Cleveland Browns Strike Big Twice in Dynamic New Mock Draft

Cleveland would have the chance to completely change its franchise in one night.

CU football standout athlete Travis Hunter flashes a No. 1 with his finger after a win against CSU in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Canvas Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. | Cris Tiller / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the No. 2 overall pick, much of the debate has been whether the Browns should select the best player available — such as EDGE Abdul Carter or two-way threat Travis Hunter — or their quarterback of the future.

What if it was possible for them to do both?

In NFL.com's first mock draft after the NFL Scouting Combine last week, analyst Lance Zierlein predicts the Browns will take the best player available at No. 2, which ends up being Colorado cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter.

"Hunter can come in and start at receiver or cornerback right away," Zierlein wrote. "He'd have a big impact at either position for the Browns."

But the first round doesn't end there for Cleveland. With a noteworthy quarterback falling in Zierlein's mock draft, the writer has the Browns trading back into the first round at No. 29, where they select Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.

"Sanders' slide is over, as the Browns flip their No. 33 overall pick and an additional selection to the Commanders in order to take a swing at a QB of the future."

Most mocks believe Sanders will be a top 10 pick, making Zierlein's prediction that the young QB will drop in the draft very puzzling. Nonetheless, this outcome would be a slam dunk for the Browns, who would solidify two-to-three positions of need (depending on if Hunter plays both ways) while reuniting college teammates that already have chemistry together.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry previously said that he views Hunter as a wide receiver first because of his playmaking skills, and pairing Hunter and Sanders could provide some much-needed electricity to Cleveland's offense.