The Cleveland Browns‘ offseason has left a lot of questions waiting to be answered in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Browns hold the second overall pick in the first round, but there’s no general consensus over who the top prospect(s) are. While there’s a short list of top candidates to be drafted in the top five, even that list of Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, and Mason Graham is up for debate.
Undoubtedly, the Browns’ most urgent need is finding a franchise quarterback. Deshaun Watson re-tore his Achilles and is unlikely to be available in 2025 after undergoing a second surgery. Meanwhile, the Browns have also traded for former first-round pick Kenny Pickett. While he may be in line to start, the Browns could certainly target a QB like Sanders with their first pick.
Ultimately, teams have had a hard time getting a good read on which way the Browns are leaning with the second overall pick. Some would even say the Browns’ pre-draft process has been “mysterious.”
Related: 2025 NFL mock draft: April draft projections for first and second rounds
Cleveland Browns still reportedly considering several draft prospects
If the Cleveland Browns are convinced that Shedeur Sanders can be their next franchise quarterback, odds are he’ll be their pick. However, the Browns, like many other teams, may not have that conviction when it comes to Sanders.
Other players, such as pass-rusher Abdul Carter or two-way sensation Travis Hunter, could prove to be far more alluring on draft day.
According to ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, several prospects could still be in play for the Browns at No. 2.
“The Browns have been very mysterious throughout this entire process. I do believe GM Andrew Berry is liking that, you know, that sort of mystery here around the Browns and what they could do because they looked at a bevy of options.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Cleveland Browns
They’ve spent a lot of time with Abdul Carter. They’ve gotten to know him very well. He has definitely felt the love from the Browns at every level of the organization getting to know a lot of those people. So, I do believe he’s in strong consideration. There also is some buzz of late about Travis Hunter and that dynamic with him being so good and showing himself as a receiver at his pro day.
The Browns are one of the teams that look at him as a wide receiver. So those two players are under consideration, they’re on the short list, as is Shedeur Sanders. I’m told they are still considering him, even though there isn’t a lot of momentum for him to go No. 2 overall right now, at least talking to people around the league.”
While there’s a heavy amount of debate over how high Sanders should be drafted, there are no such concerns when it comes to Carter or Hunter, both of whom are widely expected to be top-five selections. Perhaps that’s why the Browns are apparently having such a hard time making up their mind.
Related: 2025 NFL Draft: ‘Growing belief’ Cleveland Browns use second pick on this star player
