Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in EnglishFinally, draft week is here.With Cam Ward essentially locked in as the No. 1 pick, the Cleveland Browns start the draft drama at No. 2 and probably will wait for a quarterback. For nearly two months, most of the debate surrounding the Browns’ first-round pick has involved the top two players in The Athletic’s draft rankings, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.From where I sit, the race has been too close to call. But the sentiment of proven draft experts and the praise Browns general manager Andrew Berry heaped upon Hunter during his news conference last week lead me to believe the Heisman winner will be Cleveland’s pick. The Browns obviously need help on offense, and since January Berry has said he believes the best way to maximize Hunter’s gifts is to put the ball in his hands first.I don’t believe there’s a realistic path to the Browns trading out of No. 2. I don’t fully know which way they’re leaning or what information they acquired in their final round of draft meetings and interviews, but I do know decision time is coming Thursday — and that mock drafts must go on.Browns’ draft picks
RoundPickOverall Notes1222133336733094From Bills4210463179616192From Dolphins via Bears624200From Vikings640216Compensatory739255Compensatory
Round 1, No. 2: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, ColoradoThere’s a lot to like. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said the explosive Hunter might have the best ball skills of any player he’s ever evaluated.The Browns have been in a four-year offensive spiral and have needs across the board. If Berry truly believes Hunter is a “unicorn” and comparable to baseball star Shohei Ohtani, the Browns can line him up at wide receiver and let him dabble as a cornerback, jet-sweep runner and all-around weapon. In an ongoing remake of multiple areas of the organization, Hunter will be tasked to eventually help in a bunch of them.With no quarterback worth taking at No. 2 and most of the offensive tackles graded outside the top five, the offensive rebuild might be a meandering one. But scoring points is mandatory, and though I believe Carter would give Cleveland an immediate area of strength with a scary pass rush, the addition of Hunter would help the Browns eventually build a playmaking group that challenges defenses on multiple levels.I don’t think there’s a bad pick here. For now, I’m following the crowd in believing the Browns view Hunter as the best option.Round 2, No. 33: Jalen Milroe, QB, AlabamaI view the Browns as not having any true answer at the game’s most important position. They have a player they know in Joe Flacco who’s 40 years old and facing the end of a long and successful career. They have a 2022 first-round bust in Kenny Pickett who’s in the final year of his rookie contract and has enough experience to be a viable backup.With pretty much a blank slate except for the $130 million or so in salary-cap commitments to Deshaun Watson that will remain after 2025, I expect the Browns to go for a high ceiling with Milroe, who’s currently better as a runner than a passer and will need time and proper coaching to develop. New offensive coordinator Tommy Rees coached Milroe in 2023 at Alabama, and Stefanski is taking back the play calling in the wake of the failed Watson experiment.If Milroe hits, the Browns could eventually build an offense that plays to his strengths. I’m going to be careful not to fully compare him to Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts, given what they’ve accomplished in the NFL, but I think it’s fair to point out how the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles viewed those players and brought them along. Milroe gets high marks for his brains, work ethic and leadership ability, and those things matter in a long-term development plan.If Milroe doesn’t hit — or even doesn’t make a ton of progress as a rookie — the Browns could still have all available options going forward at the position. With the future of the franchise uncertain on almost every level, I think a mostly non-binding second-round commitment to Milroe or Jaxson Dart, the youngest of the four quarterbacks with whom the Browns spent extensive pre-draft time, would make for a sensible plan.Maybe the Browns will trade back into the first round for a quarterback, but that would likely involve them only moving up a handful of spots. The team’s 2026 first-round pick is too valuable to give up, despite the number of other teams that would love to have it.Round 3Browns send pick Nos. 67 and 192 to 49ers for Nos. 75, 138 and a 2026 fourth-rounderNo. 75 (via 49ers): Terrance Ferguson, TE, OregonNo. 94: Cameron Williams, OT, TexasThe Browns add a future pick and an extra fourth this year, which they could deem valuable because they don’t have a fifth-round selection. The 49ers use their extra ammo to move up for a specific target, and Cleveland still has two third-round picks. I’m guessing that the top of the second tier of running backs and tight ends goes late in the second round.Though I think the Browns might choose offensive tackle over quarterback in the second round, in this exercise they get a massive (6-foot-5, 334 pounds) and young (21) tackle in Williams who could eventually contribute at either guard or tackle.In Ferguson, they get a productive player with good size (6-foot-5, 247 pounds) who has the skills to eventually become a true receiving weapon but is ready to contribute right away as the Browns use David Njoku — currently signed only for 2025 — as a multi-positional pass-game weapon.Round 4No. 104: Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida StateNo. 138 (via 49ers): Devin Neal, RB, KansasIn Farmer, the Browns get the kind of athletic defensive tackle with pass-rush ability they covet and continue to try to build a real strength with their defensive line.A running back is coming at some point with Jerome Ford entering the final year of his rookie contract and Nick Chubb unsigned, and I think players like Neal, Dylan Sampson of Tennessee, Cam Skattebo of Arizona State and Damien Martinez of Miami all could end up fitting the Browns if they don’t take a running back early in the third round.Round 6No. 179: Tai Felton, WR, MarylandNo. 200: Luke Kandra, G, CincinnatiNo. 216 (compensatory): Dan Jackson, S, GeorgiaDoes starting with Hunter mean the Browns won’t draft another wide receiver? Am I underestimating the urgency with which they should be adding young offensive linemen and looking for defensive line reinforcements? I don’t know, but at this point in the draft, the team is looking for specific traits and roles.Felton has speed and developmental upside, while Cleveland has a recent history of drafting Cincinnati players — and has three longtime starters on the interior of the offensive line signed only through 2025.Dan Jackson was a combine snub but was a Senior Bowl participant, and the Browns need more depth at safety and more aggressive special teams players.Round 7, No. 255 (compensatory): Alijah Huzzie, CB, North CarolinaFinding a punt returner shouldn’t be as hard as it’s been for the Browns for most of the last decade. Huzzie had punt return touchdowns in each of his two seasons at North Carolina and could be the latest addition to the team’s group of slot cornerbacks.It’s hard to imagine Greg Newsome II and his $13.3 million salary-cap charge for 2025 being in the team’s long-term plans.(Photo of Travis Hunter: Ron Chenoy / Imagn Images)
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