Shedeur Sanders blow as Browns draft QB with ‘rare physical gifts’ to leave rival facing unemployment

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Shedeur Sanders’ reward for winning a four-man quarterback battle is a repeat performance.Deion’s son was the last man standing out of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel in 2025, eventually winning the starting job.Green is a raw prospect but has plenty of toolsGettyNow, he will do it all again under new coach Todd Monken with Deshaun Watson and Taylen Green joining him and Gabriel in a crowded room.Most teams prefer to stick to three QBs entering camp, but the Browns are set to buck the trend under successive coaches.General manager Andrew Berry took Green with the first pick of the sixth round.“It’s the most important in sports. We’ll make a bet or acquire a player that we like if it’s the right cost,” he said Saturday. “With Taylen specifically, very mature young man, really strong makeup, and he has rare physical gifts. He has size, he has elite speed, he has a big arm.View Tweet: https://t.co/l4UQ9L9eXt“He’s going to need some polish with his game, but he has the work ethic and he has the acumen to do so. “So we’re looking forward to adding him to the roster and adding him to the mix in terms of competition.”Berry indicated that the plan is to move forward with all four. Asked the inevitable question about the chance of Green switching position, he was quick to rule it out.“We’re going to continue to work with all those guys and we like having competition,” he added.Green is 6-foot-5 and 227 pounds with physical tools that only Anthony Richardson can match.He ran a 4.36-second 40, recorded a 43 1/2 inch vertical and broad jumped 11-2. Shedeur will fight for his NFL futureGettyGreen could be deployed in some packagesGettyA RAS score of 9.99 puts him second all-time behind Richardson.The dual-threat passer out of Arkansas rushed for 777 yards in 2025 and managed 73 carries of at least 10 yards over the last two seasons.Browns go offense-heavy in NFL DraftEight of the Browns’ picks were on offense with significant boosts on the O-line and at receiver.“I’m excited about the work that Andrew has done,” Monken said. “It’s been a great draft, but what matters now is how we develop them and how we put them in the right places to let their talent shine.”Berry is confident in the quarterback room which features the controversial Watson coming off a major injury and three inexperienced options with differing profiles.“The three guys that we’ve had here have worked really hard and they’ve got along really well,” he said. “We’ve been really pleased with the early part of the offseason program and we think Taylen will really fit in nicely just because of how he’s wired, his work ethic. So we’re looking forward to seeing that group progress over the course of the spring and summer.”NFL's Greatest......Ranking the top 10......Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and moreTight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?Monken knows Green is built different.“You’re exactly right because those guys are playing basketball,” he explained. “You’re not seeing them play football, or at least not at that position.”Green will need to work on his passing after completing 61 percent of his throws for 2,714 yards with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2025.His 37 turnovers (20 interceptions, 17 fumbles) over the last two years of college indicate issues with decision-making.“All of these quarterbacks who come into the NFL this weekend, they have a lot to learn,” Berry explained. “And fortunately we have one of the best teachers with Todd and we know he’s in good hands.”Monken hinted that a Taysom Hill role isn’t out of the question.“Short yardage, goal line, four minute, critical times when you’ve got to be able to run the ball and the defense is going to have an extra element in the box, having an athletic quarterback can be critical to having success,” Monken said. “So if he’s able to do that, then we’ll certainly put him in a position if we think that can help us win a game.”Whoever ends up the start has a good chance of being replaced at some point during the season in the revolving door that is the Cleveland QB position.And one of the four men is likely to find themselves the odd one out and on another roster or practice squad before the preseason is over. Gabriel is likely in the hot seat after his performances last season, but a new coach may bring different perspectives.Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for news, exclusive interviews and more.