NBA legend LeBron James said that Shedeur Sanders was “looking good out there” as he made an impressive debut for the Cleveland Browns.
Sanders threw two touchdown passes in the Browns’ pre-season opener, his first game since enduring the most dramatic draft slide in NFL history.
The 23-year-old quarterback was the initial favourite to be the first overall pick in this year’s draft but slid to the fifth round, where he was taken 144th overall by Cleveland.
Sanders has been thrown into a four-way fight to be the Browns’ starting quarterback this season and with rivals Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel carrying minor hamstring issues, he was named as starter for Friday’s game at the Carolina Panthers.
The Browns won 30-10, with Sanders completing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and making four carries for 19 rushing yards.
Cleveland were leading 21-7 when Sanders was replaced late in the third quarter.
“That young [prince emoji] looking good out there,” said James. “Keep going up. Head down on the grind and head high to the most high.”
The LA Lakers star, who hails from Ohio and has spent half his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, added: “And I don’t wanna hear that ‘it’s only pre-season’. Give credit and grace.”
After each NFL team passed on Sanders multiple teams during the draft, Friday’s game could barely have gone any better for the rookie.
Cleveland actually drafted another quarterback before Sanders – Gabriel in the third round – so he is currently fourth on the Browns’ depth chart, behind veteran Joe Flacco, new signing Pickett and fellow rookie Gabriel.
The amount of media attention Sanders has had during the off-season is unprecedented for a fifth-round draft pick and a fourth-string quarterback.
He had a bigger profile than any previous draft prospect. His father and college coach is two-time Super Bowl winner Deion Sanders and Shedeur earned about $6.5m (£4.9m) through NIL deals in college.
During the pre-draft process he was branded arrogant and entitled, but before his first NFL game Sanders showed he will continue to be himself.
He arrived at the stadium in Charlotte with an entourage, playing his own music and wearing a diamond chain featuring his own ‘legendary’ brand.
Sanders was wearing a different chain as he came on to the field to warm up and after throwing his first touchdown pass at the start of the second quarter, he performed his signature watch celebration from college.
Soon after, one of his sponsors Nike released an advertisement featuring the celebration and the words “only a matter of time”.
James was one of many to praise his performance on social media, and Sanders said afterwards: “That’s love. I’m playing for a lot of people and a lot of beliefs.”
Carolina went into a 7-0 lead during the first quarter as Sanders was “just getting comfortable”.
“I got pockets of finding my rhythm, and I’ve got to get into that quicker, regardless of anything,” he added. “But overall, I felt like me out there.”
Sanders is not guaranteed a spot on the Browns’ active roster, never mind the starter’s job, and he says he is focused on “just doing what I gotta do”.
“Everything else is not in my hands, so I don’t worry about it,” he said. “Why put energy in something that you can’t control?”
The second of Cleveland’s three pre-season games is next Saturday against last season’s Super Bowl winners, the Philadelphia Eagles.
By BBC News
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