Conventional wisdom regarding NFL draft picks suggests that first-round selections should command the spotlight, the endorsement deals, and the jersey sales. However, Shedeur Sanders is rewriting that playbook entirely from the 144th position and becoming one of the most popular rookie athletes in the league.
Selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of last week’s NFL draft, Sanders has defied expectations by ranking third in jersey sales among all draft selections, surpassing numerous first-round picks and becoming the only player taken outside the first round to crack the NFL Shop’s Top 10 best-selling jerseys list following draft weekend.
Jersey In Demand
What makes Sanders’ commercial appeal particularly remarkable is the context of his selection.
Despite projections that had him potentially going in earlier rounds, Sanders experienced a dramatic slide to the fifth round that became one of the draft’s most compelling narratives.
Between his unexpected fall, Sanders dominated conversations across the three-day event in ways that many first-round picks did not. Everyone was weighing in: fans, sports professionals, and even preachers, stating that teams are fumbling the ball and punishing the legacy player.
Now they are seeing how being picked late did not hurt his stock with his fans.
The NFL Shop’s top-10 best-selling jerseys from the draft confirm his popularity, with Sanders ranking third behind only Jacksonville’s Travis Hunter (No. 2 pick) and Tennessee’s Cam Ward (No. 1 pick). This puts him ahead of numerous first-round selections, including Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty (No. 6 pick), Panthers’ Tetairoa McMillan (No. 8 pick), and Giants’ Jaxson Dart (No. 25 pick).
Long before hearing his name called in the draft, Sanders had established himself as a businessman with an impressive portfolio.
At just 21 years old, he had already amassed an estimated net worth exceeding $6 million through strategic NIL deals with major brands including Beats by Dre, Gatorade, and Tom Brady’s apparel brand BRADY.
This business acumen appears to be a family trait, though one Sanders has approached with deliberate independence.
Despite being the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, Shedeur has been vocal about forging his financial path, particularly since he says his dad left him no safety net.
“I don’t have a trust fund. Dad ain’t set me up good like that,” he said as a motivator for him to do well on and off the field. Building wealth is a must for survival.
The “Sanders Dynasty” represents something significant in professional sports — a family brand with considerable influence.
With Deion Sanders’ success spanning multiple professional sports leagues (NFL and MLB) and now collegiate coaching, the family has built a business ecosystem with remarkable reach. This is further evidenced by the success of Shedeur’s former Colorado teammate Travis Hunter, who topped the jersey sales list as the second overall pick in the draft.
Some industry observers have wondered if the Sanders family’s strong independent brand presence may have factored into Shedeur’s draft position, as teams potentially viewed the family’s business interests as a consideration in their evaluation process.
For the Cleveland Browns, selecting Sanders represents an interesting scenario from a business perspective. While quarterbacks selected in the fifth round typically generate less immediate attention, Sanders has instantly become one of the franchise’s most visible rookies before playing a single down.
Notably, Sanders has outpaced the Browns’ third-round quarterback selection, Dillon Gabriel, in jersey sales. None of the other Browns draft picks made the top 10 jersey sales list, highlighting Sanders’ unique market position despite his later selection.
As Shedeur Sanders enters his rookie season, his ability to connect with young fans and build a strong personal brand has made him one of 2025’s most talked-about rookies. Despite being a fifth-round pick, he’s already one of the most marketable players— proving that draft position doesn’t limit star power or commercial impact in today’s NFL.
qks7fy