The Cleveland Browns need a quarterback. They have the second pick in the 2025 NFL Draft — a draft with two clear cut quarterback prospects that have risen above the fray.

Seems clear cut, right? But the Browns have several problems to address after following up Joe Flacco’s 2023 playoff run with a three-win campaign and the league’s worst offense. Cleveland has to surround that quarterback with playmakers and boost a once-proud defense. But thanks in large part to Deshaun Watson’s immovable contract — owner Jimmy Haslam handed him an unprecedented $230 million fully guaranteed after trading three first round picks for a player accused of more than 20 counts of sexual misconduct dating to his time as a Houston Texan — the franchise enters the offseason an estimated $30 million over the 2025 salary cap.

Keeping the second overall pick means not trading back and amassing the inexpensive assets that can guide the Browns from this place in salary cap hell. It also means putting a blue chip quarterback in a portfolio loaded with penny stocks. And that’s before getting to the fact one of the most outspoken personalities in football — a guy who could easily take aim at Cleveland’s myriad flaws and management issues — happens to be one of those quarterback’s very involved father.

Despite all this, Shedeur Sanders? YOU are a Cleveland Brown.

In this still entirely too early mock 2025 NFL Draft.

Let’s see how the first round shakes out. Since it’s barely February, no trades in this lineup just yet. Let’s see which rookies make sense and where.

Jerry Jones loves a flashy skill player. While Jeanty would have filled a need, Warren can do the same thanks to his ability to do just about anything across the offense.

Warren has the ability to produce as both a receiver (79 yards per game) and runner (197 yards on 24 carries). In this case, he’d team with Jake Ferguson to give Dallas some juice in 12 personnel formations, flanking CeeDee Lamb with two tight ends and, at least in theory, making life a bit easier for Rico Dowdle next fall. This may not be the star for which the Cowboys hoped, he’d be a rising tide for an offense that desperately needs a lift.

13 Miami Dolphins: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

The bulk of Miami’s defensive line rotation will be free agents this spring. Calais Campbell is 38 years old. Someone needs to hold down the other end spot in the Dolphins 3-4 to help Zach Sieler continue to thrive (and Chop Robinson to reach his potential behind them).

Scourton, at 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, can be that guy (also considered: Arkansas’s Landon Jackson). He’s a big bodied defender who can hold his own against double teams in the run game or crash through gaps to flood the pocket on passing downs. He’s agile beyond his frame and as powerful as it suggests, making him a proper disruptor for a defense that badly needs it.

14 Indianapolis Colts: IOL Tyler Booker, Alabama

Ryan Kelly, Will Fries and Mark Glowinski are all free agents. 2024 fourth rounder Tanor Bortolini could ascend to a new role up front, but more help is needed — especially for a team that needs to establish the run to open up the easy mid-range passes that have been missing from Anthony Richardson’s game.

That leads to Booker, who may not be as exciting as drafting Warren or Luther Burden but still fills a major need. He can play multiple positions up front and create pancakes from all of them. He can play hyperactive at times, but he’s a bulldozer who understands his assignments.

15 Atlanta Falcons: DL Mykel Williams, Georgia

Trading for Matthew Judon didn’t fix Atlanta’s pass rush. The Falcons ranked 31st in both pressure rate (28.1 percent) and sacks (31) in what proved to be another lost season.

Keeping Williams in-state gives Atlanta another powerfully built outside linebacker with a high ceiling in the pros. The former five-star recruit is far from a finished project, but he should be able to provide the kind of strength and bend on the edge to win with power or quickness. His ability to contribute on all three downs is a boon, but his biggest value to the Falcons will be a growing arsenal of pass-rushing moves.

16 Arizona Cardinals: EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Arizona needs a pass rusher and Pearce may be the last top tier sack-master in the 2025 class. The Tennessee star is slightly undersized at 243 pounds, but his get-off speed is a true problem and gives him an easy pathway to chase down opposing quarterbacks.

He may not be a three-down player immediately, but he fits a need for a defense whose 31.4 pressure rate ranked 27th in the NFL last fall. Baron Browning and Dennis Gardeck are both free agents and Zaven Collins has 10.5 sacks the last three seasons combined (thanks in part to Arizona’s inability to find him a lasting NFL position). Pearce is a lottery ticket, but the jackpot here is large.

17 Cincinnati Bengals: S Malaki Starks, Georgia

Williams or Pearce would have been a boon for a Cincinnati pass rush that boils down to: a) Trey Hendrickson and b) end of list. Luther Burden could address the loss should Tee Higgins leave in free agency, though the Bengals may look to a larger wideout to fill Higgins’s shoes.

