Shedeur Sanders Talks Relationship With Dillon Gabriel: ‘We’re Truly Cool’

Shedeur Sanders knows that he’ll have to “work” in order to earn his reps in the NFL.

The highly touted quarterback was a star quarterback with the Colorado Buffaloes, helping raise them from an afterthought to a college football contender. Sanders not only excelled there individually — he was named a Second-Team All-American last season — he helped lead the Buffaloes to their first top 25 finish since the 2016 season.

However, he’ll have to earn a spot on the 53-man roster for the Cleveland Browns after he unexpectedly slipped from being a surefire first-round pick all the way down to the fifth round.

Sanders is embracing the mentality of having to earn everything that comes his way in the NFL. The 23-year-old is currently competing with fellow Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel — he was selected in the third round — for position on the depth chart and just completed rookie minicamp.

“Everything’s been cool,” Sanders told SportsCasting on behalf of his partnership with Panini. “He’s a cool person. I like how he handles situations, especially just the negative media that’s coming his way. I’m just happy he’s positive, he’s able to handle everything. We’re truly cool.”

Sanders is competing with Gabriel for potentially the starting quarterback job on the Browns. Cleveland also has two other healthy veteran quarterbacks in former starter Flacco and ex-first round pick Kenny Pickett. Deshaun Watson also is on the roster, but he’s currently rehabbing an injury.

The rookie quarterback says he and Gabriel are “for sure” learning from one another as they go through their first seasons in the NFL.

Sanders: Not Sure How Different NFL Game Will Be

When asked what the biggest adjustment will be to the pro game from the college game, Sanders says that “he’s not sure” given he has taken any snaps in real game action yet. His only experience thus far has been the Browns’ three-day rookie minicamp and they’ll begin their full offseason activities later this month.

“I’m not sure,” says Sanders. “I haven’t played a snap yet. I’m excited to see myself.”

The All-American quarterback says that his dad Deion Sanders’ advice to him is to “work.” He says he’s been in with former Buffaloes teammate Travis Hunter — he was selected No. 2 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars — since the draft.

“Just stay focused is the main thing,” says of his conversations with Hunter. “But we both know that, so we just check in to make sure we’re both progressing.”

Sanders: I Haven’t Talked To Tom Brady Since The Draft

One of Sanders’ biggest idols is Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback who is widely regarded as the best football player of all time. It’s worth mentioning that Brady was also a late-round draft pick, having been selected 199th overall in the sixth round.

Sanders — who was picked in the fifth round with the 144th pick — says he hasn’t spoken to Brady or many others since the draft. He says he’s “locked in” with the Browns and wants to be a “great teammate” entering his rookie season.

“I haven’t talked to him since the draft,” says Sanders. “I’ve mainly just been focusing on the team, everybody that’s currently around me, the coaches on the team. I haven’t really been on my phone much or talking to many people. I really don’t even talk to my family. It’s one of those situations where I just have to lock in, stay focused on what’s present now.”