The dots keep connecting Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter to an AFC team before the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on April 24.
On a Monday episode of his podcast, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said he believed the Cleveland Browns would select a quarterback with pick No. 2 but have since shifted toward Hunter (6-foot, 188 pounds).
“That’s the thing with the draft, it’s a moving target,” Schefter said. “The latest intel now that I believe is Travis Hunter is the more likely pick at No. 2.”
Vegas agrees with Schefter. As of Monday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives Hunter the best odds (-250) to go second overall.
The Browns should still upgrade their QB room. Starting QB Deshaun Watson is expected to miss most of the season after tearing his Achilles for a second time in January.
In March, the Browns acquired Kenny Pickett in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. However, he has posted a below-average 79.3 passer rating in three seasons with Philadelphia and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While the Browns have a glaring need at the most important position, why wouldn’t they want Hunter after watching his pro day on Friday?
“They saw somebody who can move like nobody else,” Schefter said. “I think that going into [pro day], they viewed him as somebody they can play at wide receiver and sprinkle at defensive back. So I think he could play two ways for them, but I think they may think of him more as a receiver than a cornerback.”
Hunter should become a difference-maker in the NFL, whether he plays wideout or corner full-time. In 2024, he won the Heisman Trophy after catching 15 touchdown passes and intercepting four in 13 games.
The Browns could still take a QB in the second round, perhaps Louisville’s Tyler Shough (6-foot-5, 219 pounds). He tossed 23 touchdown passes in 12 games in 2024.
The Browns haven’t had many hits in the draft since the franchise was revived in 1999. If they select Hunter, that may be one of their biggest.
