As the football world meanders from the NFL Scouting Combine to the opening days of free agency, rosters are beginning to take shape and rumors are beginning to spread with a little more credibility.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Indianapolis' biggest game of telephone was the Tennessee Titans' perceived intention to take Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
That leaves the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants in a precarious spot, stuck with what may very well be the second-best passer in an uninspiring quarterback class. But the sport revolves around the position, and no regime can survive without one for long.
That kind of desperation can push passing prospects up board, and it only takes one team to talk themselves into a prospect to make it official.
According to Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns' "breadcrumbs" are pointing to fellow top quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders, whose stock has seemingly fallen during the pre-draft process.
"They've spoken so highly of Shedeur Sanders, and Sanders has left such a trail of Browns' breadcrumbs, that it still seems to me that drafting him at No. 2 overall is the most likely scenario," Cabot wrote. "...The only curveball here could be if the Browns actually like Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) better than Sanders. For now, I'm still thinking the 'Legendary' one at two."
Some teams are turned off by Sanders' personality, which ranges from confident to cocky and assertive to arrogant, entirely depending on who you ask. If Cleveland is in on the leadership skills – the ones that helped turn Colorado around and that Sanders boasted about in Indianapolis – there's a very real chance he's taken with the second-overall pick.
The primary alternative to a Sanders selection would be taking a blue-chip prospect like corner/receiver Travis Hunter or edge rusher Abdul Carter. Both have made incredible cases to be the first pick, or at least the first non-quarterback taken. Hunter won the Heisman, and pairing Carter with Myles Garrett would create an elite pass-rushing duo in Cleveland.
If the Browns take this route, Cabot notes that Dart may be a Day 2 passer who suits their needs. Dart comes with his warts, as do most prospects, and while he has some fans in the community, others are entirely scared off of him as a potential starter.
Related: Browns Ignore Quarterback in 2-Round Mock
"The Browns believe several of the quarterbacks in this class have starting potential, including Shedeur Sanders, who might be available to them at No. 2. Question is, do they like him well enough to take him there? I still think the answer is yes," Cabot added. "They could always grab another one later such as Jaxson Dart, but it's risky to count on getting your guy later, especially a quarterback."
Taking Dart in the second round would allow Cleveland more leeway to move off of him if it doesn't work, whereas a first-round passer comes with an inherently longer leash.
At this point, if Ward is in fact the Browns' (and Titans') top passer, the conversation then becomes the difference between a blue-chip prospect and a lesser quarterback prospect or a Sanders selection with one less elite talent supporting him.
Related: Browns Reveal Stance on Shedeur Sanders Warning
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This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM.
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