Abdul Carter

AFC North Draft Rumors: Browns, Bengals, Steelers, Ravens

April 10th, 2025 at 9:25pm CST by Ely Allen

Recently, we saw the Browns host a few probable Day 2 quarterback prospects, and it made us think that Cleveland is less likely to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and more likely to take his teammate Travis Hunter or Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter then pick a quarterback at the top of the second round. During an interview on ESPN’s The Daily Grossi, Tony Grossi seemed to support this notion.

Grossi seemed to confirm that the Browns like Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe “a lot” and that they could easily select him near the second round after addressing another position at No. 2 overall. I say “near the second round” because it’s likely that Cleveland could trade up a short distance back into the first round to secure a fifth-round option for a young passer.

This fits well with Milroe’s projected draft range, which Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports puts anywhere from pick No. 20 overall to pick No. 50. Cleveland holds the first pick of the second round (No. 33 overall).

Here are a few other draft rumors coming out of the AFC North division:

After spending most of their offseason so far (and a huge portion of their salary cap) on the wide receiver position, the Bengals are expected to use most of their six draft picks on defense, according to Jordan Reid of ESPN. With the team so far failing to reach a new agreement with defensive end Trey Hendrickson and potentially even including him in a Draft Day trade deal, defensive end could be an obvious target in the first round. Tony Pauline of sportskeeda predicts that if Cincinatti does go pass rusher, assuming Carter and Georgia’s Mykel Williams are already off the table, it could trigger a run of pass rushers instead of allowing them to continue to slide later and later into the first round.
While the Steelers are expected to spend one of their two picks in the first three rounds of the draft on a quarterback, Reid claims that they could use the other on a defensive tackle or wide receiver. The team has done plenty of research on both positions, notably checking out defensive tackles Joshua Farmer from Florida State and JJ Pegues from Ole Miss and wide receivers Matthew Golden from Texas and Savion Williams from TCU.
Lastly, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley predicts that the most likely first-round scenario sees the Ravens bolstering their defensive line. Kyle Van Noy returns after giving the team 21.5 sacks in the last two years, and Odafe Oweh finally broke out with a 10.0-sack performance in 2024, but David Ojabo and Adisa Isaac — both drafted in the top three rounds of their respective drafts — have yet to make an impact. With Michael Pierce retiring and Travis Jones entering a contract year, defensive tackle could make a lot of sense. The first round is extremely deep at the position with players like Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen, and Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams all projected to be selected somewhere around Baltimore’s 27th overall pick. More likely, though, the Ravens tend to let the draft fall to them and select the best player available regardless of position. With few true holes on the roster, this should give them a bevy of options.

Patriots Open To Trading Down; Interested In Jalon Walker, Armand Membou?

April 10th, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Patriots “would be happy” with using the fourth overall pick in April’s draft on Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, per ESPN’s Matt Miller.

Both are considered blue-chip prospects in a class with a wide range of evaluations, which is why it’s no certainty that they’ll even be available when New England is on the clock. Another team would likely need to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the top three.

If that doesn’t happen, the Patriots will be considering a wider range of options with the No. 4 pick, including a potential trade down with a team trying to acquire Sanders.

“If somebody has an offer for us, I think we’d be willing to listen,” said head coach Mike Vrabel (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss).

Vrabel also said that the team is looking to add a “premium” talent in the first round, but if Hunter and Carter are off the board, they might trade back to land another coveted prospect and gain additional draft capital.

The Patriots’ list of targets – either at No. 4 or later in the first round – could include LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, who have both visited New England. Campbell in particular has been frequently linked with the Patriots due to their need along the offensive line and his potential culture fit with Vrabel.

The team has also “done a lot of work” on Missouri’s Armand Membou, per Miller. He is Campbell’s primary competition to be the first offensive linemen selected this year, and the Patriots are interested in both players.

Georgia’s Jalon Walker could also fit the playmaking mold that Vrabel is looking to add to the Patriots defense, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The hybrid linebacker can line up off-ball or on the edge and brings leadership skills and a mentality that Vrabel will appreciate.

