“My story is going to be similar [to Brady’s]. I was a late-round draft pick, but we’re here now, so none of that stuff matters.” Shedeur Sanders isn’t just talking—he’s manifesting. The Cleveland Browns’ fifth-round pick, despite a college résumé dripping with 14,327 passing yards, 134 TDs, and a 70.1% completion rate, has already turned the Dawg Pound’s skepticism into swagger. And if the similarity to Tom Brady’s NFL journey—and the 23-year-old’s confidence—is anything to go by, then the Browns have an important decision to make.

It all started when Cleveland insider Brad Stainbrook gave some intel on the heightened competition for the first time. “Yes, it’s just the first day of rookie minicamp — but Shedeur Sanders looked sharper than Dillon Gabriel. This is only the beginning. The competition is real, and it’s going to be one of the stories of the season,” he wrote on X on May 9. Just a day later, he chimed in again—this time revealing about the former Buffs signal caller’s overzealous professionalism.

“#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders remained on the practice field for about 20 minutes after each rookie mini camp practice concluded to get extra reps in with offensive skill players,” he wrote. No wonder, the community has been largely expecting Sanders to be the starter next season. NFL analyst Brent Sobleski put it best. “The ability is there for Sanders to make a splash. He’s an excellent distributor with fantastic accuracy when working on time and in rhythm,” he wrote while adding how the rookie will still have to work through the QB room maze to reclaim his position. Now add to that another fresh update, and it seems like Shedeur is much more closer to his goal than we had anticipated—blowing even Dillon Gabriel out of contention.

As per NFL Rookie Watch on May 14, “Several sources with boots on the ground in Berea believe it “wasn’t even close” in terms of the competition between Sanders and Dillon Gabriel at rookie minicamp. Sanders reportedly had people’s “jaws on the ground” while Gabriel had people’s “head in their hands” after several plays.”

“One source close to the situation reportedly believes the QB1 battle in Cleveland will “quickly boil down” to just Sanders and Flacco early on into training camp. Multiple NFL scouts around the league believe Sanders has shown early on that he has “by far the most upside” of any QB in the Browns current QB room. The Browns rookie QB has talent the city of Cleveland has NEVER seen before 😳,” the tweet concluded. Think Brady Quinn vs. Derek Anderson vibes, but with way more glitter. Cleveland hasn’t seen a quarterback this audacious since Baker Mayfield planted flags in opposing end zones. But Sanders isn’t here to replicate Baker’s bravado—he’s channeling TB12’s underdog ethos.

Drafted significantly spots lower than his college stats suggested, Sanders wears No. 12 like a promise, not a tribute. Brady himself texted him post-draft: “Use it as motivation. You’re gonna get your chances. Go take advantage of it.” The player’s response? A strong rookie minicamp showing that the naysayers shook. After all, you don’t expect less from a quarterback who posted a 74.0% completion rate at Colorado, and 37 TDs. What’s more?

The rookie minicamp that started with Dillion Gabriel taking the competitive drills during practice also saw Sanders standing tall in both 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 work. However, what took social media by storm was a video posted by the X account @Scuba_Steve26 where the rookie QB was seen connecting on an 81.5-yard throw. And to put things into perspective, that effort would break the record of Baker Mayfield, who threw 70.5 Hail Mary against the Baltimore Ravens back in 2o20.

Now Cleveland’s QB room reads like a Hall of Fame flashback—Otto Graham’s 23,584 yds and 174–135 mark, Bernie Kosar’s 21,904 yds and 116–81 flair, Brian Sipe’s 23,713 yds with that ’80 MVP glow—then Joe Flacco’s 45,697 yds and Super Bowl swagger meet Kenny Pickett’s young NFL cred. And right alongside them, the rookies: Gabriel with his record-shattering totals and Sanders with a 158.4 PR, a cannon arm, and NIL dollars north of $6 M.

Meanwhile, Kevin Stefanski’s poker face is slipping. Drafting Gabriel in the third round (No. 94) felt like a safe bet—after all, the dude’s 18,722 passing yards and 155 TDs in College scream prolific. But minicamp revealed a stark truth: Gabriel’s NCAA-record 190 total touchdowns haven’t translated to NFL-ready poise. Scouts whisper he’s “overthinking,” while Sanders operates like he’s still running Colorado’s 43–35 double-OT thriller against Colorado State. Stefanski’s regret?

It’s written on the playbook.

Stefanski’s gamble & Gabriel’s ghosts

The Browns’ QB room is now a high-stakes drama. Joe Flacco, the 40-year-old Super Bowl XLVII MVP, is the grizzled mentor with a howitzer arm. Then there’s Kenny Pickett, the Steelers castoff, and Gabriel, whose near $6 million rookie deal feels heavier by the day. But Sanders? He’s the wildcard flipping the script. One team insider claims the QB1 battle will “quickly boil down” to Flacco and Sanders—a duel between old-school grit and new-school flair.

Cleveland’s quarterback history is a graveyard of “almosts”. Otto Graham’s seven titles, Bernie Kosar’s ’80s magic, Brian Sipe’s Kardiac Kids—all legends, yet none with Sanders’ college pedigree. His 4,134-yard senior year at Colorado wasn’t just stats; it was art. Breaking school records while signing Nike deals. To get into more detail, here’s a side-by-side look at some of Cleveland’s all-time great signal-callers alongside the rookies in town.

Key takeaways:

• Otto, Bernie, and Brian built Cleveland’s early DNA with gritty, guns-a-blazing seasons—low comp % by today’s standards, but back then, you threw downfield like you meant it.

• Flacco stacked up huge yardage and TDs over 17 NFL seasons, hoisting a Super Bowl trophy along the way.

• Pickett’s young NFL career shows promise: a near-80s passer rating and mid-60s comp % in his first two years.

• Gabriel rewrote FBS record books—2nd all-time in passing yards, co-leader in TDs—and brings that prolific arm to the QB room.

• Sanders dazzled at JSU and Colorado with a 70 % completion clip, absurd passer rating north of 150, and a cannon that left scouts slack-jawed.

If Gabriel’s the cautionary tale, Sanders is the anthem. And Cleveland? They’re ready to sing. So buckle up, Dawg Pound. This isn’t a rebuild; it’s a revolution. And Shedeur Sanders? He’s got the pen.