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NFL Preseason Roundup: Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart Shine In NFL Debuts

Dan Girolamo Written by Sports EditorDan Girolamo
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders holds the ball.

Two rookie quarterbacks, Cleveland’s Shedeur Sanders and New York’s Jaxson Dart, had promising NFL preseason debuts this weekend.

Shedeur Sanders Shines In First Start

Following the Browns’ decision to start Sanders in Friday night’s game against the Panthers, the rumor that Cleveland was setting the fifth-round pick up for failure quickly gained momentum.

Sanders’ father and former coach, Deion Sanders, viewed this as a chance for his son to shine. Deion Sanders said the Browns’ rookie quarterback was grateful for the opportunity and would capitalize on it.

“It’s going to be a problem after tonight, though,” Deion Sanders said before the Browns game. “I promise you that.”

Coach Prime was right.

Sanders did not look like a fifth-round pick on Friday night. The 23-year-old completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in a Browns’ 30-10 victory.

Sanders’ first touchdown was extremely impressive, as he rolled to his left and fit the ball into a tightly contested window.

After the game, a poised Sanders spoke about being prepared for the moment and feeling proud after the team picked up a victory.

“I’ma be honest, I wasn’t nervous or have too much adrenaline, it was just getting comfortable,” Sanders said after that game via the Browns’ social media. “That’s all it is. There’s plenty games before where I was nervous, but I felt like I knew the answers to the test. So, when you feel unprepared, then you don’t feel ready for the moment. I know I’m ready for the moment. Did I play up to par? No, I don’t feel like I did. But overall, the main goal was to win and that’s honestly what we did.”

Sanders capitalized on the extended playing time due to the injuries to Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel. Joe Flacco did not suit up either.

While it’s only one preseason game, the Browns have to be happy with Sanders’ performance so far. Perhaps they allow him to receive more reps in practice now.

Jaxson Dart Looks The Part For The Giants

Speaking of impressive debuts, the Giants’ first-round rookie looked like a potential franchise quarterback.

Dart completed 12 of 19 passes for 154 yards and one touchdown in a Giants’ 34-25 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

The highlight of the game was Dart’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey in the second quarter.

It’s a promising debut for Dart, whom the Giants traded back into the first round to take.

Russell Wilson will start the season at quarterback. However, Dart could move into the backup position ahead of Jameis Winston if he continues to impress during the preseason.

Dan Girolamo Written by Sports EditorDan Girolamo
Dan is a multifaceted content creator who specializes in sports, pop culture, and entertainment. His entertainment work has been featured on Digital Trends, where he has interviewed Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Alison Brie, Adam DeVine, Sadie Sink, Chris O'Dowd, Machine Gun Kelly, and Frank Grillo. Dan's entertainment work has also been featured on Coming Soon, Hidden Remote, and WatchMojo. Dan's other passion in life revolves around sports, graduating from Marist College with a degree in Sports Communication and Journalism. From columns about the latest in New York sports to gambling predictions, Dan continues to find success in written and broadcast journalism. Previous written work can be found at Unafraid Show, while broadcast clips can be seen on WAVE.tv and CBS Sports.
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