Giants To Host RB Omarion Hampton; Latest On Team’s First-Round Plans

April 10th, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

Adding a rookie quarterback is certainly on the table for the Giants; with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston on the books, though, the team has increasingly been seen as situated to avoid a signal-caller with the No. 3 pick. Signs continue to point in that direction.

Provided the Titans follow through with selecting Cam Ward first overall, the Browns will be left with their choice of top prospects Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. Whichever member of that pair remains available when New York is on the clock will no doubt receive strong consideration, especially if general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll do not view Shedeur Sanders as being worth a top-three pick.

The Browns have previously been linked to heavy Carter interest, but more recently Hunter has emerged as the favorite to go second overall. Part of determining the Heisman winner’s NFL landing spot will of course be the evaluation of his position at the pro level, and the Giants – who may have shifted their view on that front – are firmly in play to draft him. A move up the board to accomplish that may be on the table.

Sports Illustratred’s Albert Breer writes either Hunter or Carter are likely headed to the Giants later this month, with the team positioned to take a best player available approach at the top of the board. Selecting the latter would add to an edge rush group already featuring Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns, making for what could be a less immediate path to playing time for the Penn State standout. By contrast, Hunter could fill a void at receiver and/or cornerback.

New York’s WR group is headlined by Malik Nabers and includes veteran re-signee Darius Slayton, but room exists for a complementary option. Hunter could meet that requirement on offense, or if deployed on defense he could join a CB depth chart featuring free agent addition Paulson Adebo. 2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks has not developed as hoped, and Hunter could compete for a starting spot right away opposite Adebo on the perimeter. Depending on how the Browns’ evaluations shake out, Breer adds a trade up to the second slot could be in play which would ensure the Giants’ ability to add Hunter.

In other draft news concerning the team, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Omarion Hampton is visiting today. The North Carolina product is widely seen as the second best member of a very strong running back class and is firmly on the first-round radar. New York’s post-Saquon Barkley era saw veteran Devin Singletary and fifth-round rookie Tyrone Tracy split time in the backfield. Both of them are under contract for next year, but adding further at the RB position could be under consideration.

Barring a move well down the Day 1 order, though, Hampton is unlikely to be in New York’s range. The second-team All-American can likely be projected to hear his name called sometime in the 20s, Breer predicts (video link). A Hampton selection prior to that could be in the cards, although it would still represent a surprise if the Giants were to find themselves as a serious suitor.

Browns Conduct Second Abdul Carter Meeting; DE To Wrap Visits With Giants, Pats

April 7th, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 7: Carter had breakfast with Daboll yesterday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Carter’s Giants visit will take place on Thursday, he adds. With momentum building for Hunter to be taken second overall by the Browns, New York and New England remain teams to watch closely on this front.

MARCH 28: Abdul Carter will not go through an extensive pre-draft tour. The Penn State prospect expects to be drafted in the top four, and he will cut off access beyond those teams.

Already meeting with the Browns, the standout edge rusher circled back with the team holding the No. 2 overall pick by dining with team brass Thursday night, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. This meeting included owner Jimmy Haslam and GM Andrew Berry. The Browns have been closely linked to Carter at No. 2 overall.

Holding the Nos. 3 and 4 picks, the Giants and Patriots also made the cut for Carter meetings, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. The Titans already met with Carter, and unless another team convinces him a meeting is worthwhile, no more are on tap for one of this year’s premier prospects.

The Giants made a move that could impact their No. 3 choice, having signed Russell Wilson shortly after their Jameis Winston deal. Wilson gives the team a starter-caliber passer, albeit one who has declined in recent years, who could give Joe Schoen and Co. cover if they are not sold on Shedeur Sanders — or if the Browns are and select the Colorado prospect second overall. The Giants have been connected to eyeing a QB choice beyond No. 3 overall, and although that would be a risk given Schoen and Brian Daboll‘s tenuous job statuses, Wilson could allow for a best-player-available pick.

Sanders going in the top three would represent excellent news for the Patriots, who would then presumably — assuming all this Titans-Cam Ward smoke produces a pick at No. 1 — have Carter or Travis Hunter still on the board at No. 4. Either would slot in as an instant starter for a team attempting to recover from its worst two-year stretch in decades.

