Shedeur Sanders’ first snap at Browns rookie minicamp had 'disaster' written all over it: Insider

Andrew Siciliano, a guest on "The Rich Eisen Show" on Tuesday, dissected the most recent NFL OTA results. He argued that it is superfluous to analyze quarterbacks' completion rates during organized team activities.

Using the Cleveland Browns' rookie minicamp as a point of reference, he explained that both quarterbacks, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, who were selected in the April NFL draft, experienced good and bad moments during their first workouts.

"The breathless reporting of quarterback completions from OTAs is silly," Siciliano said. "I'll give you a perfect example. Let's transition to the Browns. I was there for rookie minicamps, and I saw both days of practice.

"I stood on the field and saw Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders throw the football. They both had really good moments, and they both had moments like, 'Yeah! They are rookies.'

"Perfect example: Shedeur's very first snap, his very first day at rookie minicamp, he bubbled it coming away from center. With the rush getting to him because he was late getting away from the line, he backpedaled and backpedaled and then kind of lofted it like 15 yards down to the sideline. And if that was a game, it'd have been a disaster pick.”

Siciliano said that although Sanders struggled with his first throw in practice, the former Colorado standout eventually improved his throwing skills during that same session.

Shedeur Sanders dropped all the way to the fifth round, where the Browns took him with the 144th pick in the draft, after being a projected first-round pick, with many even projecting that he would be selected in the top 15.

Shedeur Sanders has a good chance to win the QB1 competition in Cleveland

It's rare to see a fifth-round pick rise up the depth chart in his first season and start for his team. Fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders is competing for the Browns' starting quarterback position this season against veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco as well as third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, who is also a rookie.

Given his familiarity with the Browns, Flacco has been the predicted starter, but Sanders may also have a chance to start for the team in 2025. Despite taking limited reps, the youngster has reportedly impressed during early OTA practices.

Sanders passed for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns in Colorado during his successful 2024 collegiate season. He showed his accuracy as a passer with a 74% completion rate for the season. Although he was projected to be selected in the first round going into the NFL draft, his drop to the fifth round does not take anything away from his quality.