The Cleveland Browns want and need a rookie quarterback.
They need someone to build their team around for their next decade-plus, as Deshaun Watson isn’t likely to play another snap for the team, and Kenny Pickett might not be a starting-caliber player.
However, as much as they have to get a signal-caller, it’s also a fact that neither Cam Ward nor Shedeur Sanders are considered to be elite prospects.
They’re top prospects in this year’s thin quarterback class but wouldn’t even sniff the top of the board in other years.
With that in mind, and given that they’re also reportedly in the mix to sign Russell Wilson, NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. believes they won’t get a quarterback with their No. 2 pick.
In his latest mock draft, Kiper claimed that the Browns would go with the best player in this class instead and take Abdul Carter:
> “This is close. Really close. Travis Hunter would be outstanding here, regardless of whether the Browns use him on offense or defense. But I ultimately settled on Carter because he gives Jim Schwartz the second top-tier edge rusher that he has coveted since becoming Cleveland’s defensive coordinator in 2023,” Kiper [said](https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/insider/story/_/id/44238000/2025-nfl-mock-draft-mel-kiper-first-round-predictions-32-picks-sanders-ward-free-agency#cle).
Carter is an elite pass-rusher who would instantly wreak havoc opposite Myles Garrett, giving the Browns an elite tandem and nightmares for the rest of the league.
He’s a generational talent to build the defense around, even when Garrett is past his prime.
His upside is significantly higher than that of Shedeur Sanders, which is why the team might ignore their pressing need for a quarterback just to get him.
In this scenario, they would still be in a position to get someone like Jalen Milroe or Jaxson Dart.
Even if things don’t work out with a second-round rookie, they could still go after another quarterback in a much richer 2026 NFL Draft class.
[NEXT: Insider Proposes Wild Blockbuster Trade For Browns In NFL Draft](https://www.brownsnation.com/insider-proposes-wild-blockbuster-trade-for-browns-in-nfl-draft/)