If the Titans are becoming Ward-committed, the Browns become the team that must decide if Sanders is worthy of such a lofty draft investment. The second-generation NFL prospect has seen a gap form between he and Ward, and while a potential fall out of the first round is not viewed a realistic, Carter is viewed as a safer bet. Browns brass already met with Carter this month, doing so as they hosted Ward, Sanders and Hunter on “30” visits. Carter-to-Cleveland as a low-cost Myles Garrett complement has since gained steam.

Carter is coming off a dominant college season, having led Division I-FBS with 24 tackles for loss. Helping Penn State to the CFP semifinals, Carter posted 12 sacks and four pass deflections as well. Carter passed on Combine workouts, not being the only top prospect to do so, after a foot injury (a stress reaction) became known. Carter did not need surgery, but he is passing on working out at the Nittany Lions’ pro day. Friday. The Browns have college scouting director Max Paulus on-hand anyway.

Of the three teams in the Carter mix, the Giants would seem to need him least. While the Browns would benefit from a Garrett sidekick and Patriots from a long-term edge anchor, the Giants traded for Brian Burns two years after drafting Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 5. This organization has a history of strengthening this position when it already appeared fortified — drafting Jason Pierre-Paul in Round 1 despite rostering Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka — but Hunter could be a higher priority if a need tiebreaker emerged. That said, the Giants viewing a gap between Carter and Hunter would make for a fascinating decision should both be on the board.

Browns, Giants Have Inquired About Trading For No. 1 Pick; Titans Never Considered Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers?

April 6th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Rory Parks

The Browns and Giants, both still in need of a long-term quarterback despite offseason bridge additions, have inquired about trading up with the Titans to obtain the No. 1 overall pick in this month’s draft, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required). We had previously heard Tennessee was fielding calls on that front, and it only makes sense that Cleveland (which presently holds the No. 2 overall pick) and New York (No. 3) would at least see what it would take to make a swap and put themselves in position to land Miami quarterback Cam Ward, the top QB in the 2025 class.

Less than two months ago, many around the league believed the rebuilding Titans would look to trade down, and the Giants were arguably the team most connected to a possible move up the board. The Browns, meanwhile, have been more closely linked to a Kirk Cousins pursuit than a trade for the No. 1 selection, with GM Andrew Berry recently confirming he is unlikely to swing a deal with Tennessee.

Interestingly, Howe says the Titans have not even determined what sort of compensation they would require to move down the board, which further strengthens the prevailing notion that they will select Ward with the top pick. And, contrary to pre-free agency rumors on the matter, Howe says Tennessee never got involved in the Sam Darnold sweepstakes, and he confirms the same is true of Aaron Rodgers. Of course, that represents yet another sign that Ward is Nashville-bound.

Recent reporting has pegged Cleveland as the likely destination for two-way phenom Travis Hunter, and the Giants – who have long been intrigued by Hunter’s collegiate teammate, quarterback Shedeur Sanders – would thus be in position to nab the polarizing passer. That would align with the belief that Big Blue is “praying” Cleveland takes a non-QB like Hunter so that Sanders will fall to No. 3.

On the other hand, New York is said to be “convinced” Cleveland – its professed comfort in having Kenny Pickett assume QB1 duties notwithstanding – will be the team to take Sanders. The Browns did indeed plan a private workout for Sanders, and according to Howe, the Giants will also meet again with the second-generation star prior to the draft.

With Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston having been added to the QB room in free agency, and with Wilson seemingly in the driver’s seat to serve as the starting quarterback regardless of how the draft unfolds, Giants GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll, who are both clinging to their jobs, may prefer to use the No. 3 pick on a player who can help the team win now rather than a high-upside project like Sanders. To that end, one team picking in the top-10 has told Howe that New York seems to be cooling on the idea of adding a signal-caller with its top draft choice.

Considering the Browns-Hunter connections that have recently emerged — supported by Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who says she no longer believes Cleveland will take a QB (video link) — Howe says if the Giants do not select Sanders with the No. 3 pick, they would likely take Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter (assuming Ward and Hunter are off the board by that time). Carter is seen as one of the draft’s best all-around prospects, and New York is one of the four clubs (along with the Titans, Browns, and Patriots) that secured a visit with him. That said, as our Sam Robinson noted when it became clear the Giants would host Carter, they are the team on Carter’s itinerary that would seemingly need him the least, given the presence of Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Carter is nonetheless a blue chip talent, and if Hunter is gone by the time the Giants are on the clock, and if New York does not believe Sanders represents the best player available at No. 3, there is logic in nabbing the Penn State product. Or, if they feel Carter is not a great fit, the Giants could trade down themselves in an effort to collect more draft capital.

