The Cleveland Browns need a quarterback. They have the second pick in the 2025 NFL Draft — a draft with two clear cut quarterback prospects that have risen above the fray.
Seems clear cut, right? But the Browns have several problems to address after following up Joe Flacco’s 2023 playoff run with a three-win campaign and the league’s worst offense. Cleveland has to surround that quarterback with playmakers and boost a once-proud defense. But thanks in large part to Deshaun Watson’s immovable contract — owner Jimmy Haslam handed him an unprecedented $230 million fully guaranteed after trading three first round picks for a player accused of more than 20 counts of sexual misconduct dating to his time as a Houston Texan — the franchise enters the offseason an estimated $30 million over the 2025 salary cap.
Keeping the second overall pick means not trading back and amassing the inexpensive assets that can guide the Browns from this place in salary cap hell. It also means putting a blue chip quarterback in a portfolio loaded with penny stocks. And that’s before getting to the fact one of the most outspoken personalities in football — a guy who could easily take aim at Cleveland’s myriad flaws and management issues — happens to be one of those quarterback’s very involved father.
Despite all this, Shedeur Sanders? YOU are a Cleveland Brown.
In this still entirely too early mock 2025 NFL Draft.
Let’s see how the first round shakes out. Since it’s barely February, no trades in this lineup just yet. Let’s see which rookies make sense and where
1
Tennessee Titans: QB Cameron Ward, Miami
Needs: QB, EDGE, OT, S, LB
The Will Levis experiment was a valiant effort that ended in failure. Ward will run into many of the same problems Levis did — an understaffed receiving corps, weak blocking and an average-at-best run game foremost among them. But he also brings a higher ceiling to Nashville than the young veteran who’ll slide down the depth chart.
Ward threw an FBS high 39 touchdown passes in fewer than 13 full games and added four more on the ground (and one through the air) in what would have likely been Miami’s best season in two decades had he finished up the Pop-Tarts Bowl. He didn’t, but that hardly matters; he’s a composed quarterback who’ll be an immediate upgrade in Nashville
2
Cleveland Browns: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Needs: QB, OL, WR, RB, DT
The Browns cannot separate themselves from Deshaun Watson’s contract, but they have to separate him from the starting lineup. A setback while rehabbing his torn Achilles took care of that, leaving Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson as the two available quarterbacks under contract for 2025. Winston is a viable but inconsistent backup and DTR was 2024’s worst starter by a significant margin.
Thus, a team with several needs rolls with a boom or bust prospect in Sanders. The Colorado star’s penchant for big gains is tempered by his willingness to eat big losses in order to see those chunk plays through. That could lead to plenty of growing pains in an offense not set up to nurture him. Or he could power through and be a light in the darkness for a franchise dedicated to its own burial
3
New York Giants: CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
Needs: QB, OL, CB, TE, RB, LB
This isn’t the quarterback New York needs, but it’s a massive influx of talent that can spur growth on both sides of the ball. Hunter is some sort of mythical creature cursed to roam earth and he’s decided to make the most of it. He can punch up a young secondary alongside Dru Phillips (a rising star if 2024 is an indication) and Deonte Banks (a 2023 first round pick who regressed badly last fall). He can team with Malik Nabers to make life easier for whomever is throwing passes next fall.
Head coach Brian Daboll is on the hot seat despite being 2022’s AP coach of the year. Finding the right way to deploy Hunter would give him job security and, importantly, give a tortured Giants fanbase something to cheer for after enduring six years of the Daniel Jones experience.
4
New England Patriots: EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State
Needs: OT, WR, EDGE, CB, OG
The Patriots have many needs at expensive positions — just not quarterback. That leaves them in position to trade back should a passer fall and a desperate team try to move up. Or, in this case, they can just take the player most likely to tilt the outcome of the game on any given Sunday.
That’s Carter, the latest Penn State pass rusher to wear No. 11 and make life hell for Big Ten quarterbacks. His 22 tackles for loss and 11 sacks each led the conference thanks to a relentless motor, absurd athleticism and a general desire to hit fellas so hard they forget parts of elementary school.
5
Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Will Johnson, Michigan
Needs: EDGE, CB, S, DL, WR
Johnson was a true shutdown corner at Michigan. He’s a big (6-foot-2), athletic defensive back who can hold his spot in press coverage or off the line and breaking toward the ball. He allowed a 52.9 passer rating in coverage this fall, which is only a disappointment compared to his 30.9 rating in 2023. Though a foot injury has forced him off the field since mid-October, he should be capable of bolstering his stock with a big Combine showing.
