Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is set to make his first career NFL start on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders in Nevada. ESPN's Senior NFL Insider reported on Wednesday.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders will start Sunday vs the Raiders.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 19, 2025
Sanders spent two years at Jackson State in Florida before transferring to Colorado in 2023, where he spent another two seasons with the Buffs. At JSU, Sanders completed 272 passes for 3,231 passing yards and 30 touchdowns as a freshman, tossing just eight interceptions, and ran for three touchdowns. In his sophomore season, he set a career-high in passing touchdowns (40), completing 483 passes for 3,732 passing yards, threw six interceptions and was sacked a career-low 23 times.
His best season came in 2024, when he completed a career-high 353 passes for a career-high 4,134 passing yards and tossed 37 passing touchdowns while rushing for four. He was awarded the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, First-team All-Big 12, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
However, he slipped in the draft and, after training camp, found himself in a third-string role in Cleveland's quarterback room.
The six-foot-two, 212-pound quarterback was selected by the Browns with the 144th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. His fellow rookie classmate, quarterback Dillon Gabriel, was drafted in the third round with the 94th overall pick before Sanders.
Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco began the season as the starter, and played four games - completing 93 passes for 815 passing yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions - before being traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Gabriel's number was called to start first in Week 5, and he started six consecutive games - completing 67 passes for 918 passing yards and six touchdowns - before exiting the Browns' Week 11 loss to the Ravens with a concussion.
Sanders entered the game and completed four passes for 47 passing yards and threw an interception. Now, midway through the lead-up to Week 12, Gabriel has been ruled out for Sunday night, leaving Sanders as the Browns' leading signal caller.
Flacco finished 1-3 as a starter, while Gabriel finished 1-5. The bar has been set pretty low for Sanders, as the Browns hope for their third win of the season. They sit in last place in the AFC North with a 2-8 record and a 0-4 record in the division.