Browns To Hold Additional Meeting With Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders; Teams Doubting Cleveland’s Abdul Carter Interest?

April 3rd, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having rostered two players who could end up top-five picks in the draft, Colorado will feature its most notable pro day in ages. The Buffaloes’ top prospects are set to work out Friday in Boulder, and dozens of high-ranking NFL personnel members will be there.

Although the Titans are sending several key staffers to Boulder, the Browns will do more preparation on Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. Browns brass will have dinner with the Buffaloes’ top duo, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot notes.

This dinner comes after the Browns hosted both players on “30” visits and conducted meetings and workouts with other quarterbacks. Cleveland has hosted Cam Ward on a “30” visit and gone through a workout with the likely No. 1 overall pick, and the team has worked out Jalen Milroe and Jaxson Dart; a Tyler Shough meeting is also scheduled. But Cleveland holds the No. 2 pick, likely giving — in the expected event the Titans start the draft with Ward — right of first refusal on the Colorado stars.

Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski will be at the dinner, per Cabot, who adds new OC Tommy Rees and veteran QBs coach Bill Musgrave likely will join the top power brokers. The Browns view Hunter as a wide receiver, separating them from the Titans and Giants regarding one of the most interesting prospects in NFL history. Sanders, however, would be the more interesting pick from a big-picture lens.

The Browns are not expected to trade up to No. 1, as a 2-to-1 move has never happened in the NFL draft, but they have been closely connected to Abdul Carter. Cleveland brass hosted the Penn State defensive end on a “30” visit and dined with Carter and his family before the Nittany Lions’ pro day last week. However, some around the league are sensing a smokescreen effort. Two anonymous GMs told the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora they are not sold on a Browns-Carter fit, with one citing Stefanski being absent at the D-end’s dinner as a sign this might not come to fruition.

It would be a risk if the Browns passed on a quarterback at 2, even if Sanders has generated considerable scrutiny about being worthy of such an investment. Sanders, however, is not expected to fall too far if the Browns pass. Opinions vary on the Giants’ interest in Sanders, though a recent report suggested the NFC East team is indeed believed to be in on the two-year Buffaloes starter. If the Browns pass on Sanders, they may face the prospect of needing to trade back into Round 1 to acquire another QB. La Canfora doubles down on Dart being a first-round pick, something that has come up for a bit now.

The Browns hold the Nos. 33, 67 and 94 selections — the third choice coming via the Amari Cooper trade — if they want to assemble a package that could allow them to draft Carter and then vault up for Dart or, potentially, a falling Sanders. With Deshaun Watson almost definitely never taking another snap with the team — especially after Jimmy Haslam made the public admission of the catastrophic blunder his franchise made in trading for the embattled QB — the Browns need a cost-controlled option under center.

The Titans will send GM Mike Borgonzi, wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert and DC Dennard Wilson to Colorado, ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport adds. Brian Callahan and team president Chad Brinker will not join them, having already spent extensive time on Hunter and Sanders, whose private workout with Tennessee is slated for April 9. With Ward the most likely player to be Nashville-bound to start the draft, however, the Browns will be tasked with determining if Sanders or Hunter are worth passing on Carter.

Browns Not Expected To Trade Up To No. 1

April 1st, 2025 at 10:02pm CST by Ely Allen

A few weeks ago, we saw Browns defensive end Myles Garrett make an about face on his stance for the team’s chances for contention on their current trajectory. While it hasn’t been said exclusively, one may assume that, in the team’s meetings and negotiations with Garrett, Cleveland gave him some insight into the team’s plans for becoming contenders.

One would also assume that that would indicate some sort of improvement at the quarterback position, but so far, the Browns have exchanged Jameis Winston for Kenny Pickett and watched Deshaun Watson‘s rehab activities stall due to a second Achilles tendon tear that could hold him out for the 2025 NFL season.