That would be rain in the Jaguars’ desert. Jacksonville’s 0.14 expected points added (EPA) per opponent pass play was worst in the NFL. While this may not be the kind of offensive toy new head coach Liam Coen may want, it fills a major need and gets the Jags one step closer to a future where they don’t need to score 30-plus points every week to win (unless they’re playing the Titans).
6
Las Vegas Raiders: DL Mason Graham, Michigan
Needs: QB, EDGE, CB, RB, S
Do I trust a Mark Davis franchise to make a meat-and-potatoes pick at No. 6? Not really! But Graham is the best player available and, as a Michigan man, someone for whom Tom Brady can easily advocate.
If that message gets through, it’ll be an unexciting pick that makes Las Vegas undeniably better. Graham would pair with Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins to bring screeching chaos each time opponents drop back to pass. At 320 pounds, he’s big enough to be immobile against the run. He’s also quick and explosive enough to blast through gaps as a 3-technique lineman between the guard and tackle.
7
New York Jets: OT Will Campbell, LSU
Needs: WR, EDGE, TE, S, QB, OT
The Jets need a quarterback, but reaching for someone like Jalen Milroe here when there are a few similar options who’ll be around when New York makes its second round selection (or potentially trades up into the back half of Day 1) would be a poor use of draft value. Instead, they can make life easier for whomever is taking snaps next fall and take 2025’s top offensive line prospect.
With Morgan Moses and Tyron Smith both pending free agents, New York needs a young pillar across from 2024 first rounder Olu Fashanu. Campbell is a big bodied, 6-foot-6 specimen who can keep pockets, and his quarterback’s jersey, clean. We’ll see how the pre-draft process affects his stock.
8
Carolina Panthers: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Needs: OL, EDGE, LB, WR, ETC
McMillan’s stock may depend significantly on his pre-draft workouts. While prolific at Arizona — 2,721 receiving yards the last two seasons alone! — it’s fair to wonder if his crisp routes will have the same kind of cornerback-snapping potentcy at the next level.
Even if he’s not a burner, there’s so much to like about his game. He’s got a Drake London-style catch radius, using exceptional ball skills and his long frame (6-foot-5) to protect the ball from opposing players. He can work outside or baffle defenders from the slot. But if he can’t consistently create separation, could he be doomed to a Quentin Johnston or (long sigh) N’Keal Harry-type career?
9
New Orleans Saints: OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
Needs: OT, WR, S, EDGE, TE
Ryan Ramczyk appears destined for a medical retirement, which stinks. Taliese Fuaga wasn’t quite the answer New Orleans hoped as a rookie. With the franchise mired in salary cap hell, New Orleans needs to find young, inexpensive players at premium positions.
That’s Simmons, who used Ohio State’s playoff run to gain a minor edge over similarly rated prospects like Kelvin Banks, Aireontae Ersery, Josh Conerly Jr. and Wyatt Milum. Simmons has the chops to fix things as a Day 1 starter both as a freshman at San Diego State and a transfer with the Buckeyes the last two seasons. He’s long armed and powerful with the low center of gravity that should help him recover from rookie mistakes.
10
Chicago Bears: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Needs: OL, RB, OL, S, EDGE
Sure, the Bears already have D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson. But the Detroit Lions already had David Montgomery in 2023. Look what former offensive coordinator and current Chicago head coach Ben Johnson did after they drafted Jahmyr GIbbs 12th overall.
Jeanty is a monster, Sonic and Knuckles rolled into one (seriously: his 27 handoffs per game were only one fewer than Montgomery and Gibbs combined for in 2024). He averaged 7.0 yards per carry and has scored 30 touchdowns (29 rushing!) in his first 13 games for Boise State. Now he gets to ease the pressure on Caleb Williams’s shoulder and thrive for a team whose 4.0 yards per carry ranked 27th in the NFL last season
11
San Francisco 49ers: OT Kelvin Banks, Texas
Needs: OT, CB, EDGE, DT, CB
Is Banks a tackle or guard? That’s the question that will follow him through the pre-draft process and may depend on his arm length.
Here’s the thing, though. No matter how long his arms, we know he’s a certified butt-kicker when it comes to pass blocking. He’s quick, powerful and perpetually aware of where his quarterback is, using that position to leverage edge rushers right out of the play. Banks has a low center of gravity, allowing him to pry up blitzers and dispatch them behind the pocket. He’s similarly stout against straight-on bull rushes, using his strength to absorb punches and redirect defenders
12
Dallas Cowboys: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
Needs: EDGE, LB, S, OT, WR, RB
Jerry Jones loves a flashy skill player. While Jeanty would have filled a need, Warren can do the same thanks to his ability to do just about anything across the offense.
