If/once the Titans start the draft with Cam Ward, as they are widely expected to, the Browns will have this year’s top two overall prospects from which to choose. Cleveland-Travis Hunter links have been strong for a bit now, but it does not appear the team is locked into the two-way phenom.
The Browns are still believed to be seriously considering Abdul Carter, whom Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes is “neck and neck” with Hunter to go second overall. Carter had been closely linked to the Browns in late March, but Hunter buzz had seemingly overtaken that path for the Penn State edge rusher. Barely a week away from the draft, it appears the Giants may still have hope Hunter falls to No. 3, as one Pauline source was “adamant” the Browns are leaning Carter.
The top prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Carter is not expected to fall past the Giants if the Browns pass. Although the Giants have Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the team made similar value plays — drafting Mathias Kiwanuka (2006) and Jason Pierre-Paul (2010) despite deep edge arsenals — during John Mara‘s ownership tenure. Carter would qualify as a higher-profile move, as neither Kiwanuka nor JPP were top-10 picks. But the Giants would seemingly prefer Hunter, who plays position(s) where the team is weaker.
Conversely, the Browns remain in need of a Myles Garrett complementary piece. The team just gave Garrett a defender-record $40MM-per-year extension to squash his trade push; having Carter at a rookie-scale rate would certainly help. Then again, Hunter’s unique skillset could be too much to overlook at No. 2. Carter’s medical sheet will play a key role here, but the Browns have certainly done their homework on the former Nittany Lion dynamo.
A foot stress reaction both kept Carter from participating in the Combine, though Hunter is healthy and joined other top prospects in passing, and Penn State’s pro day. Carter, however, is believed to be improving; surgery is not expected to be necessary, representing an important detail ahead of the draft. Medicals here are still paramount for a Carter investment, as Pauline adds clearance may be what pushes such a move past the goal line.
Browns brass dined with Carter before his pro day; this came after he visited the Cleveland facility in March. With buzz increasingly pointing both Cleveland and New York passing on filling their QB needs in the top three, the draft will likely feature Carter and Hunter following Ward off the board next week. Both players have been viewed as this draft’s top two prospects since the season ended. Considering Hunter’s unusual versatility, it would be quite interesting if the Browns passed.
The Browns viewing Carter as a pass rusher too good to pass up would remind a bit of the Texans leading off the 2014 draft by taking Jadeveon Clowney to team with a soon-to-be expensive J.J. Watt. With Clowney and Za’Darius Smith out as Garrett sidekicks, the Browns adding Carter as a higher-end successor would be one of the more important draft decisions in franchise history.