With the first wave of free agency in the books and 32 days until the draft, NFL team's draft needs are beginning to crystalize. Let's check outside the Browns bubble to see who the national draft pundits think Cleveland will select with the second overall pick. This is the Cleveland Browns Weekly Mock Draft Weigh-in.
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The first round of NFL free agency is in the books, pro days are flying by, and there are only 32 days until the NFL Draft. The NFL Draft cycle is in full swing. You know what that means? That's right, it is mock draft season folks.
For Cleveland fans, it is easy to get stuck inside the 'Browns bubble' on social media. For OBR readers and subscribers, you already get our takes in The OBR Daily Mock Draft Series. But now and then it is good to pop your head out of the bubble to see what the national coverage is saying about the Browns. Without further ado, this is the Cleveland Browns Weekly Mock Draft Weigh-in.
Todd McShay, The McShay Show/ The Ringer
2. Shadeur Sanders, QB Colorado
Todd McShay's pitch for why Cleveland should be in on selecting Shadeur Sanders with the second overall pick is based more on the Browns' current circumstances than it is that Sanders's talent merits that high of a selection. McShay cites the Browns' salary cap woes and being in quarterback purgatory due to Watson as his primary reasons for drafting Sanders. With the Browns being in win-now mode, McShay believes they have to draft a quarterback who could win just enough this season while showing promise for the future.
McShay also believes Kevin Stefanski is one of the few head coaches who would be a fit for Sanders, although his list of reasons does not come off as a resounding endorsement for the Colorado quarterback's skillset. He went on to say that Sanders is a pocket passer, without a great arm or mobility, but processes fast.
If Andrew Berry and Stefanski feel compelled to draft a quarterback at two, that player needs to be one they believe can reach the highest of heights at the position. Drafting out of desperation, especially at the quarterback position, is the quickest way to lose your job and set the franchise back.
If what McShay believes is true and Sanders is just a pocket passer with average physical traits who processes fast, the Browns could get that with either Will Howard on day two or Kyle McCord on day three. However, the pressure wouldn't be there to play Howard or McCord immediately as it would be with taking Sanders with the second overall pick.
Joel Klatt, FOX Sports Lead College Football Analyst
2. Travis Hunter, CB/WR Colorado
Joel Klatt starts his analysis by saying that he would have taken Abdul Carter believing that Myles Garrett was going to be out the door but with Garrett back in the fold the Browns can continue to bolster their roster. So with Carter no longer in play, Klatt selected Travis Hunter as Cleveland's pick in his latest mock draft. Klatt believes that Hunter will be a player who will improve both sides of the ball. The FOX analyst believes Hunter will be a great corner who will also be a number three/slot-style receiver at the next level.
Klatt's take on Carter not being on the board because of the Garrett extension is interesting, although I ultimately believe Carter is one of the two options for Cleveland at the top of the draft. However, Klatt's take on Hunter does not mesh with what Andrew Berry said during his NFL Combine presser. Berry believes that Hunter's biggest superpower is his ball skills and the best way to utilize that is to play him at wide receiver. It is hard to imagine the Browns taking a wide receiver with the second overall pick, but it is in the realm of possibilities that Berry's combine stance was a smokescreen.
Kyle Crabbs, 33rd Team NFL Draft Lead Analyst
2. Abdul Carter, Edge Penn State
In Kyle Crabbs latest mock draft, he has the Browns selecting Abdul Carter. Crabbs cites the possibility that Cleveland could select a quarterback to dig themselves out of the hole they put themselves in with Deshaun Watson's contract. However, Crabbs ultimately believes if the Browns are truly in a win-now mode that Carter will help them accomplish that more than any quarterback that will be available with Cam Ward already off the board to Tennessee.
There were plenty of national draft pundits who had Cleveland selecting Abdul Carter including Mel Kiper Jr. and Daniel Jeremiah, but the reason I chose Crabbs as the official entry for this week's weigh-in is his reasoning. Crabbs' belief that Carter would be a bigger contributor to winning in 2025 than a rookie quarterback is a direct shot at this year's quarterback draft class.
It should also be noted that in each mock draft viewed this week, Cam Ward was the number one overall pick. This is the first time a consensus has occurred at the top spot during this draft cycle. With just over one month until the draft, Ward appears to have locked up the number one overall selection. The only question is, will the Titans be the team making it, or will another team entice them to trade it away?