BEREA, Ohio — The Browns had no plans to draft Shedeur Sanders on Day 3 of the NFL draft, but once he tumbled into the fifth round, it became a no-brainer for Browns GM Andrew Berry. The decision was 110% Berry’s and not a directive from Jimmy Haslam, despite the persistent narrative in NFL circles.

The Browns liked Dillon Gabriel entering the 2025 NFL Draft more than most realized, leading to him being taken ahead of Shedeur Sanders.

When Shedeur Sanders was still on the board in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns decided to aggressively pursue him. According to ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi, Browns general manager Andrew Berry "worked hard" to find a trade that would bring Sanders to Cleveland as his fall continued early on Day 3.