Right now, we are amid a barrage of prospect pro days, and draft boards are fluctuating rapidly. The NFL Draft cycle is in full swing.
After the recent trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire Kenny Pickett, the Cleveland Browns have 10 picks in the upcoming draft, with five coming inside the top 104. That is enough ammunition to alter the franchise's future. While we must wait 26 days to find out who the Browns select with the second overall pick, we can fill that time with rampant speculation. That's right, it is mock draft season.
At their core, mock drafts are a thought exercise. For this particular thought exercise, I fired up the NFL Mock Draft Database Simulator, executed multiple first round trades to bolster the offense, drafted the franchise's quarterback of the (distant) future, and solidified the running game. This is your Saturday OBR Mock Draft.
TRADE ALERT! Mickey Loomis and the New Orleans Saints called Andrew Berry and offered up a pick swap in the first round (9), their second-round pick (40), and their first-round pick in 2026 to land the second overall pick. Berry agreed to the terms.
9. Travis Hunter, CB/WR Colorado
6'0 3/8" 188lbs
With their first selection, the Browns had Travis Hunter fall into their lap and received another premium pick in this draft and an extra first-round pick in 2026 by letting the Saints come up and take Hunter's Colorado teammate. The do-it-all Heisman Trophy winner, at minimum, provides the Browns with another dynamic weapon on offense.
Hunter's overall impact could prove to be greater than just at wide receiver. Up until this point in his football career, Hunter has been the most legitimate two-way player since the invention of color television. Hunter has also made it known that he wants, and plans, to play on both sides of the ball at the next level.
However, if Berry's NFL combine press conference holds, the Browns view Hunter primarily as a wide receiver. Berry cited Hunter's ball skills as his superpower, which could be more effectively utilized on offense.
3+ minutes of Travis Hunter dominating at WR on All-22 to the tune of Pink Floyd:
• An absolutely lethal weapon with limitless upside in the NFL.
Hope You Enjoy… https://t.co/PkGkBH9Az0 pic.twitter.com/KoL79BzArW
— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) March 24, 2025
The Browns GM is correct. If there is one takeaway from Hunter's film, his ability to come down with footballs, from a combination of, timing, tracking, body contortion, and superior hands is unmatched. If there is a second takeaway, it is that Hunter has been the best athlete on every football field he has ever played on and is electric with the ball in his hands. The plan for Hunter should be to see how much he can realistically handle on his plate and let him eat.
TRADE ALERT! After trading away the number two overall selection, Andrew Berry and the Browns get on the horn with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Minnesota Vikings to move back into the first round to land their left tackle of the future. The Browns give up picks 33 and 94 to the pick-starved Vikings to get pick number 24.
24. Josh Simmons, OT Ohio State
6'4 7/8" 317lbs
Enough is enough. The Browns make a bold move here to solve their left tackle problem for the foreseeable future with a trade-up to land Ohio State's Josh Simmons.
Simmons is a scheme-agnostic prospect whose 2024 tape showcased the most complete offensive tackle prospect in this draft class. The only reason Simmons would still be on the board is the season-ending knee injury he suffered in the Buckeye's sixth game of the season in Oregon. While Simmons' 2024 tape is only six games, in those six games the redshirt junior was dominant in every phase an offensive tackle position can encounter.
Simmons possesses quick enough feet to be an excellent fit in a wide zone scheme. He has outstanding timing with his hand strikes and enough power in his hands to win reps early. Most importantly Simmons' football IQ matches his physical gifts, allowing him to react to pass-rush counters and reload mid-rep.
If the Browns' doctors are confident in Simmons' medicals, I see no issue with trading back into the first round to obtain his services. The Browns have been without a dominant left tackle for far too long to pass one up.
40. Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama
6'1 7/8" 217lbs
For many fans and analysts, waiting until the second round to select the Browns quarterback of the future sounds too risky. However, Cam Ward is the only quarterback that I view as a plug-and-play starter from day one, and if I am going to pick a quarterback to develop, Jalen Milroe is my preferred signal-caller in waiting.
Milroe possesses physical abilities that no quarterback in this class can match. If allotted the time to properly develop, the Alabama product's unique skillset could be the perfect weapon in the modern NFL game.
He needs work as a passer, but the moment Jalen Milroe is drafted, he becomes one of the most dynamic and explosive runners at QB pic.twitter.com/BcDFfB5Ns1
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 29, 2025
Milroe's pro-day performance is a clear indication that he is willing to put in the work to be a starting NFL quarterback. However, Milroe still has a long way to go. Whoever drafts Milroe, be it the Browns or another NFL franchise, needs to afford him the runway to reach his potential.
The Browns are in a unique position with Milroe's former offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees, now occupying the same position in Cleveland. Rees' intimate knowledge of Milroe's attributes and deficiencies gives Cleveland the inside track to allow Milroe to reach his ceiling, and I would love to see what that looks like in 2026 and beyond.
67. Kaleb Johnson, RB Iowa
6'1 224lbs
The Browns' running back group could use a boost of young talent, and Kaleb Johnson is just the player to provide that. In a deep running back class, Johnson stands out as a potential workhorse back. With his impressive vision, patience, contact balance, and explosiveness, he's a great fit for a zone-heavy offensive system.
