Browns May Have To Move On From Former Top-100 Pick Sooner Than Expected

Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry began his current role with the team in 2020. His draft record since then has been hit or miss, to say the least. His first pick? Jedrick Wills at No. 10 overall.

But his 2025 draft class was an overwhelming success and arguably saved his job, while Kevin Stefanski was fired after a painful 5-12 finish.

Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, Harold Fannin Jr., Quinshon Judkins, and Dylan Sampson showed flashes of great potential, with Schwesinger even taking home NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

The class also included two quarterbacks: Dillon Gabriel at No. 94 overall and Shedeur Sanders at No. 144 after an epic draft slide. The Gabriel selection was a shock in the third round, especially given all the holes on the roster. Sanders in the fifth round was more of a low-risk, potential high-reward move. The move also sold plenty of jerseys.

Third-round picks are incredibly valuable and just one year later, Berry may be forced to accept he made a terrible mistake in 2025.

Andrew Berry may have to cut his losses with Dillon Gabriel early

Berry is not in a position to be wasting draft capital. He is realistically on the hot seat and moving on from former top-100 picks is never a good reflection on a GM. He whiffed on Siaka Ika in 2023 at No. 98 overall and Gabriel was taken a few picks earlier at No. 94 last year.

There have been plenty of rumors that Gabriel was a Stefanski pick. That is even more intriguing considering Stefanski has two southpaw quarterbacks in Atlanta in Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa.

Regardless, pick No. 94 is valuable and Berry may have to move on just one year later. Why? For starters, new head coach Todd Monken seems set on a competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. In addition, if the team drafts a rookie quarterback once again, Gabriel is the clear odd man out.

There is the possibility of trading Gabriel, but that also reflects poorly on Berry if he flips a former third-round pick for something like a sixth or seventh-rounder.

One thing going for Berry is that even with all his draft whiffs, the Haslams seem to like him and trust him. Ownership has seemingly taken the blame for the Watson contract and Stefanski seems like the fall guy for the Gabriel pick.

There is no one left to blame, and Gabriel may be the final top-100 pick Berry is able to miss on if he wants to keep his job beyond 2026.