In his pre-draft press conference, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry emphasized to media that the team hadn't made a hard decision about where they're going at second overall, making it clear the team would be using "the whole shot clock" when it's time to pick a player at that spot.
That player will likely be Travis Hunter, but knowing Berry, he'll be hearing teams out on trade proposals until the very last second.
That said, the team will then need to pivot to focus on their 33rd pick the next day. Quarterback could be the position they take a swing on there, but Berry also emphasized in his presser that they wouldn't force anything at that spot. However, he was quite complimentary of one quarterback during the availability, shedding light on what quarterback he'd want to take a swing on during Day 2.
Jalen Milroe earns major praise from Andrew Berry during pre-draft press conference
Milroe, one of several Day 2 or Day 3 quarterbacks the Browns are likely keeping tabs on, earned some positive words from Berry during his press conference on Thursday. He spoke to Milroe's athleticism, and specifically said that he might be faster than one of the fastest quarterbacks in the NFL: Lamar Jackson.
Berry had mentioned during the availability that the team would be seeking out a "long-term bet" at quarterback in the draft, and added at a separate moment that signing Joe Flacco did nothing to skew their draft strategy at the position. This screams developmental pick, and Milroe would be the best quarterback to take in order to achieve that goal.
Read more: Joe Flacco says the quiet part out loud about Browns' quarterback plans
He's regarded as the quarterback with the highest ceiling in the entire draft, but the one with the most refinement needed to achieve that ceiling. He's obviously a fantastic runner and has a killer arm, but his reads are questionable from the pocket and has the tendency to not know when he's about to be sacked.
While Cleveland's offensive line is surely more stable than it was in 2024, it just doesn't seem like the team is ready just yet to throw a rookie as raw as Milroe out into the fire of the NFL. Flacco seems to be in the front of the line to earn the starting job with the team, but Milroe would be behind the scenes developing alongside Kenny Pickett and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees throughout the year.
If Milroe lasts until the 33rd pick, it feels obvious that Cleveland is going to snag him there.