"Lead with work, not clout" - Cam Newton rips Shedeur Sanders over his loud persona

Former NFL Most Valuable Player Cam Newton dared rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders to alter his style as he enters the pro ranks.

Newton, the MVP in 2015 with the Carolina Panthers, aimed his words directly at Sanders. The former Colorado star was predicted to be a first-round talent but dropped to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns drafted him at No. 144.

Newton shared his pointed advice on his podcast on Thursday.

"Shedeur Sanders, this message is directed to you," Newton said, via '4th & 1.' "Lead with work, not clout. I think he took on the persona of a DB (defensive back), not a QB. As a DB, you're able to do certain things. You can speak loud and be rambunctious and have that bravado. As a quarterback reminder, you are the CEO of that franchise."

Sanders enters a crowded quarterback room in Cleveland that includes veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. He also joins fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel and the injured Deshaun Watson. Sanders faces a steep climb after his draft stock plummeted.

"This is the best situation" for Shedeur Sanders says Cam Newton

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Despite his criticism, Cam Newton expressed optimism about Shedeur Sanders' future in Cleveland.

"This is the best situation for Shedeur because he has to claw his way to the top," Newton said on Thursday, via '4th & 1.' "Does he have the capabilities to do it? Absolutely. And if I'm in his camp, I'm telling him, like, 'Bro, let's get to work. Let's control what we can control now.' I do see Shedeur Sanders starting for the Cleveland Browns at some point this year."

Newton's advice aligns with reports from NFL insiders about Sanders' pre-draft process. According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, one team executive claimed Sanders approached team visits "as a recruiting trip versus a job interview." The executive also pointed to Sanders' decision to forgo hiring an agent as a "critical mistake," leaving him unprepared for how teams evaluate quarterback prospects.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry offered Sanders encouragement during their draft-day call, telling him to put the past behind him.

"You gotta come in, you gotta work hard, you gotta earn your job, earn your keep," Berry said. "And it doesn't matter where you're taken, it matters what you do from this point forward."

Sanders avoided the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine, forfeiting critical opportunities to promote himself. Four other quarterbacks — Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough and Jalen Milroe — were drafted ahead of him. This is after numerous media sources considered Sanders to be the class' second-best quarterback.