In the upcoming NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns must take a quarterback. That's for a few reasons.
One reason is that they swung and missed hard on Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the last quarterback they drafted back in 2023. He could never piece together a good start despite being given quite a few opportunities to do so. And, he was finally shipped off from the Browns to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Kenny Pickett this offseason. Experiment over.
Another reason is that they need to try finding someone worth investing in long-term at the position. Not since Baker Mayfield has the team had a legitimate quarterback worth trying to develop into a franchise signal caller. Joe Flacco is just not that guy anymore, Deshaun Watson never wanted to be that guy, and filler players like Jameis Winston were simply that: fillers.
So, regardless of what the team does at second overall, they need to hone in on a quarterback somewhere else in this draft. While there aren't many that could start right away for them in 2025, investing in one could yield that result in 2026 and beyond. However, there is one quarterback who could likely start right away in Week 1 thanks to his extensive playing experience: Tyler Shough.
That's according to The Athletic's Derrik Klassen, who also finds that Shough is the Browns' best fit at quarterback in this year's draft.
Shough named best fit for Browns in NFL draft
Klassen wrote in his piece pairing the draft's biggest quarterback names with teams that best fit their strengths that Shough's arm. experience, and accuracy as a passer all make him a great pick for Cleveland somewhere in this draft.
"Shough is a quality processor, as well. Similar to Ryan Tannehill, he can be a hair slow coming off of reads early in the down but generally doesn’t make bizarre mistakes, and he protects the ball well. In terms of pro readiness and arm talent, Shough just makes the most sense for Kevin Stefanski’s offense right now," wrote Klassen.
Read more: Browns NFL Draft 2025: Louisville QB Tyler Shough Scouting Report
Shough just finished up his sixth season as a college football quarterback, having bounced from Oregon to Texas Tech to Louisville over that span. He finished up his 2024 campaign with the Cardinals with 3,195 passing yards on a 62.7 completion rate, and with a 23:6 TD:INT ratio.
At 26 years old, Shough is a toss-up. At that age, it's tough to say that he'll develop into anything more than a good passer who can tough it out in the pocket and clearly bounce back from injury. Klassen also notes he find that Shough's arm is the second-best in the class, just behind projected No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
Shough's age might scare a lot of fans, which is fair. You ideally want the Browns to take a quarterback they can develop, like Jalen Milroe or Jaxson Dart, as opposed to one that might be set in his ways. And, the younger a signal caller, the longer his potential career could be.
But, 26 isn't ancient. 41 years old is ancient (no offense, Joe Flacco). If Cleveland wanted to prioritize other areas of need on their roster, like on their offensive line or at running back, Shough would likely still be available to them on Day 2 of the draft.