As Cleveland’s quarterback competition takes shape this summer, one voice in the locker room is already making it clear who’s caught his attention.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, entering his second season with the Browns, offered a strong endorsement of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders this week.
“I think he’s a great young quarterback,” Jeudy said during a youth football camp. “I think he’s going to do a tremendous job for us. He’s a great dude. I’m excited to have him on our team.”
As public evaluations of Shedeur, ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, were clouded by speculation and anonymous scouting reports, feedback from current teammates should carry more weight. Especially when it comes from a proven playmaker like Jeudy.
Jeudy’s Perspective Carries Weight
Jeudy, a former first-round pick out of Alabama, knows the value of quarterback chemistry and the difficulty of building it when the depth chart is constantly in flux. Since entering the league in 2020 with the Denver Broncos, Jeudy caught passes from 11 different starting quarterbacks. That list includes emergency backups, journeymen, and former top picks.
Last season alone, Jeudy saw four quarterbacks start games in his first season with Cleveland. Despite the instability, he posted career-highs with 90 receptions for 1,229 yards.
He’s played with plenty of quarterbacks. So when he singles out a rookie’s professionalism and potential, it means something.
“They’re working hard,” Jeudy said of the young quarterbacks after OTAs. “They’re very smart, athletic quarterbacks that know the game. I’m excited. They’ve got a bright future.”
Sanders’ Path Forward
There’s no frontrunner yet in Cleveland’s four-man quarterback race, but Sanders continues to earn positive internal reviews—on and off the field.
What’s notable is that the endorsement from Jeudy wasn’t prompted by the local media or even part of an orchestrated press conference. It came during a youth camp, in response to a question from a kid. And Jeudy didn’t hesitate to offer support.
That kind of organic respect may carry more value than any pre-draft critique.
Sanders will have more opportunities to separate himself as the Browns move through the remainder of OTAs and into mandatory minicamp in mid-June. If he continues to show growth, the former Buff has a real chance to compete for reps, and eventually, the starting role.
For Colorado fans, it’s another step in what’s already been a turbulent yet compelling journey for one of the program’s most important players of the Coach Prime era. The NFL spotlight hasn’t changed Shedeur Sanders. But now, he has to prove he can succeed in it.
So far, he's doing exactly that.
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