Shedeur Sanders’ old jersey in Boulder, Colo., has been retired. And his new jersey with the Cleveland Browns is selling like McDonald’s hamburgers.
The controversial quarterback may have been drafted at No. 144 in the fifth round, but his jersey is the top seller for all rookies in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Shedeur Sanders was picked No. 1 by fans
According to data compiled by Fanatics, a popular sports merchandise retailer, the Cleveland Browns’ incoming quarterback now boasts the highest-selling jersey among all draftees. Without even trying, Sanders has bested his former Colorado Buffalo teammate, the all-world two-way player Travis Hunter, who was drafted No. 2 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and former Miami signal caller Cam Ward, who was famously picked No. 1 in this year’s draft.
Fanatics confirmed to cllct Wednesday that Sanders now has the top seller by amalgamating the sales across the company’s network of sites, including the NFL Shop and the Cleveland Browns’ official shop.
Shedeur Sanders is expected to pick his old college jersey
Despite the fact that Sanders has not yet chosen a number, sports analysts are estimating that Sanders will choose No. 2. It was the number the brash star sported at Colorado — and, just as importantly, it was the number worn by his legendary father, Deion “Prime Time” Sanders, during his iconic playing days at Florida State in the 1980s.
No. 2 does not exactly have a good track record in the City by the Lake. Players who are considered draft busts, Tim Couch and Johnny Manziel, also wore the number for the Browns. It was also worn by wide receiver Amari Cooper, who has since been traded.
Shedeur Sanders is shining again after a rough NFL draft
Sanders’ draft experience has been characterized as humiliating and humbling after he was projected as a late first-round or early second-round pick on Thursday, April 26. The sports world was shocked that Sanders failed to get picked by any team through the second, third, and fourth rounds on Friday and early Saturday afternoon.
Sanders’ angst and disappointment were exacerbated when he got a prank call from Jax Ulbrich, the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Jax called Sanders pretending to be the general manager of the New Orleans Saints. The son told Sanders that he’d “have to wait a little longer” before abruptly hanging up.
Ulbrich has since publicly apologized for the “completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful” act. And Ulbrich’s father was fined $100K for enabling sensitive information on his iPad to be breached, while the Falcons were fined $250K. The son noted that Sanders was surprisingly gracious in his acceptance of the apology.
While speaking with reporters after getting drafted, Sanders easily dismissed the prank. “It didn’t really have an impact on me,” he said, according to ESPN. “I don’t feed into negativity. It is what it is. Of course, the dude was childish… but everybody does childish things here and there.”
After arriving at the Browns’ headquarters in Berea, Ohio, Sanders quickly acclimated to Cleveland by ingratiating himself with the local high schoolers.
