University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders are widely considered the top two draft prospects at their position. Both are expected to be first-round picks, perhaps as high as No. 1 overall. Given that there are two of them, the quarterback-needy Cleveland Browns will surely be in position to draft at least one, and could potentially have both on the board if the Tennessee Titans decide to go in a different direction with the top pick.
So it’s no surprise that the Browns met with both Ward and Sanders at the NFL Scouting Combine, which head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed on Wednesday. And he had high praise for both players.
“Shedeur is a very, very impressive young man,” Stefanski said, via the Browns. “Was raised the right way. Obviously, he’s a heck of a football player. That’s evident off the tape. But really impressed with the person.”
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Sanders, of course, is the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, who was also his coach at Colorado (and Jackson State before that). Sanders counts accuracy, ball placement and decision-making among his greatest strengths, though there are some questions about his arm strength and athleticism, as well as his penchant for taking sacks.
Ward, meanwhile, began his college career at Incarnate Word before transferring to Wazzu, and then spent his final season with the Hurricanes. He’s drawn praise for his arm strength, creativity, processing ability and overall demeanor, though there have been some questions about his eagerness to chase the big play even when it might be a better decision to live to play another down.
“Very, very impressed with Cam as well,” Stefanski said, again via the Browns. “Just his career, where he’s been — it’s a unique path. Knows football really well. Was really impressed with his meeting in terms of his recall going back to his Washington State days and how he saw defense, how he progressed, how his processing worked. He kind of could talk through all that. I was very impressed with the young man.”
When it comes to what the Browns are looking for in a quarterback, Stefanski’s list of traits seemed to pull from the strengths of both players.
“Decision-making, obviously, is very high on the list. Whether it’s 1-2-3, accuracy being very important as well,” he said, once again via the Browns. “But decision-making and, like we just talked about, processing. I think every single play as a quarterback, you’re doing something — whether it’s a run check, a motion, a decision that you’re making based on a safety’s depth — all of those things factor into decision-making.”
The Browns could very well have their pick of these two players when they come on the clock in late April, and only then will we know their true thoughts on the top quarterbacks in the class.
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