Over the past couple of weeks, the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys have been tangled up in countless trade rumors. Browns GM Andrew Berry admitted that he was open to trading down from No. 6, and with the Cowboys looking to bolster their defense with a star, the Browns are a logical trade partner.
With that in mind, ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. put together his latest mock draft. And while trading Nos. 6 and 39 for Nos. 12 and 20 isn't the worst idea, Browns fans would probably riot if the team followed Kiper's overall prediction.
In this scenario, Berry would use his three first-round picks to get Alabama left tackle Kadyn Proctor, Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston, and Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy. That's far from the ideal scenario for this team.
This trade-down scenario could leave the Browns with more questions than answers
For starters, leaving the first round with three potential starters would be a win. The Browns do have huge needs at left tackle and wide receiver and could use another cornerback. On paper, this might not be as bad as it seems.
That said, the selections may not necessarily be what this team needs right now. Proctor is incredibly talented and physically gifted, but he's also a polarizing prospect who comes with major concerns, and he might also be better suited as a guard in the NFL.
Denzel Boston, on the other hand, is a good, not great prospect who may not have what it takes to be a true No. 1 wide receiver at the next level. He'd be a massive downgrade from Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, and Makai Lemon. If anything, the Browns might be better off rolling the dice on KC Concepcion or even Chris Bell, who were both available later in Kiper's mock draft.
Last but not least, Jermod McCoy's draft stock just took a massive hit over concerns about chronic knee issues. He didn't play in 2025 due to a knee injury, and several teams have flagged him and potentially even removed him from their boards entirely, according to NFL insider Tony Pauline.
Again, it's not that the logic behind each pick is flawed. They all have strong cases to be solid players at the next level. However, taking three polarizing prospects in the first round isn't the wisest approach for a team that can't afford to drop the ball on any of these selections. The Browns aren't in a position to gamble right now.
Trading down with the Cowboys makes sense to a degree; it all depends on who's available. For instance, Browns fans would probably feel much different about this scenario if the team somehow came out with Makai Lemon, Caleb Lomu, and Colton Hood, or Jordyn Tyson, Monroe Freeling, and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
The Browns had arguably the best rookie class in the league last season. They made some somewhat surprising choices, so perhaps they deserve the benefit of the doubt.
That being said, we can only hope that if they do trade down, they at least get three building blocks out of that transaction.
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