Warren has the ability to produce as both a receiver (79 yards per game) and runner (197 yards on 24 carries). In this case, he’d team with Jake Ferguson to give Dallas some juice in 12 personnel formations, flanking CeeDee Lamb with two tight ends and, at least in theory, making life a bit easier for Rico Dowdle next fall. This may not be the star for which the Cowboys hoped, he’d be a rising tide for an offense that desperately needs a lift
13
Miami Dolphins: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
Needs: QB, OG, CB, DT, S
The bulk of Miami’s defensive line rotation will be free agents this spring. Calais Campbell is 38 years old. Someone needs to hold down the other end spot in the Dolphins 3-4 to help Zach Sieler continue to thrive (and Chop Robinson to reach his potential behind them).
Scourton, at 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, can be that guy (also considered: Arkansas’s Landon Jackson). He’s a big bodied defender who can hold his own against double teams in the run game or crash through gaps to flood the pocket on passing downs. He’s agile beyond his frame and as powerful as it suggests, making him a proper disruptor for a defense that badly needs it.
14
Indianapolis Colts: IOL Tyler Booker, Alabama
Needs: IOL, CB, EDGE, S
Ryan Kelly, Will Fries and Mark Glowinski are all free agents. 2024 fourth rounder Tanor Bortolini could ascend to a new role up front, but more help is needed — especially for a team that needs to establish the run to open up the easy mid-range passes that have been missing from Anthony Richardson’s game.
That leads to Booker, who may not be as exciting as drafting Warren or Luther Burden but still fills a major need. He can play multiple positions up front and create pancakes from all of them. He can play hyperactive at times, but he’s a bulldozer who understands his assignments.
15
Atlanta Falcons: DL Mykel Williams, Georgia
Needs: EDGE, OT, DT, LB, CB
Trading for Matthew Judon didn’t fix Atlanta’s pass rush. The Falcons ranked 31st in both pressure rate (28.1 percent) and sacks (31) in what proved to be another lost season.
Keeping Williams in-state gives Atlanta another powerfully built outside linebacker with a high ceiling in the pros. The former five-star recruit is far from a finished project, but he should be able to provide the kind of strength and bend on the edge to win with power or quickness. His ability to contribute on all three downs is a boon, but his biggest value to the Falcons will be a growing arsenal of pass-rushing moves.
16
Arizona Cardinals: EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
Needs: EDGE, DT, CB, LB, S
Arizona needs a pass rusher and Pearce may be the last top tier sack-master in the 2025 class. The Tennessee star is slightly undersized at 243 pounds, but his get-off speed is a true problem and gives him an easy pathway to chase down opposing quarterbacks.
He may not be a three-down player immediately, but he fits a need for a defense whose 31.4 pressure rate ranked 27th in the NFL last fall. Baron Browning and Dennis Gardeck are both free agents and Zaven Collins has 10.5 sacks the last three seasons combined (thanks in part to Arizona’s inability to find him a lasting NFL position). Pearce is a lottery ticket, but the jackpot here is large.
17
Cincinnati Bengals: S Malaki Starks, Georgi
Needs: EDGE, RB, IOL, DB
Williams or Pearce would have been a boon for a Cincinnati pass rush that boils down to: a) Trey Hendrickson and b) end of list. Luther Burden could address the loss should Tee Higgins leave in free agency, though the Bengals may look to a larger wideout to fill Higgins’s shoes.
That leads us to Starks, who has top 10 talent and could fill multiple roles in a depleted Bengal secondary. He’d be able to thrive in the slot or as an over-the-top presence or slide closer to the line of scrimmage as a run-stopper with strong tackling skills. He can do a little bit of everything, which is exactly what Cincinnati needs.
18
Seattle Seahawks: LB Jalon Walker, Georgia
Needs: TE, LB, S, IOL
Part of me wants to add Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. to this offense — especially if D.K. Metcalf winds up quietly on the trade market this spring. But Fannin will likely linger on draft boards. Walker will not and he fills a need for a defense-first head coach like Mike Macdonald.
The Bulldog linebacker can do anything from the middle of the field, whether that’s chasing down tight ends, filling run lanes or blitzing the quarterback (6.5 sacks in 2024). He’s a fundamentally sound, high floor player who can make an immediate impact. He also has the awareness and athleticism to be an All-Pro. It’s not a glamourous or high-cost position, but it’s one Seattle needs to upgrade.
