Browns Prioritize Positional Value in Three-Round Mock

Positional value discourse has taken over the football world in recent years, peaking with the selection of running back Saquon Barkley in 2018 and lingering into every NFL Draft since.

It isn’t just a fad – it’s a pillar of roster building, and it will likely play a significant role in the Cleveland Browns’ rebuild.

That doesn’t guarantee a quarterback with the second pick, of course. Colorado receiver/corner Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter certainly make that a conversation. Day 2 plays into that strategy, given the handful of quarterbacks expected to be available, potentially alleviating the pressure to take Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders early on Day 1.

As such, the Browns target high-value positions in the following three-round mock draft, made using Pro Football and Sports Network’s simulator.

Round 1, Pick 2: Colorado Receiver/Corner Travis Hunter

What’s better than a player who can play one high-value position?

Cleveland sees Hunter as a receiver first, a justifiable answer given Hunter’s elite ball skills and the ability to manufacture touches towards him. Starting Hunter on the boundary gives real credibility to a passing offense that won’t get above-average play in 2025, keeping the deep ball viable with sticky hands and unique body control.

Allowing him to moonlight at corner will be a complicated endeavor, but doubting Hunter feels futile after his ludicrous 2024 campaign. In terms of one’s chances of being truly special, Hunter tops the class.

Round 2, Pick 33: Mississippi Quarterback Jaxson Dart

This quarterback class offers a rather uninspiring blend of incomplete profiles. Dart has his warts, nor is he the cleanest fit in head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense. However, the pressure to take a quarterback early persists, and ownership putting its hand on the scale could add to that equation.

Dart has promising arm talent and athleticism, with twitchiness to make guys miss in the pocket and a handful of out-of-structure flashes to boot. Just about everything else is a work in progress.

Dart will enter a room with veteran leadership, a quality offensive line, and (with Hunter) an above-average receiving duo. From there, it’s on him to deliver on the potential of his raw talent.

Round 3, Pick 67: LSU Offensive Tackle Emery Jones

Cleveland’s left tackle situation has remained unsteady despite a quality batch of linemen in the room. Dawand Jones hasn’t yet locked down his spot in the team’s long-term plans, but the Browns will hope that offseason knee surgery boosts his chances of success.

Nevertheless, adding competition to the tackle room should only reinforce the passing offense, providing a pivot if necessary and insurance if Dawand Jones goes down.

Emery Jones is an unfinished tackle prospect, and he’s better in pass protection than in the run game. If he can make life easier on whoever is under center, he’ll get a chance to play in Year 1.

Round 3, Pick 94: Kentucky Defensive Tackle Deone Walker

Walker’s stock has fallen significantly since his flashes hit the timeline early in the college football season. His 6-7, 330-pound frame profiles like a nose tackle, but he’s proven to be versatile across the defensive line, offering a blend of mass and athleticism that some team will roll the dice on.

However, Walker tested poorly and struggled to access the necessary leverage to capitalize on his size. That leaves a lot of meat on the bone of his physical tools, but there are worse chances to take than a physical specimen who can push the pocket from a handful of alignments.