Berry noted that ownership didn’t pressure the front office into selecting Sanders.

“Jimmy (Haslam) lets us do our job,” he said.

The 23-year-old’s production during college was undeniable. A strong base and polished mechanics give Sanders a solid pocket foundation. He displays a knack for leading receivers, a good understanding of route timing, and can drive the ball between the hashes.

Sanders took a lot of sacks at Colorado, playing behind a porous offensive line. However, he never flinched. The QB can stand in under pressure, make throws while getting crunched, and he displays subtle pocket movement to buy time. Those are traits the best NFL signal-callers own.

However, Sanders doesn’t offer a high upside entering the NFL. His size (6-foot-1 1/2, 212 pounds) and arm strength are average. He’s neither an explosive athlete nor fleet of foot. He has a knack for holding the ball too long, taking sacks instead of living to see the next play. He’s more of a touch than power thrower, which could get him into trouble with tighter NFL windows.

The negative on-field traits, bundled with perceived off-field flaws, led to his draft tumble.

Sanders might not possess high-upside talent, but there are zero questions about his toughness and competitive drive. He’ll need to show that competitive drive in Cleveland, as his draft status ensures nothing will be handed to him.

“Message is come in and work,” Berry said on Saturday. “Come in and compete. Nothing is being given. … We told him it really doesn’t matter where you’re picked. It’s what you do going forward.”

Sanders joins a QB room in Cleveland with 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco, former first-rounder Kenny Pickett and Gabriel. Deshaun Watson is dealing with an Achilles injury and isn’t expected to play in 2025.

With no clear-cut long-term starter, Sanders will have a chance to prove his doubters wrong. For Cleveland, he’s a lottery ticket in the fifth round. If he doesn’t pan out, it’ll likely be at the QB table again next year. If he can beat out Gabriel, Pickett and Flacco and prove his backers right, the Browns will have a cheap starter.

How head coach Kevin Stefanski balances QB reps this offseason will be fascinating. The battle for those snaps will start at rookie minicamp in May.

The Browns spent the offseason tossing darts at the board in an effort to find a starter after the Watson debacle. On Saturday, they made their most high-profile move by selecting Sanders.