One way that Cleveland could improve at the position is by drafting a talented rookie, but at No. 2 overall, the Browns sit just out of reach of the class’s best quarterback, Miami’s Cam Ward, who’s expected to be taken No. 1 overall by the Titans. While one might think it wouldn’t take too much to move up and exchange places with Tennessee, general manager Andrew Berry said at league meetings this week that the team is “unlikely” to trade up for Ward, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

In fact, Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam seemed to indicate that they may not add a quarterback at all, telling the media that they’re “not going to force it,” per Cabot. Instead, Cleveland may address Garrett’s position group by adding Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, who is widely seen as the top prospect in the class. Despite recent news of a stress reaction in Carter’s foot, Berry made it clear that the team is not concerned by the injury, stating that it shouldn’t “be prohibitive to a long, successful career,” per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi.

By not further addressing the quarterback position, the Browns would be setting themselves up to enter the 2025 NFL season with only Watson — who is questionable to be healthy by that time — and Pickett as options at QB1. That doesn’t seem to worry Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who told the media today that he believes in Pickett to be the team’s Week 1 starter “if it lands that way.” Over three years with the Steelers and Eagles, Pickett has a 15-10 record as a starter in the NFL with 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Titans’ Brian Callahan On No. 1 Overall Pick

March 30th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Rory Parks

Current reporting suggests Miami (FL) quarterback Cam Ward has clearly established himself as the best passer in the 2025 draft class. As such, the Titans – who were considered likely to trade down from their No. 1 overall selection not too long ago – are seemingly prepared to make Ward the top pick in next month’s draft.

Of course, Tennessee head coach Brian Callahan is not going to tip his team’s hand at this stage of the process, and new GM Mike Borgonzi recently said all options (including a trade-down) are still on the table (via Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk). Nonetheless, Callahan confirmed – assuming the Titans retain their No. 1 choice – the club will be picking one of a short list of four players.

“I think it’s a short list at No. 1 for sure, it’s all the guys that I think are worthy of it, the ones that everyone talks about out there, and between Travis [Hunter] and Shedeur [Sanders] and [Ward] and Abdul Carter, I think those are, that’s the top of the draft for me,” Callahan recently told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via NFL.com’s Coral Smith).

Callahan added, “[t]here’s going to be a lot of good ones certainly that come after them, but I think those at this moment are the best players in the draft and at the top of it.”

Carter is an elite pass-rushing prospect who has been closely linked to the Browns and their No. 2 overall pick in recent days. Hunter is a rare two-way phenom whom some teams primarily project as a cornerback at the professional level, with other teams valuing him more highly as a wide receiver. Both Carter and Hunter have long been viewed as the top overall talents in the 2025 class, though the fact that Ward and Sanders play quarterback naturally elevates their stock quite a bit.

With the 2025 crop of QBs generally considered a weak one, Borgonzi’s January comments indicating he would not pass on a “generational talent” with the first pick in the draft signaled to many that the Titans – who are not just a quarterback away from contention – would eschew a signal-caller at the top of the draft board and would instead select Carter or Hunter. Ward’s pre-draft ascension and the importance of the quarterback position may have changed the team’s thinking in that regard, though Callahan’s comments – if taken at face value, that is – suggest Carter and Hunter are still in the mix.

It is also notable that Callahan named Sanders as one of the four players worthy of the No. 1 selection. Much has been made about Sanders’ draft stock and the possibility that he might fall out of the first round entirely, as well as the fact that other QB prospects like Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough may have surpassed him on some team’s boards. Callahan’s remarks support the notion that, notwithstanding the rumors surrounding Sanders’ potential slide, the Colorado product remains an early-first round candidate. Despite the Ward-to-Tennessee momentum, the Titans will host Sanders on a private workout.

“We’re getting closer for sure; all of the processes are moving right along,” Callahan said of his second draft as a head coach. “I would say we have a pretty good feel for what direction we’re headed by early April here, and you put the final touches on it and tie the bow over it by the time you get to the draft.”

