A report from CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones over the weekend shed new light on Sanders's draft fall, with Jones stating that the 23-year-old may have deliberately done poorly in his pre-draft interviews at the combine to avoid getting picked by certain NFL teams.

Sanders was once projected to go as high as No. 1 overall, with No. 3 overall to the New York Giants seemingly as low as he could go.

The Cleveland Browns selected the former Colorado quarterback in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday, ending Sanders' long wait. Sanders entered the draft as one of the most highly regarded quarterback prospects, with many projecting him to go in the first or second round.