The Cleveland Browns are in a tough spot heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. While they clearly need a quarterback, they’re unlikely to get their top choice, as the Tennessee Titans pick first and are just as desperate to land a signal-caller. Still, Cleveland has to make some moves.
Frustration from Myles Garrett led to a record-setting four-year, $160 million extension. But if the Browns can’t find consistency at quarterback, that tension could grow. Even so, one analyst believes the Browns won’t reach for a quarterback — they’ll go with the best player available instead.
Cleveland Browns Predicted To Pick Defender
Last season, Cleveland had a top-10 defense, thanks to former Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett and the culture head coach Kevin Stefanski built.
But their biggest need is on offense. Deshaun Watson ranked dead last in PFSN’s QB+ metric, and with him likely out for the season, their offseason addition of Kenny Pickett hasn’t exactly inspired confidence either.
PFSN’s latest mock draft highlights the unusual spot the Browns are in. “The Cleveland Browns are the ultimate wild card in the 2025 NFL Draft. They certainly need to do something at quarterback, with Deshaun Watson unlikely to play significant time in 2025 and Kenny Pickett profiling as more of a backup than a full-time starter.”
But analyst Ben Rolfe doesn’t think drafting Shedeur Sanders — after predicting Cam Ward will go first to Tennessee — is the right move for Cleveland. “Throwing Shedeur Sanders into this roster in 2025 may not be the smartest move in terms of his development.”
Instead, the Browns go defense, adding Penn State’s blue-chip linebacker Abdul Carter. Rolfe has them taking Carter as a “superior talent over positional need.” Carter is viewed as a generational prospect, and pairing him with Myles Garrett could take Cleveland’s defense from very good to elite.
The Browns are hoping to recapture the success they had two seasons ago when they made the playoffs behind Garrett’s DPOY campaign. Even if they fall short in 2025, it could put them in position to target a quarterback from what’s expected to be a deep 2026 class.
Another year of growth for Carter and chemistry alongside Garrett would only help. “Carter is incredibly talented in multiple facets and will learn to hone his craft while working opposite of one of the best pass rushers to ever play the game,” Rolfe added.
At Penn State, Carter was a dominant force —especially in his junior year in 2024. He racked up 43 solo tackles and 12 sacks, making him one of the most disruptive defenders in college football.
Adding him to a defense that ranked ninth in PFSN’s Defense+ metric should only solidify that unit for the rest of the decade.