This might be the best overall mock draft for the Browns yet

Kansas City Chiefs v Cleveland Browns / Jason Miller/GettyImages

Tis the season to fire up mock drafts from across the internet if you’ve just finished watching the Cleveland Browns’ horrible loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15.

They barely put up a fight in a game that could’ve actually been winnable had they had a competent offensive scheme, but in the end, the loss boosted their draft positioning. That’s a win for the future of a franchise in desperate need of wins from any where.

This draft, as you’ve probably already heard, isn’t very enticing when it comes to quarterback prospects. Outside of Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, the Browns would be taking a huge risk in drafting someone like Jalen Milroe or Quinn Ewers with their top-10, or top-5, draft pick in 2025.

But, the rest of the board in that range could offer some really exciting opportunities to upgrade at several positions, including running back, at the offensive line, and even at wide receiver. Let’s run a 3-round mock draft using the draft order currently set after most Week 15 games have been played.

Cleveland lost a step defensively this season. While they’re still atop the pack of defensive lines in the NFL, they were nowhere near as dominant as they’d been in 2023 when they helped to carry the Browns into the postseason. So, why shouldn’t they add onto the line and take the best available talent in Mason Graham at seventh overall?

Graham, the top ranked defensive lineman in the 2025 NFL Draft, would be a day one starter on this D-line. His agility and strength would pair up beautifully with Myles Garrett’s athleticism and finesse, and both could be a 1-2 punch that destroys opponents’ momentum with their pass game. While Cleveland needs to be focusing on quarterback, the O-line, and their running back room, Graham is a no brainer.

It’d be a ton of fun to see the Browns take Ashton Jeanty with their first pick in the draft as a complement to Nick Chubb in the backfield. But, let’s be realistic – the team needs to focus on shoring up in other positions, and Jeanty might not even last on the board until 7. So, it makes sense to take someone like Omarion Hampton at 38th overall and in the second round.

The Tar Heel is the second ranked running back in the entire draft, according to NFL Draft Buzz. He had an amazing 2024 season, hitting 1,660 rushing yards with 281 carries, and managed 15 touchdowns. He also averaged 5.9 yards per carry, a far cry from the Browns’ current RB production which stands at four yards per attempt.

If you cannot take Jeanty, but you want a reasonable backup to Chubb if he’s either not 100 percent in 2025 or gets snatched by another team in free agency, Hampton is the way to go.

Cleveland needs to take a QB in this draft because they need to bring in competition for the starting spot. Carson Beck, the senior quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs, might actually end up going higher in this draft because of how little availability there is for quarterback talent in 2025. But, if he falls to the Browns in the 3rd round, they should probably scoop him up as a project.

Beck, who might actually stay for one more year in college, had 3,485 passing yards in 2024 in addition to 28 touchdowns. He also had 12 interceptions, which might make Cleveland fans wince after just dealing with Jameis Winston’s turnover propensity. But, he could make for a perfect fit in a Cleveland system that basically just needs competent QB play. Beck’s age and experience make that fit work.

With the Browns’ 93rd pick in this mock draft, the team selected Earnest Greene III out of Georgia. The Bulldog tackle helped lead one of the best O-lines in the SEC, and helped to protect Beck specifically. That familiarity could be worth monitoring as Cleveland needs to find some reinforcements at tackle through the draft.

Greene, like basically every single tackle in this draft, needs work. According to his NFL Draft Buzz profile, he has a high ceiling but can struggle against very powerful pass rushers. That’s essentially how the AFC North plays, so Greene might not be an immediate starter for Cleveland. But, he’d be a solid backup to any one of Jack Conklin or Dawand Jones. If he can transition to being a guard, it’d bode even better for the Browns.