NFL draft rumors have focused on the Browns moving up for a quarterback like Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe
With the NFL Draft approaching rather quickly, the Cleveland Browns will have the second overall pick. There is a ton of speculation about what the team will do. Some believe that the Browns will take a player with the second pick, with all signs pointing to Colorado WR/DB Travis Hunter, and eventually wait until Day 2 to make another selection. Others believe that the Browns will make their top selection, then trade back into the 1st round.
Trading back into the 1st round should not be an option or considered.
Trading back into the 1st round isn’t worth the risk
There have been multiple mock drafts that have Cleveland choosing to trade back into the 1st round:
.@FieldYates and @MelKiperESPN did a 3 round alternating mock draft.
Thoughts on the Browns picks? pic.twitter.com/PHcWJr7gR9
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) April 15, 2025
Played a little PFF mock simulator. Which do you prefer, the Boulder Browns or the Big Ten Browns? pic.twitter.com/uzTzSLLygy
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) April 15, 2025
While some believe that the Browns should consider it, it’s something that shouldn’t be an option. This draft isn’t the one you want to look at for finding stars everywhere:
Same sentiment is shared by many scouts around the league. Not much marquee superstar talent at the top, but mid-first round picks will be the same quality of player(s) drafted mid-Day 2.
Good draft to build out your roster with. https://t.co/uq6MjLfiL8
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) April 14, 2025
Instead, this is more of a “filling out your roster” type draft.
Cleveland needs to fill out their roster. You can’t fill out your roster by trading away picks, considering how the Browns have holes at multiple positions. Cleveland has nine draft picks, and using those picks to build out the rest of their roster is the best strategy. That is especially true given how the team wasn’t the most active during this free agency period.
Keeping the picks and not giving them away can benefit the team in the long run. When you consider that next year’s draft class could be better in terms of quality, it would be wise for the Browns not to try to have a limited number of picks in 2026 either.
Make the pick at number two overall, and then their night should be done afterwards. It’s a strategy that Cleveland will likely do and it wouldn’t be a bad thing.