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) April 28, 2025
Safe to say, the situation Sanders finds himself in isn’t a blessing in disguise. Not only is he missing out on first-round draft money, but he’s also already on the verge of being cut from a roster. Teams typically like to carry three quarterbacks into the season, so he’s got his work cut out for him.
On the bright side, maybe the selection woke Shedeur up. Things had been mostly handed to him throughout his upbringing. Now it’s time to lock in and prove why all of the pundits and experts fell in love with him in the first place.
There’s a chance he does perform above expectations in the preseason and makes the 53-man roster. But as Jones noted, they’re slim, and the opportunities won’t be handed to him. Shedeur will have to earn everything from here on out.
