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Browns’ perfect 2025 NFL Draft fit

Originally posted on NFL on ClutchPoints
By Bailey Bassett | Last updated Apr 21, 2025 12:26 PM ET

The Cleveland Browns have grown far too familiar with selecting near the top of the draft since rejoining the NFL in 1999. Unfortunately, they’ve also had a lot of all-time big draft busts during that time. The Browns are once again picking early, as they have the second pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The team needs to hit this pick in order to finally turn the franchise around. So, exactly what needs do the Browns have, and is there a player who perfectly fits their roster?

Browns’ positional needs

The Browns have a lot of positional needs, which is obvious when looking at their 3-14 record from last season. However, the team won 11 games and made the playoffs just the season before, so they do have some talent on the roster. Because of that, Cleveland is looking to contend for the postseason again quicker than the average team that is drafting second overall.

Heading into the 2024 season, the Browns were thought to have one of the best defensive units in the league. After all, edge rusher Myles Garrett is one of the best players in the NFL, and the team’s secondary includes Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, and Martin Emerson. On said defense, the defensive tackle positions now look like Cleveland’s weakest spots. The Browns could also use another pass rusher off the edge to pair with Garrett.

The team needs to address the offense more than the defense during the draft, though. The offensive line isn’t nearly as talented as it once was, and the team is desperate for a running back. Nick Chubb was a former All-Pro, but injuries have derailed his career, and the Georgia product is now still stuck on the open market.

Quarterback is the most important position in football, and it also happens to be the position with the most question marks in Cleveland. The Deshaun Watson trade and subsequent contract extension are obvious nightmares, and the Browns would probably be best never playing Watson again because of how much he has failed in Cleveland.

That isn’t a problem that the Browns have to worry about now, though, because Watson will likely miss all of the 2025 season due to an Achilles tear. That puts offseason trade addition Kenny Pickett at the top of the team’s depth chart. While Pickett is a former first-rounder, it now looks like he is best off in reserve duty. While the Browns have invested a lot into the quarterback position, they have yet to find the right one.

Browns’ perfect 2025 NFL Draft fit

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Browns cannot afford to pass on a quarterback with their second overall pick because they may not have another chance to add an elite passer of the football again. Cam Ward is expected to go first overall to the Tennessee Titans, but Cleveland should be thrilled to select Shedeur Sanders.

Many view the Colorado product as the better quarterback prospect. Sanders threw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns last season. He has three-level accuracy and impressive composure in the pocket.

Because of how many failed quarterbacks the Browns have had, some experts have advocated that they select “sure-thing” prospects like Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter instead of Sanders. Hunter, who was Sanders’ teammate at Colorado, plays both the receiver and cornerback positions, and Carter is viewed by many as the best player in the draft class.

However, previous mistakes at quarterback shouldn’t dissuade Cleveland from drafting a signal-caller who can lead them going forward. Because of the attention Sanders received at Colorado, and for most of his life because his father is Deion Sanders, the quarterback will be better equipped to take on the pressure of being the Browns quarterback head-on than most youngsters. While the ever-so-high number of failed signal-callers in Cleveland could rattle a number of players, Sanders is the type of quarterback who embraces a challenge. For those reasons, Sanders is the obvious choice at pick two.

This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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