Travis Hunter has urged Shedeur Sanders to stay true to himself and embrace his role in leading the offense at the Cleveland Browns, despite his current status as the fourth-string quarterback.
Hunter was a highly sought-after prospect for the Browns as the second overall pick until the Jacksonville Jaguars snatched him up with an impressive trade offer. This move bumped Cleveland down to the fifth overall selection, which they used on Mason Graham.
Sanders, who was also tipped to be a potential first-round pick for the Browns, saw his stock drop out of the first round entirely. He was finally picked up by the Browns on the third day and has already suffered a setback in Cleveland.
The Browns even selected another quarterback before Sanders, putting him up against third-round selectee Dillon Gabriel.
Joining the Browns’ roster, Sanders finds himself competing with two other experienced quarterbacks alongside Gabriel. Joe Flacco is expected to lead as the starter, while former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, who comes from a Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles team, is likely to be the backup.
There’s also Deshaun Watson, who’s expected to miss the entire 2025 season with an Achilles injury. Currently seen as the fourth QB option based on the preliminary depth chart, Sanders has a steep hill to climb if he hopes to secure a spot on the team.
But Hunter, speaking as a close friend of Sanders, advises that he should continue to behave as if he were the starting quarterback and take command in the locker room.
When tapped for advice for newcomer Sanders, Hunter offered some seasoned words: “We definitely got to be leaders, especially me. I was the number two overall pick, so I gotta come in and be a leader.
“Shedeur, he’s gotta go in there and work, earn his job just like me. But he’s also got to go in there and be the head of the offense, so he’s gotta go in there and be a leader.”
Sanders steps into his new role knowing he must seize every opportunity in the coming months, unlike Hunter, who doesn’t grapple with the same set of obstacles.
Poised and prepared, the Heisman Trophy winner is ready to snap up the top wide receiver spot for the Jaguars. The team isn’t just eyeing him to catch passes; they are also open to tapping into his versatility as a situational cornerback – a role he’s accustomed to from his days at Colorado and Jackson State.
Although he’s got the talent to make it as a cornerback and hop in at wide receiver when needed, signs point to Hunter focusing on the offensive game. This inclination is clear from his drills with the offensive line-up and during his stint at the rookies’ minicamp, rather than running plays with the defense.
Standing at the precipice of their burgeoning careers, both Hunter and Sanders are gearing up to don the number 12 uniforms for their respective teams.
