With OTAs now in the rearview, the focus shifts to teams’ mandatory minicamps. For rookies, this marks the next big opportunity to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.
Two of those rookies just happen to be former Colorado Buffaloes standouts — quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.
Both Sanders and Hunter are listed by CBS Sports' Josh Edwards among the rookies with the most to prove in minicamp — though for completely different reasons.
Shedeur Sanders must prove he was worth more than a fifth-round pick
For Sanders, the pressure stems from his unexpected draft slide — a freefall that saw him go from projected first-rounder to a fifth-round mercy pick by the Cleveland Browns.
"From populating first-round mock drafts to fifth-round draft pick, Sanders has a lot to prove," Edwards wrote. "Although he may not have been a first-round-caliber talent, few would argue that he was not worthy of hearing his name called on Day 2.
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"All of that is in the past and the former Colorado quarterback now has an opportunity to compete for the starting job in Cleveland. Will he become just another name on the vaunted quarterback jersey that features those who started before him or will he provide the type of staying power that will encourage the franchise to use its two first-round picks on other positions next April?"
There is reason for concern, though, as Sanders has reportedly received fewer first-team reps than the rest of Cleveland’s quarterbacks — Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel — according to ESPN.
Still, the Buffaloes legend is handling the situation with poise.
"Life is just based on how you view different things," Sanders said Tuesday after the Browns' first mandatory minicamp practice. "So you can view things as you're not getting reps in a negative way, or you can view it as, OK, when it's my time to get out there, let's be proactive and let's get warm, let's get going."
Travis Hunter has to prove he can play both ways effectively
It’s a completely different challenge for Hunter, whom the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to select with the No. 2 overall pick. For him, it’s all about proving he can truly be a two-way player at the NFL level.
"Hunter is aiming to be a two-way player at a high level in the NFL; the likes of which has never been accomplished," Edwards wrote. "The Jaguars have made it clear that they intend to use him on both sides of the ball and he will always be held to that standard. Minicamp truthfully has no bearing on the success or failure of his professional career, but he will always carry a modicum of pressure because of the circumstances under which he was drafted."
During the Jaguars’ first day of minicamp, Hunter was seen participating with the defense, just as he did during OTAs, according to the Florida Times-Union. It's unclear if that’s a sign of where he’ll primarily line up, as he may still receive offensive reps as minicamp progresses.