Shedeur Sanders doesn't want to focus on the negative.
That was the former Colorado QB's main message when he spoke with local reporters following the NFL Draft.
Sanders slid to the fifth round and the No. 144 overall pick by the Cleveland Browns after being expected to go in the first round.
"I would say I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity throughout everything," Sanders told ESPN. "I don't ever focus on the negative or even think about the negative because the positive happened so fast and it's a change of emotions. For me, it was just playing quarterback. That's what it's about. You can't be up, too low or anything. You got to be able to celebrate. And when we score a touchdown, we celebrate for a little bit. Now, it's back to, time to work, it's time to go."
The Browns passed on Sanders multiple times before taking him. They even selected Dillon Gabriel, another quarterback, before Sanders.
But by the time pick 144 was up and Sanders was still there, the Browns had to try it.
"We talk oftentimes about quarterback being the most important position in the sport," GM Andrew Berry told ESPN. "We obviously spent a lot of time with Shedeur throughout the process. He's highly accurate, can play well from the pocket, very productive college career. And we felt like it wasn't necessarily the plan going into the weekend to select two quarterbacks, but we do believe in best player available, we do believe in positional value. We didn't necessarily expect him to be available in the fifth round. So, we love adding competition to every position room and adding him to compete with guys that are already in there, we felt like that was the appropriate thing to do."
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Sanders was asked about his pre-draft interviews, and he gave a straightforward answer.
"I think what happened was I had a great interview and great process with the Browns and that's why they were able to pick me," Sanders said. "So, anything outside the organization is really a nonfactor to me now because this is my focus and this is where my mind is, is doing everything I can to make this team better. So, everything outside of that, the opinions don't really matter."
Now, Sanders wants to prove himself, and he wants to prove the Browns right.
"The main thing I'm just proving," Sanders said, "I'm just proving Coach Stefanski and Mr. Berry that they're right, that they're right about picking me. That I'm a good decision, that I'm a good draft pick for them."
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