19
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall
Needs: EDGE, IOL, CB, LB… WR?
Green is a risk. At 248 pounds he’s a bit undersized. Playing at Marshall gave him limited reps against elite competition. But he wrought havoc in Huntington, recording 17 sacks in 13 games last season — including two against Virginia Tech and another against Ohio State.
Green and YaYa Diaby would be a very different kind of edge rushing duo, but each is a high motor pest capable of disrupting the passing game. His explosive first-step and closing speed makes him a menace, so even if he can’t win with a bull rush he’s capable of shedding blocks and cleaning up from wherever he’s lined up.
20
Denver Broncos: WR Luther Burden, Missouri
Needs: WR, EDGE, DL, OT
In this simulation, the Bengals passed on Burden because they wanted a wideout with a little more size. The Broncos, on the other hand, already have a 6-foot-4 Courtland Sutton as Bo Nix’s huckleberry. Now they get the 5-foot-11 Burden to add new depth and explosiveness to the offense.
Burden is a shape shifter who can thrive as a sideline threat or devastating chain-mover over the middle. He’s got great hands and vision to pair with explosive acceleration for big gains after the catch. He’s also powerfully built blocker who can help create space on off-tackle runs. Between him and Sutton’s big body and red zone skills, Nix suddenly has a dynamic do-it-all combination to unlock the next step of his NFL development.
21
Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Needs: QB, WR, RB, LB, CB, DL
Three years after drafting Kenny Pickett in the second half of Day 1, the Steelers charge back into the breach. Pickett’s inability to process through his reads quickly ultimately put his NFL ceiling at “three good throws per game.” Milroe could fall into a similar bucket.
There’s reason to believe he won’t. His mobility makes him a proper 2025 NFL quarterback. He’s run for 1,257 yards and 32 touchdowns the last two seasons, a number made all the more impressive when you consider NCAA stats count sacks as lost rushing yards. He can also deliver dynamic strikes downfield, which suggests he can slide into the offense designed for Justin Fields/Russell Wilson last fall and generate some success.
22
Los Angeles Chargers: EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
Needs: WR, EDGE, OG, LB, S
Jim Harbaugh needs an impact tight end and his former ward Colston Loveland remains on the board. But, TWIST!, here comes a star from Harbaugh’s old arch rival instead.
Sawyer’s game-sealing strip sack in the national semifinal against Texas was the exact kind of high-effort, high-impact play the old school head coach cherishes. With Khalil Mack a free agent (and contemplating retirement), the Chargers get a player who had 15.5 sacks the last two seasons and who attacks running backs like he revels in contact.
23
Green Bay Packers: CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina
Needs: EDGE, DT, IOL, CB, OT
Eric Stokes failed to live up to his first round draft status. Jaire Alexander played seven games in 2024 and looks like a pending salary cap casualty. While Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon can keep this unit afloat, it needs an infusion of new talent.
Revel has All-Pro upside, but his draft stock is hampered by his place at a Group of 5 school and the torn ACL that ended his senior season after three games. The long-armed defender has elite top-line speed and can be an eraser on deep throws. He can thrive in zone or man coverage, using those arms to press effectively or accelerating to close distance (15 pass breakups and three interceptions in his last 15 games).
24
Minnesota Vikings: CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
Needs: DT, CB, S, RB
Morrison may be the last member of a thin second tier of cornerback prospects — not as good as Hunter or Johnson but maybe a notch above guys like Jahdae Barron or Trey Amos. Like Revel, he’s coming off a final college season cut short by injury after playing only six games for the Fighting Irish in 2024.
But Morrison is an explosive corner who can snap off routes. His ability to close to the ball led to an FBS-high 10 passes defensed in 2023 and a directive to stay the hell away from him in 2024. He’s allowed a 58.4 passer rating in coverage this fall. If healthy, expect his stock to rise through the pre-draft process.
25
Houston Texans: IOL Armand Membou, Missouri
Needs: IOL, RB, DT, EDGE
Membou has risen up draft boards as a tackle who handled his business in the SEC and can flex inside as a game-shaping guard. That’s exactly what Houston needs after a deficient line kept C.J. Stroud running for his life and stunting his growth after a dynamic rookie of the year campaign in 2023.
The Missouri lineman is a lean 320 pounds, somehow, built atop a foundation of crazy athleticism. He’ll be a marvel as a pulling guard and a rampart in pass protection. While he’s still a bit raw, he’d bring All-Pro upside to a line that badly needs it.
