NFL draft comparisons don’t mean same outcomes but if Shedeur Sanders is this good, the Browns have to strike
To draft a quarterback or to not draft a quarterback has been a big talking point among Cleveland Browns media and fans. With both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders among one draft expert’s top 11 prospects, selecting one of them with the second overall pick isn’t as big of a stretch as many had thought it might be.
More and more it seems that Ward will be off the board first leaving the Browns to choose between drafting Sanders or going in another direction. Myles Garrett’s trade request could influence what Cleveland decides to do at quarterback. If Garrett’s request is denied, a veteran QB with a high-impact player in the first round might make more sense than drafting one.
With a lot of great quarterbacks in the AFC, including three recent MVPs, the Browns hope to find someone who can help them compete in the AFC North with Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson. To the surprise of some, Burrow was the comparison for Sanders from CBS Sports NFL draft analyst Emory Hunt:
Joe Burrow Shedeur Sanders@FBallGameplan pic.twitter.com/kjUXJYd7bS
— Jake Schwanitz (@JakeDNVR) February 7, 2025
To be clear, in general, NFL draft comparisons are NOT about what a player will become. Instead, they are about the skills and attributes that are similar.
While we all know Burrow now, as a prospect there was a lot to love but much of it was not measurable. He has a fine not huge arm, as noted in the above video, and isn’t overly athletic. What he does have is the same kinds of things that have been noted about Sanders: Accuracy, leadership, toughness and moxie/confidence/arrogance.
If Cleveland sees those similar traits, they’d have almost no choice but to draft Sanders. That doesn’t mean the Browns will have drafted a player that will become Joe Burrow but will have drafted a prospect with similar traits as Burrow coming out of college.
What do you think of the Sanders/Burrow comp?