The second-best quarterback in Dane Brugler’s rankings in “The Beast” has a familiar name, but Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is not considered the elite prospect like the past two No. 2 overall picks, C.J. Stroud and Jayden Daniels, were. That’s because Sanders is “not close to the athlete” his Hall of Fame father (and college coach) Deion was and has an “inconsistent pocket feel” despite being a polished passer, per Brugler. Those shortcomings could give the Browns pause when considering taking him second overall.
Sanders probably won’t make it until the Browns’ first pick of the second round at No. 33 overall — there are too many other quarterback-needy teams for him to slide that far. But Cleveland could draft a quarterback with that pick, or as our Zac Jackson has pointed out, they could trade back up into the late first round and take a less polished signal-caller with upside, such as Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe or an older plug-and-play quarterback like Tyler Shough. Trading back up into the first round for a quarterback also means the Browns would get a fifth-year option tied to that player’s rookie contract, which only applies to first-round picks.
It’s worth noting that the Browns overhauled their quarterback depth already this offseason. They brought back 40-year-old fan favorite Joe Flacco, who led the Browns on a stunning 2023 run to the playoffs. They also traded for Kenny Pickett, who won a Super Bowl as Jalen Hurts’ backup with the Eagles last year and has starting experience with the AFC North rival Steelers. Both can buy the Browns time to develop a rookie, but neither should be considered a long-term solution at quarterback in their own right.
GO FURTHER
Browns QB tracker: The 4 passers Cleveland should consider in NFL Draft
