Why Browns are taking Travis Hunter over a QB in ESPN's latest mock draft

Right now, via a series of tie-breakers with a logjam of six other teams that have eight losses, the Cleveland Browns currently own the 2nd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. In Matt Miller's latest mock draft on ESPN.com, he projects a trade between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Giants that would allow the G-Men to move up in the draft and find their next QB1 in Colorado's Shedeur Sanders with the 1st overall pick.

That leaves the Browns with the choice of a who's who of possible round one quarterbacks — Miami's Cam Ward, Alabama's Jalen Milroe, Texas' Quinn Ewers, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier — who may be a stretch at the #2 pick. The Browns could also go a different direction, taking arguably the best player regardless of position in the class… current Heisman Trophy favorite Travis Hunter. This is the direction Miller expects the Browns to go in as they're expected to bring in a veteran to compete for the starting job.

“If that is the strategy (turning to a veteran at quarterback), drafting the most electric player in the nation is a good start,” Miller writes. “Hunter, who excels at both wide receiver and cornerback, has an opportunity to jumpstart the Browns as a full-time player at one spot, while making a part-time impact at the other.”

Miller notes that his scouting report lists Travis Hunter as a receiver, but while at Colorado, Hunter has proven he's plenty capable of handling the physical and mental burden of being an every down player on both sides of the ball. Whether he could pull this off at the next level remains to be seen, but any team that could potentially get their hands on Hunter should be willing to give him a shot.

Browns have big decision to make at quarterback in 2025 

Now if Cleveland ends up with the worst record in the league and grabs ahold of the 1st overall pick in next April's draft, it could complicate their decision. There's no telling how much the Browns will fall in love with Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward, or any of the other quarterbacks in this class. But if Miller is right, and the Browns opt for a veteran quarterback to lead the way at the start of the 2025 season, they won't have an abundance of options in free agency.

Sam Darnold is the only player on the list of upcoming free agents who has gotten a start every single game this season. Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, Marcus Mariota, and Mason Rudolph are the next best options, though the Browns could opt to go the route of bringing current starter Jameis Winston back for another go-round as they wait for Deshaun Watson to return from an achilles tear.