Over the weekend, the Cleveland Browns hosted a rookie mini camp that lasted three days. This event gave the team’s new 2025 draft picks, undrafted free agents, and trial players a glimpse of what NFL practices are really like.
Among those players was Chedur Sanders, who has been making headlines despite being a fifth-round pick.
Jason Whitlock offers his perspective, suggesting that the excessive hype surrounding Sanders has caused several teams to pass on him.
“The buzz around the fifth draft pick now, the lavish praise from many teams, that’s why he was off our board,” remarks contributor Steve Kim.
Jason concurs, pointing out messages from Chedur’s fans, who tout him as a “good teammate” simply for taking a photo with a tryout player. Other social media posts have highlighted his charitable work and sensationalized his minicamp performances.
“I think some of these tweets might have been bought for PR purposes,” Jason says. He suspects that these social media mentions are “not authentic” but rather a campaign to rehabilitate Chedur’s image after concerns regarding his previous attitude affected his draft status.
While this might have contributed to the excitement surrounding Chedur, it’s possible that some teams’ negative impressions of him may have been fueled by publicity strategies. Ultimately, this could impact his future opportunities significantly.
If Shedeur ends up as the backup quarterback to Dillon Gabriel, his enhanced image could raise his trade value, especially if another team’s starting quarterback gets injured.
Jason believes that’s precisely what Deion and Shedeur would prefer, should Chedur not secure a starting role.
“Deion, Shedeur, and their marketing team have realized that Chedur’s reputation has cost him a considerable amount of money—maybe $30 to $50 million—and they’re trying to fix his image as a good talent and teammate,” Jason explains. “They might be hoping for an early-season injury elsewhere to boost Chedur’s trade prospects.”
For more insights from Jason Whitlock, check out the linked discussion above.