Draft Rumors: Pro Days, Jackson, Taylor

March 27th, 2025 at 9:28pm CST by Ely Allen

We’re in the thick of Pro Day Season and, while some of the 2025 NFL Draft’s top quarterbacks are showing out after not throwing at the NFL Scouting Combine, some of the draft’s top pass rushers have chosen to sit out of their pro days. Two of the class’s top pass rushing prospects, Penn State’s Abdul Carter and Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, have made the decision not to work out at their respective pro day events.

Carter’s announcement, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, was relayed by his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who said that his client was “still finishing up rehab on the shoulder injury” he suffered during the College Football Playoff game against Boise State. He won’t work out at the pro day but will still be measured, which is important because he didn’t get measured at the combine after having to leave early for medicals, according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic. Rosenhaus added that Carter may still work out at private team workouts in mid-April.

Stewart also missed workouts at both the combine and his team’s pro day, per Tony Pauline of sportskeeda. Stewart, a former five-star high school recruit, is a true physical specimen, but after only recording 1.5 sacks in each of his three seasons of play with the Aggies, scouts were hoping to get some insight via pre-draft workouts. If he still goes in the first round of the draft, as is currently projected, it will likely be solely based on traits over production.

Here are a couple other draft rumors on potential Day 1 prospects:

Another pass rushing prospect, Arkansas’ Landon Jackson is hoping to work his way into the first round with Carter and Stewart. After a phenomenal combine performance that included a 4.68-second 40-yard dash, a 40.5-inch vertical jump, and a 10-foot-9 broad jump, Jackson continued to impress on the stopwatch with a three-cone drill timed at under seven seconds, per Pauline. While Jackson surprisingly sat out of defensive line drills in Fayetteville, he’s still being projected as an easy top-42 pick, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he found himself getting selected on Day 1.
Lastly, LSU tight end Mason Taylor had an impressive pro day in Baton Rouge, timing out from 4.58-4.62, depending on the stopwatch, on his 40-yard dash and repping out 28 on the bench press. While the Giants and Cowboys both ran him through some blocking drills, the only team with an official top-30 visit planned, per Pauline, is the Chargers.

Browns “Leaning Towards” Abdul Carter At 2

March 26th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Ben Levine

While plenty could change over the next month, it sounds like we’re starting to get some clarity atop the draft board. During an appearance on NFL Live today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said the Browns are “leaning towards” selecting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the second-overall pick (h/t ESPN Cleveland).

Schefter cautions that things could change, but he believes Carter is “tracking to being a Brown.” Schefter also notes that the draft’s real intrigue starts with the Giants at No. 3, an indication that the Titans are destined to select Cam Ward with the first-overall pick.

There’s been plenty of speculation about how the Browns would approach this year’s draft. Deshaun Watson is under contract for two more years, but the QB’s second Achilles tear has put his future with Cleveland in doubt. As a result, some pundits have assumed that the organization would jump at one of the draft’s top-two QB prospects, and with Ward trending towards the number-one pick, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders would seemingly be a natural selection.

On the flip side, neither Sanders nor Ward are considered blue-chip prospects, and the Browns would surely be fading more decorated prospects if they chose a QB at No. 2. Carter has always loomed as an option, as the pass rusher is considered one of the best non-QB prospects in the draft. The other contender for that unofficial title would be Colorado’s Travis Hunter. For what it’s worth, the Browns have met with all four of the aforementioned prospects.

Carter climbed to the top of draft boards following a standout 2024 campaign where he collected 12 sacks and a Division I-leading 24 tackles for loss. After entering the pre-draft process with a shoulder injury, Carter was reportedly dealing with a foot issue. Ultimately, it was determined the player didn’t have to go under the knife, and the injuries clearly haven’t done anything to hurt his draft stock.

If Cleveland does ultimately opt for Carter, they’d be forming one of the best pass-rush tandems in the NFL. The Browns committed big money to keep Myles Garrett in Cleveland, but that extension apparently hasn’t dissuaded the front office from pursuing the same position in the draft.

With Ward penciled in at No. 1 and Carter at No. 2, all eyes will turn to the Giants at No. 3. The team has also been mentioned as a landing spot for a QB prospect, even after they added Russell Wilson as their presumed 2025 starter. If the team decides against selecting Sanders, then Hunter would presumably be the team’s target at No. 3.

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