The Cleveland Browns came into the 2025 NFL Draft looking to come away with a franchise player on Thursday night. Many expected the Browns to select Travis Hunter with the second overall pick and their search for a quarterback also was a key storyline as Cleveland prepared for their eight picks.
But while everyone was worried about whether Travis Hunter would be able to play wide receiver and cornerback, general manager was cooking up a massive trade to fleece the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Browns Trade No. 2 Overall Pick to Jaguars For A King’s Ransom
The Browns traded the No. 2 overall pick, a fourth-round pick (No. 104) and a sixth-round pick (No. 200) to the Jaguars in exchange for the fifth overall pick, a second-round pick (No. 36) and a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft. Cleveland also acquired Jacksonville’s 2026 first-round pick so the Jaguars could race to the podium and select Hunter.
Browns fans may be upset that their team passed on a generational talent in Hunter, who is attempting to become the league’s first offensive and defensive superstar in the modern era. But they also may have come away as the biggest winners in the draft, turning their highly coveted draft pick into a king’s ransom.
Cleveland came into this draft with multiple holes as they looked to improve on a 3-14 season. The Browns could have used Hunter to plug two of those holes at wide receiver and cornerback, but it’s a risky idea to use one guy to plug both positions. If Hunter pulls it off, he’ll become the greatest football player of all time but the odds are slim.
A safer bet is to stockpile picks and acquire players who are masters of their craft. The fifth overall pick is a good place to start and now the Browns can use their two picks at the top of the second round (No. 33 and No. 36) to select two players that fall through the cracks on Thursday night.
It also sets up the Browns to settle their quarterback position. The extra draft capital could be used to trade for Kirk Cousins if they want to have a one-year stop gap in front of Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco or be used to trade up at the end of the first round on Thursday night.
It also could help Cleveland trade up in next year’s draft when there will be a stronger quarterback class featuring Texas’s Arch Manning and UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava.
It’s not the sexiest decision. But it might be the best one for a regime that needs to save its job. If Cleveland hits on its picks, it could improve its roster drastically and get back to competing in the AFC North.