Stuck in the aftermath of the disastrous Deshaun Watson trade, the Browns could be headed toward a rebuild.
Will they look to start that process with a rookie quarterback, or will they look to add an elite talent at another position?
Let's examine mock draft results from around the industry to see what might happen.
2025 NFL Draft Predictions: Cleveland Browns
| Author Name | Affiliation | Pick (#) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Donahue | Sharp Football Analysis | Sheduer Sanders (2) | |
| Ryan McCrystal | Sharp Football Analysis | Travis Hunter (2) | |
| Cynthia Frelund | NFL | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Lance Zierlein | NFL | Travis Hunter (3) | |
| Chad Reuter | NFL | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Eric Edholm | NFL | Travis Hunter (2) | |
| Bucky Brooks | NFL | Cam Ward (2) | |
| Daniel Jeremiah | NFL | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Dan Parr | NFL | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| B/R NFL Scouting Dept. | Bleacher Report | Cam Ward (2) | |
| Josh Edwards | CBS Sports | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Richie Bradshaw | Sports Illustrated | Travis Hunter (2) | |
| Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz | USA Today | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| ---- | Pro Football Focus | Shedeur Sanders (2) | |
| Steven Cheah | Barstool Sports | Cam Ward (1 via TEN) | |
| Vinny Iyer | The Sporting News | Shedeur Sanders (2) | |
| Connor Hughes | SNY | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Nick Baumgartner | New York Times/The Athletic | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Danny Kelly | The Ringer | Cam Ward (2) | |
| Jason McIntyre | Fox Sports | Shedeur Sanders (2) | |
| Mike Fanelli | FantasyPros | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Field Yates | ESPN | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Kyle Dvorchak | NBC Sports | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Mike Renner | CBS Sports | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Ryan Wilson | CBS Sports | Abdul Carter (2) | |
| Chris Trapasso | CBS Sports | Abdul Carter (2) |
Results of 26 Mock Drafts:
- Abdul Carter: 14
- Travis Hunter: 4
- Cam Ward: 4
- Shedeur Sanders: 4
Current Prediction for the Browns at No. 2 Overall: Abdul Carter
Analysis
While the updated mocks reflect two fewer selections in favor of Abdul Carter, the Penn State edge rusher remains the favorite to become a Cleveland Brown with the second overall pick.
After Myles Garrett’s contract was extended in early March, there was an increase in predictions for both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders to head to Cleveland, with previous outliers such as Mason Graham and Kelvin Banks Jr. largely absent from the current conversation.
Potential Trade Ups
Only one mock (Steven Cheah of Barstool Sports) predicts that the Browns will trade away from their No. 2 pick, projecting a swap with Tennessee to gain the first overall pick.
This mostly has to do with Cleveland’s surplus of late-round picks and Tennessee’s comparative lack thereof, but the minimal separation between these picks makes this move unlikely.
If Cheah’s prediction is correct and the Titans do favor Carter with the first pick, Cleveland will still have enough options with #2 overall that a one-pick jump may not be worth the payout.
Outliers
Ward, Sanders, and Travis Hunter were each selected as the second overall pick in 4 separate mocks.
This buzz persists for several reasons.
Sharp Football’s Brendan Donahue cites Kevin Stefanski’s relationship with Pat Shurmur, who was Sanders’ offensive coordinator at Colorado, while Bucky Brooks of NFL.com references Stefanski’s desire to bounce back as a playcaller.
The point is that, as perfect of a fit as Abdul Carter would be on Cleveland’s defense, the overarching need for a trustworthy starting quarterback that has plagued this team for the better part of two decades remains.