Nobody's catching Kaleb Johnson in the open field ?
We're flashing back to some of his long TDs from his three seasons with @HawkeyeFootball ?#FlashbackFriday x #B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/gPB22oUBLY
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) March 28, 2025
The most impressive aspect of Johnson's 2024 campaign is that he averaged over six yards a carry despite facing predominantly loaded boxes. Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns despite being the opposing defense's singular focus when facing the Iowa offense.
Bonus: If the Browns bring back Nick Chubb, which I expect they ultimately will, he would be the perfect mentor for Johnson.
104. Andrew Mukuba, S Texas
5'11 ¼" 186lbs
One of the holes on the Browns' roster that Andrew Berry has yet to fill is at the free safety position. In past years, Berry has looked to the free agent market to address free safety and it is likely that he will attempt to again before the draft. However, selecting Andrew Mukuba could provide a long-term answer to Cleveland's free safety woes.
Mukuba has every tool necessary to be an excellent NFL centerfielder: range, tracking ability, closing speed, and ball skills. Mukuba also fights above his weight class in run defense. If the Browns want to stop renting free agents to patrol the deep third of the field, Mukuba should be high on their priority list.
179. Jackson Hawes, TE Georgia Tech
6'4 ½" 253lbs
Georgia Tech's Jackson Hawes is one of the most intruiging tight end prospects in this deep class at the position. One of the aspects of acclimating to the NFL game that keeps tight ends from providing value early in their career is their inability to be a factor as a blocker. Hawes is not hampered by such things.
Hawes is a phenomenal body-mover in the run game and would be a day-one contributor in 12-personnel sets. Hawes would also free up David Njoku, who is an excellent blocker in his own right, to run more routes in two-tight end sets. If you haven't watched Hawes, the easiest way to explain it is that he embodies the spirit of a pulling guard in a tight end's body and blocks like the defender owes him money.
Bet.
GT Tight End Jackson Hawes https://t.co/rpUolJ6wVR pic.twitter.com/WMSKzlXGy9
— Kyle Crabbs (@KyleCrabbs) November 16, 2024
While not a liability as a pass catcher, Hawes will not eat into any of Cleveland's skill positions' target shares early in his career. But that is not what he would be here to do, the selection of Hawes is to provide physicality and keep defenders heads on a swivel. Hawes would be a fan favorite by the end of the preseason but wouldn't be fool's gold like many others who have claimed that mantle as a rookie.
192. Jordan Hancock, CB Ohio State
6'0 1/8" 195lbs
The Browns are coming away with a cornerback somewhere in this upcoming draft, it is written into law at this point. In this mock, that cornerback is Ohio State's Jordan Hancock.
Hancock has plus-size length and plays the position with physicality. He has inside/outside alignment versatility, although I view his optimal role as a big slot defender who could also play safety in a pinch. Hancock has good route recognition, and his heavy hands allow him to disrupt routes early. However, Hancock gets in trouble when he allows receivers to get a clean release at the line of scrimmage because he does not have the make-up speed to get back in phase.
200. Carson Vinson, OT Alabama A&M
6'7 1/8" 314lbs
Apart from finding a quarterback, securing quality offensive linemen is one of the toughest challenges in the NFL. In this mock draft, the Browns traded back into the first round to take Josh Simmons to end their quest to find their left tackle of the future. But we all have prospects that we can't quit and one of mine is Alabama A&M's Carson Vinson. Given the Browns recent injury woes along their offensive line, stockpiling young talent in the trenches is never a bad idea.
There's some debate about Vinson's ideal position in the NFL, with some believing he's better suited as an interior lineman. However, my evaluation of Vinson is straightforward. Standing at 6'7" with over 34-inch arms, he has the length and quickness to develop into a starting offensive tackle by the end of his rookie contract.
216. Dont'e Thornton, WR Tennessee
6'4 5\8" 205lbs
With the final pick in the sixth round, I am taking flyers on players with elite traits and Dont'e Thornton fits that bill to a tee. While Thornton did not have overwhelming statistical production at either Oregon or Tennessee, there is enough proof of concept in his tape to merit locking him up and bringing him into camp.
If you were to lock on to one of Thornton's stats it would be his 25.4 yards per reception this past season at Tennessee. The Browns' offense is in need of a true lid-lifter on the perimeter, and Thornton's straight-line speed and tracking ability make him an ideal candidate to fill the role. The bottom line is the selection of Thornton a low-risk dart throw that could yield giant results and give this offense a dimension it hasn't had in years.
255. Nick Martin, LB Oklahoma State
5'11 1/2" 221lbs
Nick Martin is an exceptionally athletic linebacker with impressive range. Martin had a standout 2023 season, recording 140 combined tackles, including 83 solo tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and six sacks. Had Martin entered the draft he would have been a top 100 prospect.
Unfortunately for Martin, an injury during his 2024 season, caused his stock to drop and allowed him to fall to the Browns at pick 255. Martin would make an immediate impact on special teams as a rookie and he has the potential to play his way into a significant role on defense during his rookie contract.