The Cleveland Browns made the first headline of the draft when they sent the No. 2 overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The trade gave Cleveland three selections in the first 36 picks and an extra first-round selection in 2026 to help rebuild a roster that went 3-14 a year ago.
The first step was hitting a home run with the No. 5 overall pick that was also acquired in the trade and with Ashton Jeanty on the board, it seemed like a simple way to make amends for Travis Hunter.
Instead, the Browns passed on a second generational talent, making what could be a draft night mistake even worse.
Browns Pass On Two Generational Talents To Take Mason Graham
The Browns selected Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham with the fifth overall pick in the draft on Thursday night.
Graham was considered the top defensive tackle in this year’s draft as a 6-foot-3, 306-pound prospect from Michigan. His size helps him with leverage in the trenches and could be a versatile weapon across the defensive line, but the reality is he’s not a generational prospect like two players the Browns could have had.
Passing on Hunter is understandable considering the haul the Jaguars gave them to move up. With questions about whether Hunter will be able to play both sides of the ball, trading down is a solid move to acquire more draft capital, add more players and potentially have a second first-round pick to move up for a long-term quarterback in the 2026 draft.
That also assumed they would hit a home run with the fifth overall pick. Rumors floated that several teams were interested in trading up for Jeanty, who treated college football as his personal video game with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in his final year at Boise State.
With Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong the only running backs on the roster, it would have been easy for the Browns to take Jeanty (and their haul of picks) and give the Browns a dynamic offensive superstar they’ve been searching for. Instead, they take Graham, who has questions about his length and the variety on his pass-rushing moves.
There are few “sure things” when it comes to the draft, but there’s a great bet that Jeanty’s vision and production will translate to the next level. Graham will need some development and could be an absolute disaster if he doesn’t pan out.
Think about it this way. The Browns have passed on generational prospects before. But how rare is it for a team to pass on two generational prospects on the same night? That could be what general manager Andrew Berry just did and it could fill his own pink slip.