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.

"I did not ever get any intel that the Cleveland Browns had him ranked high on their board," Russini said at the 14:45 mark of Tuesday's Scoop City podcast. "I think they saw that he was available in the fifth round, they met, they discussed it, and they went for it. They took a chance that maybe he can turn into something and be a player."