The Cleveland Browns may have lost their fanbase a bit on Thursday night after the team selected Mason Graham at fifth overall. Of course, they didn't begin the night selecting there. They were set to pick at No. 2 overall, and many around the league felt that pick would likely be used on Travis Hunter, the dual-threat athlete out of Colorado.
But, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the eventual deal that landed the Browns the fifth overall pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars (and a whole lot of other picks from them) was in the works for weeks. This was seemingly always the plan for the Browns, who had visited with Graham earlier in the month.
General manager Andrew Berry, who is going to keep catching heat for this move, had a chance to explain the move to media after the pick was made. And, truth be told, he had an explanation that made a ton of sense.
Berry's explanation for taking Graham adds up
Berry explained to reporters on Thursday night that the Graham pick came down to the simple fact that he and others in the front office viewed him as a "DNA match" for the team's already stout defense and line.
Browns GM Andrew Berry on trading out of No. 2 and selecting Mason Graham:
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) April 25, 2025
— Saw Graham as a “DNA match” for the defense
— Draft haul was too good to pass up, second-rounder was in sweet spot of this draft. First-rounder is in what could be a stronger draft. pic.twitter.com/BVjpGvVxtG
Graham was a wrecking ball on the D-line while with Michigan, and was the cut and dry best defender on that team. He also separated himself as the best defensive lineman in the draft, period. Compared to Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, it's clear that Graham has the potential to start Day 1 thanks to his power and ability to make game-changing plays on the line.
Read more: Browns gift-wrap Travis Hunter to Jaguars in mind-boggling trade
As for Berry's comment on next year's first round being stronger, it's obvious he's hinting at the teams' potential desire to target a franchise quarterback then. With two first rounders under their belt for 2026, they're almost guaranteed to land a talented quarterback prospect when the time comes.
For now, they seem happy to either run the season through with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett at the helm, or with a rookie quarterback - if they even take one, given these comments.
They've said in recent weeks that they're unwilling to reach for a quarterback in this draft, so it feels more likely that they'll go for building out their trenches, running back room, and potentially their secondary before going for a signal caller.