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Even though he was not selected in the first round of the most recent Draft, Shedeur Sanders was one of the main storylines of the event, as there wasn't a single day when his name wasn't being mentioned. He is a highly media-driven player. In fact, many scouts projected him as a first-round pick, ranking him as the second quarterback expected to be taken, only behind Cam Ward.
Both he and his father, the legendary and controversial Deion Sanders, made it clear that they expected him to earn the starting job from Week 1 with whichever team drafted him. However, things did not go as planned. Not only did he fall out of the first round, but he dropped to the fifth round, when the Cleveland Browns finally selected him.
Sanders was treated accordingly - as a fifth-round pick. He had three quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart. The former Colorado Buffaloes standout was not named starter until Week 11, and from that point on, he led the Browns' offense. He showed flashes of potential, but not enough to fully establish himself as the unquestioned starter.
Browns could target Ty Simpson in the next Draft
Although current discussions suggest that the starting quarterback job in Cleveland could come down to Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, another name could enter the picture: Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. His stock has been rising ahead of the upcoming Draft, and he has already been linked to the Browns.
"He dealt with an OL that had their protections figured out, the run game was atrocious, his star WR just disappeared. I would argue that nine games into the season, Ty Simpson was the best QB in college football," Todd McShay said on the Ken Carman Show.
Simpson is starting to gain strong consideration from Browns scouts. Recently, team insider Mary Kay Cabot revealed it would not be surprising if Cleveland fell in love with this quarterback. If he were selected high in the Draft, Shedeur Sanders could once again be pushed down the depth chart - potentially back to third string, where he began last season.
This storyline still has many chapters left to unfold in the coming weeks. What is certain is that the Cleveland Browns hold two first-round picks (No. 6 and No. 24). While the offense has multiple needs, it would not be surprising if they used their second first-round selection on another quarterback.