26
Los Angeles Rams: OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
Needs: OT, CB, WR, LB, S
Los Angeles managed to hold things together after injuries ravaged its offensive line. But Alaric Jackson is a pending free agent and Joe Noteboom has reached the void years of his contract. Factor in a 32-year-old Joe Havenstein and you’ve got a glaring need for high potential young players at an expensive position.
Ersery has the chops to be a long term solution. He’s a massive (6-foot-6, 330 pounds) tackle who has improved throughout his college career. He’s got quick feet and sound technique along with experience playing both tackle positions. While his floor may be slightly lower than other blockers available, he could hang out as a swing tackle for a year before growing into his enormous ceiling as a pro.
27
Baltimore Ravens: OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
Needs: OT, S, WR, EDGE
Ronnie Stanley is a free agent. While he played 17 games this fall, he’d combined for just 31 the past four seasons. At nearly 31 years old, relying on him as a long term solution is an iffy proposition.
Fortunately, Baltimore has the talent in place to make a bit of a luxury pick here. Conerly was the anchor for an offensive line that allowed just five total sacks in Oregon’s regular season. He’s a fast-twitch blocker who processes angles and reacts with the intelligence and foot speed to counter edge rushers inside and out. That gives him the chops to get out into running lanes and clear space for whomever is behind him — in this case, Lamar Jackson or Derrick Henry
28
Detroit Lions: EDGE Landon Jackson, Arkansas
Needs: WR, LB, EDGE, DL, IOL
Aidan Hutchinson will return from the broken leg that cost him the bulk of what was shaping up to be an All-Pro season in 2024. He needs help. Marcus Davenport was supposed to be Robin to his Batman, but was also hurt in 2024 and will be a free agent. Detroit could re-sign him, but additional bodies are needed.
Jackson would be a massive addition, both physically and on the stat sheet. The 6-foot-7 specimen is long and angular but has a solid bend to keep his pad level low enough to keep his leverage. He’s quick and strong and can win inside and out. Now he’d get the chance to clean up the messes Hutchinson sends him — and create a few of his own.
29
Washington Commanders: DL Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Needs: DL, CB, EDGE, RB, S
Washington may have bigger defensive holes to fill than at tackle, but Grant’s slide out of the top 20 presents tremendous value for a unit in dire need of upgrades. The Michigan standout is a 340-pound crime against physics to clog running lanes and shrink pockets from the inside-out.
The Commanders need it. They ranked just 27th in run defense despite 2024’s breakthrough. Their 33 percent pressure rate was roughly the NFL average, but on par with their 32.9 percent blitz rate. Grant can help Washington get to the quarterback without sacrificing extra defenders in passing lanes.
30
Buffalo Bills: S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
Needs: CB, LB, WR, EDGE, S
The Bills survived the loss of 2023’s starting safeties after moving on from Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. Now Damar Hamlin heads to free agency and even if he stays creates room for an upgrade.
Would Emmanwori be too similar to returning strong safety Taylor Rapp? Physically it would appear that way, but there are Kyle Hamilton traits to the 6-foot-3, 225-pound defensive back’s game. He’s got the top speed to be an over-the-top deterrent and the size and tackling to be a bull against the run. He’s also the kind of worker who’d immediately ingratiate himself to Bills Mafia, which is a bonus.
31
Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE Princely Umanmielen, Mississippi
Needs: EDGE, S, CB OT, LB
Nolan Smith is evolving into a speed rushing nightmare. But Josh Sweat is a free agent (so is Milton Williams) and the pass rush around him needs reinforcements. There’s nothing general manager Howie Roseman likes more than adding a blue chip SEC talent to his defensive front.
Umanmielen’s transfer from Florida to Ole Miss resulted in career highs in both sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (14). He’s a wide-bodied edge rusher with a blistering first step and the hustle to stick with every play. He’s got a handful of ways to win on the edge, though none may be more effective than his spin.
32
Kansas City Chiefs: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
Needs: CB, LB, RB, WR
Nick Bolton is headed to free agency. While solid wideout and tailback options remain on the board, Kansas City has the opportunity to punch up the middle of its defense with a player who might be 2025’s best off-ball linebacker.
Campbell is a do-everything monster who recorded 117 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception in 13 games last fall. At 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, he’s a bulky-but-fluid linebacker capable of filling multiple roles along the linebacker corps. In this case, he’d pair with Leo Chenal to give the Chiefs two fairy tale-strong ball-stoppers in the second level.
