The speculation around the opening round of the 2025 NFL draft is heating up. While some believe the first three picks are locked in, insiders have information that seems to say otherwise. The Cleveland Browns could be in the mix to trade away the pick that would guarantee them Travis Hunter.
Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry has a major decision on his hands over the next couple of days. His team sits at number two in the 2025 NFL draft, and with Cam Ward a lock at number one, Berry now has the entire board to choose from with the second selection.
What it would take for Cleveland to trade the #2 pick
Among those available is Travis Hunter, the Heisman-winning generational talent who played both ways for the entirety of his college football career. He’s a one-of-a-kind talent the league has never seen before, who could genuinely cover two positions if given the chance.
For the Cleveland Browns to consider trading out of that pick, the offer is going to have to be significant. But some teams may be willing to pay it while considering the potential to get two players in one.
As reported by Peter Schrager on Get Up, the Browns aren’t “slamming down the phone” to offers.
Just how many snaps Travis Hunter can and will be allowed to play on both offense and defense is unknown, but that also makes his value in a potential first-round draft a complete mystery. One thing that is clear is that the Colorado star wants to play both wide receiver and defensive back.
No team has ever looked to trade up in the draft before for a player like Hunter, because there hasn’t been one. Valuing that trade and the capital worth giving up for the pick is nearly impossible.
That said, the Browns won’t want to drop too far in the first round. They have needs of their own, including a franchise quarterback. Dropping down from #2 into a potential 8-12 pick would still allow them to draft Shedeur Sanders, while collecting picks from another franchise in the process.
Teams to consider in a trade up with Cleveland
The Las Vegas Raiders could be in the conversation. They love Ashton Jeanty, but they’re also close enough at six for the Browns to listen to a potential trade. Vegas could then come up to two and take Travis Hunter, pairing him with Brock Bowers on offense, with some support on defense, too.
Jeanty is a superstar in the making but it’s a remarkably deep class for running backs, so the Raiders could come away from the 2025 draft with Travis Hunter and a franchise running back if they play their cards correctly.
The Carolina Panthers need to bring some life back to the offensive talent pool, and there’s no better way to do that than with one of the most talented players we’ve seen in a decade. They’re not necessarily a team that can win right now, but Travis Hunter could have a major impact.
Outside of that maybe the San Francisco 49ers at #11, the Dallas Cowboys at #12.
One dark horse to consider is the Seattle Seahawks . They traded away D.K. Metcalf this offseason, and because of that, they have some of the most valuable draft capital of any team. With their first-round pick at #18, plus two second-rounders and two third-rounders to play with, Seattle has a lot of value to play around with.
