Shedeur Sanders has not yet played a single snap in the NFL regular season. Despite that, his popularity has skyrocketed to levels few expected. The young quarterback, son of the legendary Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, has already outshined some of the league’s biggest stars when it comes to fan recognition and jersey sales.
Recently, Sanders stepped onto the field as an emergency quarterback for the Cleveland Browns against the Cincinnati Bengals. Fans filled social media with excitement, eager to see how the rookie would perform in his first unofficial test. Although the Browns lost the game, the buzz surrounding Sanders only grew louder.
Rising Popularity
According to a report from Athlonsports, Sanders ranked fifth in NFL jersey sales between March and July, despite not being the Browns’ starter. The only players ahead of him were Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles and three star quarterbacks: Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, and Josh Allen.
Shedeur Sanders and Cooper DeJean managed to sell more jerseys than Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson between the months of March and July 🤯
(h/t NFLPA) pic.twitter.com/tzvQmxFjM2— DraftKings (@DraftKings) September 8, 2025
This impressive milestone places Sanders above household names across the league. Patrick Mahomes, who sat in second place as recently as February 2025, slipped to seventh, while second-year standout Cooper DeJean grabbed the sixth spot. For many observers, the fact that a rookie without a regular-season appearance has already passed Mahomes in popularity speaks volumes about Sanders’ marketability and the power of his name.
Beyond the Field
The most surprising aspect of this ranking is that Sanders achieved it without playing an official NFL game. His reputation from college football, combined with the larger-than-life presence of his father, has clearly helped him become one of the league’s most talked-about young players.
The rest of the top 10 also features big names: Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens in eighth place, Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos in ninth, and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions in tenth.
Sanders’ sudden rise underscores how the NFL is no longer just about performance on the field. Popularity, branding, and star power matter more than ever, and Shedeur Sanders is proving he has all three—even before his official debut.
