As the NFL Playoffs kicked off this past weekend, unfortunately we’re already into the offseason and more specifically, draft season.

It’s pretty apparent that the Cleveland Browns are scouting and will continue to scout the quarterback position in this draft class in the wake of the Deshaun Watson news from this past week although the Browns were likely drafting a quarterback anyways even if Watson was available for the 2025 season.

The question remains: Which quarterback do the Browns want? Well, we’ll take a swing in this week’s mock draft to answer that question. Once again, we’re using the NFL Mock Draft Database Simulator which you can go use here. I also won’t do trades in this week’s edition of the mock.

Round 1

Pick 2 – Shedeur Sanders, Quarterback, Colorado: With Cam Ward going first to the Tennessee Titans in the simulator, the Browns go with Sanders with the second pick. It’s unclear where the Browns stack the top two quarterbacks and it’s also unclear whether or not Shedeur’s father and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders will allow his son to be drafted by the Cleveland Browns. Deion has been critical of the franchise in the past and has said publicly that there’s certain teams he won’t let his son play for, much like the Mannings were with Eli when San Diego selected him first overall in the 2004 Draft.

When it comes to Sanders the quarterback prospect, he’s an accurate passer who has the arm talent to get it done as an NFL quarterback, but his pocket tendencies are somewhat of a concern and will be something he needs to work on at the next level.

Round 2

Pick 33 – Benjamin Morrison, Cornerback, Notre Dame: Would it really surprise you if the Cleveland Browns took a cornerback early? With Greg Newsome a potential trade target this offseason and Martin Emerson having a down 2024, the team could take a cornerback in the top 100.

Morrison is a solid all-around cornerback who can help in the run game with his physicality and his athleticism and ability to play both outside as well as inside as a slot in the secondary. With the depth in the Browns cornerback room, Morrison is someone who they could bring on slowly but also with the upside that he can be an immediate contributor.

Round 3

Pick 67 – Grey Zabel, Offensive Tackle, North Dakota State: The Browns need to address the future of the offensive tackle position early in this draft and Zabel is one of the intriguing prospects in the position group. Excellent as both a run and pass blocker, Zabel started as a right tackle and played some significant snaps as a left guard, he settled into the left tackle position in 2024 allowing just one sack and seven total pressures in 453 pass blocking snaps.

Pick 93 – Andrew Mukuba, Safety, Texas: Free safety is going to be a position up for grabs in 2025 for the Browns as Juan Thornhill is expected to be a cap casualty at some point this offseason. Ronnie Hickman has shown some promise, but the Browns could seek other avenues at the position. Mukuba was used in both safety position but was primarily a deep safety for the Longhorns defense and was very effective holding quarterbacks to a 12.1 passer rating when he was targeted and allowed zero touchdowns while collecting five interceptions in 2024.

Round 4

Pick 102 – Cam Skattebo, Running Back, Arizona State: The running back class is very deep in this year’s draft so it’s just a matter of who you like and where can you get value. Skattebo’s monster 2024 season should’ve given him more run for the Heisman but was overshadowed by Ashton Jeanty among running backs but his College Football Playoff performance against Texas definitely gave him more attention heading into the draft. He’s a threat both as a runner and as a receiver, very shifty and can make defenders miss as he forced the second most missed tackles in FBS with 102.

Round 5

Pick 167 – Jaylin Noel, Wide Receiver, Iowa State: The Browns are looking for someone to compliment Jerry Jeudy in the wide receiver room and while Cedric Tillman showed flashes, the lengthy concussion that ended his 2024 season should be something to watch during his career.

Noel may not be the guy the Browns hope can be the #2 alongside Jeudy but he would be a nice depth piece in the wide receiver room. He doesn’t have the physical tools in terms of size but he’s explosive and gets open and has good control down the sidelines. He also could be a threat in the return game which the Browns have been lacking that weapon on special teams for years.

Round 6

Pick 177 – Tyler Baron, EDGE, Miami (FL): An older prospect but a very disruptive one in terms of pass rushers with at least 29 pressures in each of the last three seasons. Baron is also solid as a run defender and could provide even more depth to an already talented EDGE room for the Browns.

Pick 190 – Jake Briningstool, Tight End, Clemson: With the Browns appearing to be heading back to the wide zone blocking scheme, that will also require the Browns to deploy at least three tight ends in some offensive schemes. Briningstool has solid size and could be a threat in the passing game but will need to improve as a run blocker as he struggled at that in college.

Pick 202 – Jaeden Roberts, Guard, Alabama: The Browns have Zak Zinter to groom behind Joel Bitonio but need someone to potentially groom at right guard behind Wyatt Teller for the future. Roberts is solid as a run blocker but needs to improve as a pass blocker.

Pick 214 – Aeneas Pebbles, Defensive Tackle, Virginia Tech: The Browns could use some depth for the future at defensive tackle and Pebbles could be like a Jowon Briggs from last year’s draft that they try and stash on the practice squad. He was very disruptive as a pass rusher with 35 pressures and was also very solid as a run defender for the Hokies.

Pick 215 – Jack Kiser, Linebacker, Notre Dame: The Browns linebacker room was solid in 2024, but Devin Bush is becoming a free agent and the future status of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is still unknown. Kiser is a solid tackler and is average in coverage, worth the gamble this late in the draft.

Round 7

Pick 256 – Jude Bowry, Offensive Tackle, Boston College: Double dipping at offensive tackle in the draft wouldn’t essentially be a bad thing for the Browns because they don’t have the depth at either spot on the offensive line. 2024 was Bowry’s first year of significant playing time allowing two sacks and 19 pressures overall in 335 pass blocking snaps.