Browns Select Shedeur Sanders; Drafted QB May Earn Less Than 19 Peers

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If he slips to the fifth round of the NFL Draft, rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders might make less money this year compared to his counterparts who chose to continue playing college football.

Sanders’ salary will amount to an average of $1,161,845 per year over the upcoming four years, as indicated by the salary cap tracker at OverTheCap. This remuneration follows the NFL’s established rookie pay scale through collective bargaining, placing him as the 72nd highest-paid quarterback for 2025.

However, within the unregulated landscape of college football, experienced starting players are apparently commanding significantly higher earnings. For example, Carson Beck is said to receive anywhere from $3 to $4 million from the University of Miami’s NIL group, as reported by several sources. Earlier this past December, Beck had initially announced his intention to join the NFL Draft but later chose instead to move through the transfer portal, transitioning from Georgia to UM. Similarly, Duke quarterback Darian Mensah secured an agreement rumored to amount to about $4 million annually following his departure from Tulane during the recent season.

At the start of the off-season, On3 Pete Nakos reported by 's that institutions were investing between $750,000 and $1.5 million for an experienced quarterback, and this was part of his findings. lawsuit against the NCAA Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia believes that having an additional year of college eligibility could increase his earnings to about $1 million, which is slightly less than Sanders’ starting salary. Altogether, On3 indicates that at least 19 quarterbacks have a valuation higher than Sanders' $1.2 million, although it's improbable that all of them have reached their full earnings capacity.

Meanwhile, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers supposedly gotNIL deals exceeding $5 million prior to joining the 2025 NFL Draft. He remained anticipating hearing his name announced after the conclusion of the fifth round.

Certainly, Sanders can further develop his NFL presence through more endorsement deals. Nonetheless, whether his brand will resonate enough to secure him a role beyond being a backup is yet to be determined—and he is probably concentrating on earning a spot on the Cleveland team. About half of players selected in the fifth round do not make the final regular-season roster with their drafting team. Furthermore, none of Sanders’ salary is guaranteed, as stated. OverTheCap's accounting .

"Thank you GOD," Sanders shared on X following his selection.

Following the February 7th deadline for the NFL draft, Sanders decided to forego his leftover NCAA eligibility. In this era of professionalizing collegiate athletics, the ex-Colorado standout might serve as a contemporary example illustrating the advantages of remaining in academia.

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