That leads us to Starks, who has top 10 talent and could fill multiple roles in a depleted Bengal secondary. He’d be able to thrive in the slot or as an over-the-top presence or slide closer to the line of scrimmage as a run-stopper with strong tackling skills. He can do a little bit of everything, which is exactly what Cincinnati needs.

18 Seattle Seahawks: LB Jalon Walker, Georgia

Part of me wants to add Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. to this offense — especially if D.K. Metcalf winds up quietly on the trade market this spring. But Fannin will likely linger on draft boards. Walker will not and he fills a need for a defense-first head coach like Mike Macdonald.

The Bulldog linebacker can do anything from the middle of the field, whether that’s chasing down tight ends, filling run lanes or blitzing the quarterback (6.5 sacks in 2024). He’s a fundamentally sound, high floor player who can make an immediate impact. He also has the awareness and athleticism to be an All-Pro. It’s not a glamourous or high-cost position, but it’s one Seattle needs to upgrade.

19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

Needs : EDGE, IOL, CB, LB… WR?

Green is a risk. At 248 pounds he’s a bit undersized. Playing at Marshall gave him limited reps against elite competition. But he wrought havoc in Huntington, recording 17 sacks in 13 games last season — including two against Virginia Tech and another against Ohio State.

Green and YaYa Diaby would be a very different kind of edge rushing duo, but each is a high motor pest capable of disrupting the passing game. His explosive first-step and closing speed makes him a menace, so even if he can’t win with a bull rush he’s capable of shedding blocks and cleaning up from wherever he’s lined up.

20 Denver Broncos: WR Luther Burden, Missouri

In this simulation, the Bengals passed on Burden because they wanted a wideout with a little more size. The Broncos, on the other hand, already have a 6-foot-4 Courtland Sutton as Bo Nix’s huckleberry. Now they get the 5-foot-11 Burden to add new depth and explosiveness to the offense.

Burden is a shape shifter who can thrive as a sideline threat or devastating chain-mover over the middle. He’s got great hands and vision to pair with explosive acceleration for big gains after the catch. He’s also powerfully built blocker who can help create space on off-tackle runs. Between him and Sutton’s big body and red zone skills, Nix suddenly has a dynamic do-it-all combination to unlock the next step of his NFL development.

21 Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Three years after drafting Kenny Pickett in the second half of Day 1, the Steelers charge back into the breach. Pickett’s inability to process through his reads quickly ultimately put his NFL ceiling at “three good throws per game.” Milroe could fall into a similar bucket.

There’s reason to believe he won’t. His mobility makes him a proper 2025 NFL quarterback. He’s run for 1,257 yards and 32 touchdowns the last two seasons, a number made all the more impressive when you consider NCAA stats count sacks as lost rushing yards. He can also deliver dynamic strikes downfield, which suggests he can slide into the offense designed for Justin Fields/Russell Wilson last fall and generate some success.

22 Los Angeles Chargers: EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State

Jim Harbaugh needs an impact tight end and his former ward Colston Loveland remains on the board. But, TWIST!, here comes a star from Harbaugh’s old arch rival instead.

Sawyer’s game-sealing strip sack in the national semifinal against Texas was the exact kind of high-effort, high-impact play the old school head coach cherishes. With Khalil Mack a free agent (and contemplating retirement), the Chargers get a player who had 15.5 sacks the last two seasons and who attacks running backs like he revels in contact.

23 Green Bay Packers: CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina

Eric Stokes failed to live up to his first round draft status. Jaire Alexander played seven games in 2024 and looks like a pending salary cap casualty. While Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon can keep this unit afloat, it needs an infusion of new talent.

Revel has All-Pro upside, but his draft stock is hampered by his place at a Group of 5 school and the torn ACL that ended his senior season after three games. The long-armed defender has elite top-line speed and can be an eraser on deep throws. He can thrive in zone or man coverage, using those arms to press effectively or accelerating to close distance (15 pass breakups and three interceptions in his last 15 games).

24 Minnesota Vikings: CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame

Morrison may be the last member of a thin second tier of cornerback prospects — not as good as Hunter or Johnson but maybe a notch above guys like Jahdae Barron or Trey Amos. Like Revel, he’s coming off a final college season cut short by injury after playing only six games for the Fighting Irish in 2024.

But Morrison is an explosive corner who can snap off routes. His ability to close to the ball led to an FBS-high 10 passes defensed in 2023 and a directive to stay the hell away from him in 2024. He’s allowed a 58.4 passer rating in coverage this fall. If healthy, expect his stock to rise through the pre-draft process.

