Once the draft week ends, the spotlight shines on the first-rounders more than anyone else every year. But the tables have turned this year with the Sanders brothers in the center. Shilo and Shedeur Sanders have received so much attention from the media that the other players have mostly gone unnoticed, except for the teams that drafted them, of course. Their father, Deion Sanders’ name, had a lot to do with it if you listen to the insiders and analysts. But as Shedeur Sanders enters a packed QB room that already has another rookie competing for the position, he has his work cut out for him.
The No. 12 Sanders finds himself face to face with No. 5 Dillon Gabriel. As the 94th overall pick, Dillon Gabriel does bring a certain flair to the QB room. He was the Big Ten MVP, as well as Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Add to this the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year as well. And that’s just his 2024 accolades. Being the 3rd round pick for the Browns also comes in stark contrast with Sanders’ 5th round 144th pick. While both the rookies got an equal shot at their rookie minicamp debut, one can’t help but notice that Gabriel went first. And suddenly, the insiders are also comparing stocks.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Shedeur Sanders has an incredible “luxury” this year. And the reason for it is his draft fall. In conversation with Tom Pelissero, Rappoport said, “this year’s number one overall pick, definitely not getting that treatment. It is Shedeur Sanders, in part because of the publicity that came to him in his epic draft fall. – This is part of the reason why a guy who’s talented enough to go in the first round falls to the fifth round. – if he’s not going to be your starter, do you want all of those cliques surrounding your quarterback who is buried on your depth chart?” With Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, and Gabriel in the mix, Shedeur is certainly buried in the depth chart. If he wants to be the QB1 someday, it will require a long, hard climb and possibly edging out Gabriel.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: After months of discussion, #Browns QB Shedeur Sanders finally took the practice field on Friday. pic.twitter.com/xkxHvolw3G
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 10, 2025
Rapoport further added, “whether or not Shedeur Sanders is going to be a franchise quarterback is almost certainly not going to be answered this year. And the way this is set up with him being really just a flyer, a lottery ticket for the Browns, they don’t have to find anything out. He doesn’t need to play. He doesn’t need to be forced on the field.” While Shedeur is called a “lottery ticket” for the Browns, Rapoport has a different vision for Dillon Gabriel. He added, “Dillon Gabriel may end up as the backup anyway. Shedeur Sanders has an unbelievable luxury. – of not having to do anything this rookie year, just fading into the background as much as possible and just learning.” With Flacco and Pickett leading, one wonders if the Browns will even need backups. But if there are injuries, Gabriel might get a shot before Sanders.
But Browns HC Kevin Stefanski has already cleared his stance on Dillon going first in the minicamp. “Yeah, I wouldn’t look into anything. I think you’ll see the whole weekend, going through the spring. I mean, we don’t pay too close attention to who’s in that first snap.” Stefanski further added, “There’s a lot of time between now and September, so we’ll have a plan. But it’s an all-encompassing evaluation. It’s not something that it’s just based on the practice reps. There’s a lot that goes into it.” So a lot could happen between May and September, and we’ll just see how the new QBs perform during this time. And Shedeur is already putting in the work, being the last to leave the field. And with his ‘Legendary’ tag in the mix, there’s a chance Gabriel might get snapped out of the spotlight, just like what’s happening to Mason Graham.
Mason Graham’s spotlight taken by Shedeur Sanders
Remember when we talked about Shedeur getting attention, leaving other players in the dark? Being the sons of the iconic Coach Prime certainly comes with its perks and spotlights. And now, Mason Graham faces a similar situation. Graham, being a first-round pick, was totally justified. The Rose Bowl Defensive MVP had already shown major skills in his three-year college career. He recorded a massive total of 108 tackles in 39 games, started in 27, and even got 9 sacks. And at 296 pounds, this guy’s built for pure durability. But with Shedeur’s publicity, Graham’s first-round glory has clearly taken a detour.
But the DT is not worried about the spotlight. He’s not even worried about Shedeur’s fame. Mason Graham just wants to play football. According to Graham, if the media’s with him, that’s cool. If not, that’s cool all the same. When asked about Shedeur getting all the attention, Graham coolly said, “That doesn’t really matter to me – I come to play football. If the media’s on me, then they’re on me. If the media’s not, then it’s not. I’m just going to do my job at the end of the day.” Graham clearly has his priorities sorted. He’s just going to play the game. That’s all there is to it.
Even when asked about Shedeur, Graham said that it was a productive meeting. “He was cool – Seems like a good dude and it was all about ball. So I want to play with guys that are like-minded.” ‘Keep your eyes on the ball, ’ ever heard that phrase? That’s exactly what Graham is doing. He’s focused, dedicated to his craft, and ready to let his tackles speak for themselves. And isn’t that exactly what being a DT is all about?
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