Shedeur Sanders Draft Drama: Ravens Planned to Pick QB, But He Rejected Baltimore to Avoid Lamar Jackson, Sources Say

The Baltimore Ravens were planning to draft Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round with the No. 141 pick, league sources told ESPN.

But before the Ravens could turn in the card, the former Colorado star let it be known to Baltimore that he didn't want to be on a roster with Lamar Jackson, where he wouldn't have a chance to play anytime soon, league sources said.

Sanders knew that Jackson, a two-time MVP and one of the top players in the league, was not going to be losing his job as Baltimore's starting quarterback in the near future.

So the message was conveyed to the Ravens that Sanders did not want to be drafted by Baltimore and preferred to end up in a place where he might have a better chance to play sooner. The Ravens instead drafted offensive lineman Carson Vinson with the 141st pick.

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Three picks later, with the football world watching, the Cleveland Browns traded up to select Sanders at No. 144. Sanders and the Browns were in Baltimore on Sunday to play the Ravens in a matchup of 0-1 teams, and the rookie quarterback was asked about what happened during the draft after the Ravens' 41-17 win.

"My response is I'm focused on the now," he said. "I don't really talk about anything in the past and whatever happened in the past, it is what it is. I'm more focused on now. I'm more focused on how this game that we just gone and had and figuring out how to move forward from now."

Sanders is listed third on the depth chart -- behind Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel -- with the Browns, who had a more crowded quarterback room throughout training camp and the preseason. But Kenny Pickett was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders and Tyler Huntley was released last month, clearing a path for Sanders to make Cleveland's 53-man roster.

After an outstanding debut in Cleveland's preseason opener, Sanders missed the Browns' second preseason game because of an oblique injury. He struggled in the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams, who sacked Sanders five times.

Sanders, Gabriel and practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe all have been running Cleveland's scout team in practice, quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave said Friday.

"It's exciting because those guys do take pride in getting the defense ready," Musgrave said. "They want to do a good job of replicating the opponent's offense, and at the same time, they want to try to relate any play that they get to our game plan for that week too, so they can feel like they can get a little double duty."

ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi contributed to this report.