Sanders was rated as the No. 23 overall player and the No. 2 quarterback in the class by Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department. His slide out of Days 1 and 2 was the story of the draft as he fell to the fifth round and was the sixth quarterback taken at No. 144 overall.

Shedeur Sanders falling to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft sparked significant scrutiny and discussion. He was projected to be a first-round pick, or at the very least, a second-round selection. However, as the draft progressed, Sanders' name was absent from the list of picks.

Vardell was known as “Touchdown Tommy” in college, and was solid during his first two seasons with Cleveland, logging 1,013 yards on 270 carries and three touchdowns. His final two seasons, however, were limited by injuries and resulted in 19 carries through 10 games.