As the Cleveland Browns figure out what to do at No. 2 overall in the upcoming NFL draft, they also need to decide which direction to go in with their later picks. They have quite a lot, with two in the third round alone. And, this is a fairly deep draft at certain positions like EDGE and running back.
However, one position the team should be seeking to shore up is at cornerback. The current best cornerback on their roster is Denzel Ward, who made the Pro Bowl in 2024 and could use some serious help in the secondary. While he had a league-leading 19 passes defended, he didn't have many takeaways.
In addition to Ward, the currently cornerback room includes MJ Emerson, Cameron Mitchell, Chigozie Anusiem, Tony Brown II, and Anthony Kendall. There are certaintly a few rookies who could compete with players like Brown, Kendall, and Anusiem for major snaps in 2025.
In addition to Travis Hunter, who is a dual threat and would be like drafting two players in one, there are two other cornerbacks the Browns should be considering drafting this April.
3 cornerbacks the Browns can take to help Denzel Ward in 2025
Travis Hunter
You may hear, in the process of evaluating Hunter's value in this draft, that he's better suited as a full time cornerback than as a wide receiver. Hunter is an elite defender, with the hands of a receiver and the ability to defend extremely tight windows. He finished up 2024 with four interceptions, 11 passes defended, and 35 total tackles.
Hunter's projected to be a "Year 1 starter" by the NFL's combine and scouting site, which means whichever team that takes him is taking him to be immediately impactful in whichever position they place him at. Cleveland would be adding some elite defense to their team and a weapon on offense.
Dorian Strong
Strong would be a great fit for the Browns deeper in the draft. The Virginia Tech cornerback finished up his final year with the team with two interceptions, six passes defended, and one forced fumble. While he has the potential to become a starter, he'd definitely be a depth piece for Cleveland.
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Strong's strengths include his ability to read quarterbacks and anticipate ball location, as well as his route reads. But, he still needs to develop his tackling and his ability to avoid strong blocking when in coverage.
Jacob Parrish
Parrish is another deep in the draft option for the Browns. The Kansas State Wildcat had just one interception and seven passes defended, but did pick up 40 total tackles in 2024. He's rated pretty highly by the NFL's scouting site, though, with a 90 athleticism score and as he's projected to eventually become a plus starter in the league.
While he has to get better with his tackling and run stopping, he has great anticipation, and he'd be a solidly physical cornerback to add to the room. He's currently projected to land 72nd with the Chicago Bears per ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller's massive 257-pick mock draft. If that's more or less around where he's slated to go, Cleveland should consider making him their 67th pick.