BEREA, Ohio — When Shedeur Sanders was officially named the Browns starting quarterback on Wednesday, the most excited person in the Browns practice facility wasn’t the QB.
It was undrafted rookie receiver Gage Larvadain, a pass catcher who has maybe gotten the most reps with Sanders going back to the offseason program.
“I was super excited for him,” Larvadain said. “Obviously, somebody I spent a lot of time with. Just for him to go out there and do what he loves to do. I probably was more happy than him for him.”
Head coach Kevin Stefanski officially announced on Wednesday that Sanders would get the start for Cleveland on Sunday as they face the Las Vegas Raiders in a Week 12 matchup.
Sanders will become the 42nd QB to start for the Browns since the team returned in 1999. Fellow rookie QB Dillon Gabriel, who took over as the starter in Week 5, remains in the concussion protocol.
It’s been quite an NFL journey to this point for Sanders, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who entered into the league with unparalleled celebrity status.
The Browns’ newest starter fell to the fifth round of the draft, with Cleveland trading up to get him and stopping his precipitous slide, even though they had already selected Gabriel in the third round.
Sanders, a player who went from starting every game at Jackson State and then Colorado, was then thrown in the middle of a four-man QB competition that also featured Gabriel, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.
Pickett was traded before the start of the regular season to the Raiders, and Flacco was traded to the Bengals after losing the starting job four weeks in, leaving the two rookies and veteran backup Bailey Zappe.
While Gabriel has started the previous six games, Sanders came in for him in the second half last week against the Baltimore Ravens, after Gabriel was ruled out with a concussion in the 23-16 loss. He went 4 for 16 for 47 yards, with zero touchdowns and one interception for a 13.5 rating. He was also sacked twice, and stripped on one of them, but guard Wyatt Teller fell on the loose ball.
Before that work, some of Sanders’ most-valuable reps came in after practice sessions nicknamed “Hungry Dawg” periods, with younger pass catchers like Larvadain, tight end Sal Cannella and receiver Kaden Davis, who could be re-signed to the practice squad this week.
The Browns have also done “two-spotting” during training camp and the offseason, running simultaneous drills on different fields, which was key for his development.
“Anytime you can get reps like this, this was such a blessing in disguise, us having two quarterbacks,” Larvadain said. “The older veteran guys would go on one field and all the rookies would go to the other field. Not all the time do teams draft two quarterbacks, so a lot of people don’t get those opportunities. And I think that’s something that helped me showcase what I could do to even be still sitting in this locker room talking to y’all.”
Sanders has drawn positive reviews for his behind-the-scenes work, also coming in early mornings and going over his practice film from the previous day with Stefanski.
But more than anything, pass catchers on the roster praise the fact that he throws a catchable ball and his accuracy.
“He definitely has a soft touch on his ball,” said rookie receiver Isaiah Bond. “He definitely has a football touch when it comes to throwing.
“I think it’s definitely a good opportunity for Shedeur to get out there, and I think he’s definitely prepared. He’s a very, very driven person. So I think his preparation is going to meet the opportunity.”
Larvadain said he makes receivers’ jobs easier due to his touch.
He also praised Sanders for the go-ball he threw in the fourth quarter against the Ravens on third-and-5. Larvadain had a chance at a TD grab with the Browns trailing 23-16, but the ball was broken up by Ravens cornerback Chidobe Awuzie on the left side of the end zone.
“He did what he does, put it on the money, and it’s something, the DB made a good play on it, but it’s something that he threw it knowing that I can make it, and that’s what it’s gotta be,” Larvadain said.
“Some people say, you know, people throw the ball too hard. He puts it right on the money, and just like he did that go-ball. So it’s just makes our job easier for sure.”
Browns Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward has also gone against Sanders when the latter has run the scout team offense.
He said the rookie throws a “great ball,” and is “very accurate.”
“He comes to work every day looking to get better and be himself, so looking forward to seeing how he do with the week of preparation and coming out here and performing,” Ward continued.
That full week of preparation and a game plan tailored to him will be key for Sanders to find success against a 2-8 Raiders team.
And while Sanders has been putting in good work behind the scenes, he’s also the first to admit that the real test is still ahead.
“‘Hungry Dawgs’ (is) cool, but it’s not the real thing, you know what I mean?” Sanders said. “That keeps you mentally so you don’t go out there and be a disaster. But I think it’s cool. I don’t know if it genuinely prepares you to go out there in the actual game and be able to dominate.”
Sunday is when Sanders will get to answer his own question.
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