25 Houston Texans: IOL Armand Membou, Missouri

Membou has risen up draft boards as a tackle who handled his business in the SEC and can flex inside as a game-shaping guard. That’s exactly what Houston needs after a deficient line kept C.J. Stroud running for his life and stunting his growth after a dynamic rookie of the year campaign in 2023.

The Missouri lineman is a lean 320 pounds, somehow, built atop a foundation of crazy athleticism. He’ll be a marvel as a pulling guard and a rampart in pass protection. While he’s still a bit raw, he’d bring All-Pro upside to a line that badly needs it.

26 Los Angeles Rams: OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota

Los Angeles managed to hold things together after injuries ravaged its offensive line. But Alaric Jackson is a pending free agent and Joe Noteboom has reached the void years of his contract. Factor in a 32-year-old Joe Havenstein and you’ve got a glaring need for high potential young players at an expensive position.

Ersery has the chops to be a long term solution. He’s a massive (6-foot-6, 330 pounds) tackle who has improved throughout his college career. He’s got quick feet and sound technique along with experience playing both tackle positions. While his floor may be slightly lower than other blockers available, he could hang out as a swing tackle for a year before growing into his enormous ceiling as a pro.

27 Baltimore Ravens: OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon

Ronnie Stanley is a free agent. While he played 17 games this fall, he’d combined for just 31 the past four seasons. At nearly 31 years old, relying on him as a long term solution is an iffy proposition.

Fortunately, Baltimore has the talent in place to make a bit of a luxury pick here. Conerly was the anchor for an offensive line that allowed just five total sacks in Oregon’s regular season. He’s a fast-twitch blocker who processes angles and reacts with the intelligence and foot speed to counter edge rushers inside and out. That gives him the chops to get out into running lanes and clear space for whomever is behind him — in this case, Lamar Jackson or Derrick Henry.

28 Detroit Lions: EDGE Landon Jackson, Arkansas

Aidan Hutchinson will return from the broken leg that cost him the bulk of what was shaping up to be an All-Pro season in 2024. He needs help. Marcus Davenport was supposed to be Robin to his Batman, but was also hurt in 2024 and will be a free agent. Detroit could re-sign him, but additional bodies are needed.

Jackson would be a massive addition, both physically and on the stat sheet. The 6-foot-7 specimen is long and angular but has a solid bend to keep his pad level low enough to keep his leverage. He’s quick and strong and can win inside and out. Now he’d get the chance to clean up the messes Hutchinson sends him — and create a few of his own.

29 Washington Commanders: DL Kenneth Grant, Michigan

Washington may have bigger defensive holes to fill than at tackle, but Grant’s slide out of the top 20 presents tremendous value for a unit in dire need of upgrades. The Michigan standout is a 340-pound crime against physics to clog running lanes and shrink pockets from the inside-out.

The Commanders need it. They ranked just 27th in run defense despite 2024’s breakthrough. Their 33 percent pressure rate was roughly the NFL average, but on par with their 32.9 percent blitz rate. Grant can help Washington get to the quarterback without sacrificing extra defenders in passing lanes.

30 Buffalo Bills: S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina

The Bills survived the loss of 2023’s starting safeties after moving on from Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. Now Damar Hamlin heads to free agency and even if he stays creates room for an upgrade.

Would Emmanwori be too similar to returning strong safety Taylor Rapp? Physically it would appear that way, but there are Kyle Hamilton traits to the 6-foot-3, 225-pound defensive back’s game. He’s got the top speed to be an over-the-top deterrent and the size and tackling to be a bull against the run. He’s also the kind of worker who’d immediately ingratiate himself to Bills Mafia, which is a bonus.

31 Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE Princely Umanmielen, Mississippi

Nolan Smith is evolving into a speed rushing nightmare. But Josh Sweat is a free agent (so is Milton Williams) and the pass rush around him needs reinforcements. There’s nothing general manager Howie Roseman likes more than adding a blue chip SEC talent to his defensive front.

Umanmielen’s transfer from Florida to Ole Miss resulted in career highs in both sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (14). He’s a wide-bodied edge rusher with a blistering first step and the hustle to stick with every play. He’s got a handful of ways to win on the edge, though none may be more effective than his spin.

32 Kansas City Chiefs: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

Nick Bolton is headed to free agency. While solid wideout and tailback options remain on the board, Kansas City has the opportunity to punch up the middle of its defense with a player who might be 2025’s best off-ball linebacker.

Campbell is a do-everything monster who recorded 117 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception in 13 games last fall. At 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, he’s a bulky-but-fluid linebacker capable of filling multiple roles along the linebacker corps. In this case, he’d pair with Leo Chenal to give the Chiefs two fairy tale-strong ball-stoppers in the second level.