In Berea, the spring air felt deceptively calm. But inside the Cleveland Browns‘ CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, the quarterback room was anything but settled. It’s five men deep, with only one guaranteed role. Deshaun Watson, the embattled franchise quarterback, remains atop the depth chart—for now. Behind him, former first-rounder Kenny Pickett is in reset mode. Joe Flacco, freshly re-signed after his playoff push, offers veteran steadiness. Then comes Shedeur Sanders: the ultra-visible rookie who’s already drawing headlines and comparisons. He’s fourth on the totem pole, but first in intrigue. And breathing down his neck is Dillon Gabriel, a dual-threat sixth-rounder trying to fight for a practice squad slot.

At rookie minicamp, Sanders wasn’t just another arm in line. He had full awareness that every rep carried weight. The throws weren’t perfect, but the footwork, the pacing, and a pair of touchdown passes showed poise. He stayed late, worked extra, and made it clear he’s here to compete. As Browns insider Brad Stainbrook observed on May 9: “Yes, it’s just the first day of rookie minicamp—but Shedeur Sanders looked sharper than Dillon Gabriel.”

The Cleveland Browns’ YouTube Page recently dropped an interview where, in conversation with Andrew Siciliano, Shedeur Sanders spoke about what it was like joining the Browns and what his thoughts are on the QB competition. Siciliano asked, “How do you embrace this competition, not just with Dillon Gabriel, but with the other quarterbacks in what we all agree is a crowded quarterback room?” Shedeur’s answer? “Just focus on myself and what I need to do to get better and any areas, you know, I’m lacking in.” Sanders’ approach is showing up in the margins—the extra 20 minutes on the practice field post-session, working routes with rookie skill players. “#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders remained on the practice field for about 20 minutes after each rookie minicamp practice concluded to get extra reps,” Stainbrook confirmed the following day.

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.” Yes, the tides are changing for Shedeur. This isn’t the same guy who was waiting anxiously for his name to be called. Sanders is doing it in style, with his signature confidence and a “million-dollar smile.” And he’s on a mission, too, as he stated so confidently in his rookie minicamp presser. “I’m not here to prove people wrong. I’m here to prove myself right.”

Still, none of this guarantees reps in September. The Browns’ quarterback room is a case study in hedging. Watson is the presumed starter, but with injury history and erratic play since returning from suspension, Cleveland needed insurance. Pickett provides youth with starting experience; Flacco is the emergency veteran; Gabriel is the mobile gadget threat with upside. Where does Shedeur fit? Potentially in the long-term succession plan, especially if Watson falters or the front office is forced to make financial pivots next offseason.

But Shedeur is clearly going the extra mile to make himself stand out in this crowded QB room. And he’s happy to be with the Browns, too. When asked about his day one, the rookie QB was all smiles. “It felt amazing. I came here on the 30 visit. – I was just anxious at that time – So, I was excited that finally – everything came true and – this building is extremely comfortable.” When Shedeur’s draft stock tanked, analysts and reporters had a field day breaking it all down. But he has left all of that far behind him. He’s determined, and as he said himself once, he’s got everything he needs to be successful. While fans are eagerly eyeing every second of his comeback, Shedeur also has a message for the haters out there.

Shedeur Sanders’ strong stance on hate

Shedeur Sanders wears the No. 12 proudly on his back. It’s a flipped tribute to his dad, Deion Sanders, and a direct one for mentor Tom Brady. He’s taking the opportunity he’s got with the Browns and making every moment count. And he’s not looking back at all the hate he has received so far. Indeed, when Siciliano asked about it, he had a strong take on the whole social media hatred. “If you live in a world of social media, you’re going to think very negatively. – for all athletes, you’ll think very negatively about yourself or you’ll feel too high up. Because that’s how media is.” But for Shedeur, he’s not letting the hate or the praises get to him. He’s got a mission, and he’s going to complete it no matter what the audience thinks of him.

So, how does Shedeur Sanders deal with the hate? He’s got a classic Sander’s response for it, too. “I don’t pay attention to that stuff. I focus on, you know, real life. I never seen hate in real life by fans and people spectating that I met, ever. So hate only exists online, basically.” Sanders has a big presence on social media. And that presence comes with a whole lot of scrutiny.

But he doesn’t care. He knows he’s got what it takes to make it big, and he’s showing it to the world, one throw, one standout moment at a time. He doubled down on his stance and said, “It’s the same as it is every year. So I’m accustomed to it. – It don’t live in my mind at all.”