Shedeur Sanders, a quarterback picked in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns, was ranked as the top quarterback by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., even over number one pick Cam Ward. Despite Sanders' perceived talent, Kiper’s history with quarterback rankings raises concerns, as his previous top picks, like Johnny Manziel and JaMarcus Russell, did not meet expectations. Kiper's endorsement, therefore, may not be a reliable indicator of Sanders’ potential success in the NFL. Browns fans are hopeful that Sanders could be a valuable find, but the uncertainty around Kiper’s predictions remains. Sanders’ future in the NFL could defy Kiper’s past inaccuracies, but it remains to be seen how his career will develop.

Shedeur Sanders was drafted in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns, yet despite his lower draft position, he was seen as a consensus first-round talent by analysts.

Mel Kiper Jr., a prominent ESPN analyst, ranked Sanders as the top quarterback of his draft class, placing him above the first overall pick, Cam Ward.

Kiper's history with quarterback evaluations includes notable missteps, such as advocating for Johnny Manziel as a top pick and comparing JaMarcus Russell to John Elway, both of whom underperformed in their NFL careers.

There is skepticism around Kiper's endorsement of Sanders given past instances where his quarterback rankings did not translate into NFL success.

Browns fans are optimistic that Sanders could be a hidden gem despite Kiper’s track record, hoping that his ranking as QB1 might signal a potential steal for the team.

The uncertainty surrounding Sanders' NFL future is compounded by Kiper’s inconsistent history with quarterback predictions, making it unclear if Sanders will meet or exceed his projected potential.

Sanders' performance in the NFL will ultimately determine whether he can surpass the doubts cast by Kiper's past forecasting errors, leaving his career trajectory open to speculation.

Shedeur Sanders' talent outdoes his draft status.

But there's one reason to believe that the Browns' fifth-round pick, the quarterback who was a consensus first-rounder by draft analysts, may not pan out.

And it's the man who was Sanders' biggest advocate throughout draft weekend.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Sanders as his QB1, ahead of No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. Except when you consider Kiper's history, that might not be a good sign.

Let's start with Kiper's QB rankings from the 2017 NFL Draft:

1. Mitch Trubisky
2. DeShone Kizer
3. Deshaun Watson
4. Luke Falk
5. Patrick Mahomes

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That certainly could've been better.

Kiper once said Johnny Manziel should go No. 1 overall. He compared JaMarcus Russell's skill to John Elway.

It makes it even funnier that he criticized the NFL's quarterback science during Day 3 of the NFL Draft shortly after Sanders was finally selected to end his crazy slide.

MORE: 3 bold predictions for Cam Ward's rookie season

NFL teams aren't always right, but Kiper isn't always right either.

Browns fans hope he's right on Sanders and that they just got a huge steal.

But Kiper has been wrong before about the QB position. So just because Sanders is QB1, doesn't mean that's how it'll all work out.

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