Vikings Justin Jefferson Sounds Off With Strong Opinion on Shedeur Sanders

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders was among the most polarizing players in the 2025 NFL draft class before it took place, and he’s potentially an even more controversial topic of conversation after dropping to the fifth round.

Minnesota Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson knows plenty about what it takes to play QB at the highest level and shared his thoughts on Sanders’ slide during an interview with Bleacher Report on Saturday, May 3.

“I think it’s crazy that he … dropped that far in the draft. I definitely don’t think he should’ve dropped that far [after] just watching him the previous seasons and seeing the different things that he did at Colorado,” Jefferson said. “He should’ve been drafted in that first, second round. I guess it’s just more fire for him and more chip on his shoulder that he can use going into the league.”

Shedeur Sanders May Start Down the Depth Chart for Browns, Which Could Prove Good Thing for Rookie QB

Sanders will have to compete with four other quarterbacks for a roster spot in Cleveland, though given the fact that the Browns traded up to select him at the No. 144 spot and that his fully-guaranteed salary over four seasons is projected to come in below $5 million total, he’s likely to get a two- or three-year run with the organization — at least.

It is possible Sanders could win the starting job in Cleveland as a rookie, though it may not necessarily be to his benefit, given that the Browns are lacking with regards to pass-catching talent.

There is no Jefferson in Cleveland, where Jerry Jeudy enters offseason work as the clear No. 1 wide receiver. He did put up a career year in 2024, tallying 90 catches for 1,229 receiving yards and four touchdowns, but Jeudy remains on the low-end of WR1 options across the NFL and still has more to prove.

Tight end David Njoku earned Pro Bowl honors in 2023 but battled injuries during last season and ended up appearing in just 11 games.

Vikings Will Likely Pair Justin Jefferson With New Starting QB in J.J. McCarthy

Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Jefferson will catch passes from yet another new starting quarterback in second-year signal caller J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy missed all of his rookie campaign in 2024 with a knee injury he sustained in August of that year. Two surgeries kept him sidelined and caused McCarthy to drop significant weight.

However, he is a full participant in offseason workouts and is the presumed starter after Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones both left Minnesota in free agency. The Vikings subsequently traded with the Seattle Seahawks for fourth-year player Sam Howell, who is the favorite to win the backup QB job heading into training camp.

Jefferson is coming off another first-team All-Pro campaign in 2024, during which he hauled in 103 catches for 1,533 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, which tied his career high. Whether he can foster the same chemistry with McCarthy from the jump as he did with Darnold last season will likely go a long way in determining how far the Vikings can go in 2025 after exiting in the first round of the NFC playoffs in January.