Shedeur Sanders began the process Friday of trying to show he can be a factor in the Cleveland Browns‘ quarterback competition.
Sanders, possibly the most-publicized 144th-overall draft pick ever after the projected first-rounder dropped into the fifth round, took the field for his first practice as the Browns opened a two-day rookie minicamp.
Wearing an orange No. 12 jersey, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders got the same number of snaps as third-round pick Dillon Gabriel during the 90-minute practice.
[MORE: Shedeur Sanders to wear No. 12 with Browns, at least for now]
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said both quarterbacks did a nice job.
“I think the fun part is we’ve spent so much pre-draft time with these players, particularly when we’re talking about our quarterbacks with Dillon and Shedeur,” he said. “We’ve spent meeting time with them out of this building. We’ve taken them through walk-throughs, and then they get to go do it in uniform with the helmets on and just see what they can take from the meeting room to the grass.”
Sanders and Gabriel are likely to give interviews Saturday after the Browns made their other four draft picks available Friday.
Both quarterbacks started with individual work and a 7-on-7 drill before each got six plays during full-team drills.
Gabriel took the first snaps in the 11-on-11 period, likely because he was the higher draft pick. Stefanski did not give a reason, though.
“I think you’ll see the whole weekend, going through the spring, we don’t pay too close attention to who’s in there first,” Stefanski said.
[MORE: WTF Browns?! Shedeur Sanders’ arrival begins another QB circus in Cleveland]
Because they drafted two quarterbacks, the Browns have tweaked their practice schedule to allow for more 7-on-7 work — skill position players going against linebackers and the secondary. Cleveland signed six wide receivers and two tight ends to tryout contracts this weekend in order to maximize snaps.
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Sanders and Gabriel’s biggest adjustments will be working more under center after playing most of their careers in shotgun formations. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was instructing both quarterbacks on things to improve.
Stefanski said both players need to work on technique as they get ready to join the quarterback room with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett next week.
When it comes to the quarterback competition, Stefanski did not want to say if anyone is ahead yet.
“There’s a lot of time between now and September, so we will have a plan,” he said. “It’s an all-encompassing evaluation. It’s not something that it’s just based on the practice reps. There’s a lot that goes into it.”
Defensive end Mason Graham, whom the Browns took with the fifth overall pick, said it didn’t matter to him that there was more attention on Sanders.
“I come to play football,” he said. “If the media’s on me, then they’re on me. If the media’s not, then it’s not. I’m just going to do my job at the end of the day.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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