Where would the Browns pick in the NFL Draft if the season ended today?

It's obvious that the Cleveland Browns are set to tank for the rest of the season in hopes of landing a top 5 pick in the NFL Draft in 2025. Right now, the team is 2-7 and has a gauntlet of a schedule remaining that includes a game against the Kansas City Chiefs, two against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a final game against the Baltimore Ravens.

With their backup quarterback now starting moving forward and with the team having gone through the trade deadline only sending one piece of their defense away, Cleveland has their sights set on finishing out the season as strongly as possible. But, that might be out of their hands given how great all of the above opponents have been playing. A 4-13 record may just be in Cleveland's future.

That said, the Browns have a lot to look forward to in this upcoming draft. They'll finally have a first rounder again for the first time since trading for Deshaun Watson, and they'll be able to add some youth to pretty much every single positional group if they'd like. The positions the team should be targetting - quarterback, wide receiver, offensive line, and secondary players - should have some solid options through the draft.

As of now, though, and as the team sets to face off with the struggling New Orleans Saints, the Browns have the following draft order:

1st round: 4th overall pick
2nd round: 35th overall pick
3rd round: 69th overall pick, 94th overall pick (via BUF)

The Browns also have their own fourth and sixth round picks, in addition to a fifth rounder from the Detroit Lions and two sixth rounders courtesy the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, respectively.

Can Cleveland strike gold in second round?

If the Browns do end up staying fourth overall - it's possible considering just how horrendous the Jacksonville Jaguards, New York Giants, and Tennessee Titans are - the big question is who they should snag at that coveted spot. Or, better yet, what position should the team be seeking to fill with such a high pick?

As of now, Cleveland is projected to draft Tetairoa McMillan out of Arizona to shore up their aging wide receiving room. McMillan has shades of DeVonta Smith to his game. A lanky receiver, he's able to get after deep balls easily and is ranked first overall amongst wide receivers in the country on some draft profile sites like NFL Draft Buzz.

McMillan would fit swimmingly alongside head coach Kevin Stefanski who loves quarterbacks capable of throwing downfield and making huge plays. But, the team would obviously need a more consistent quarterback to make the McMillan fit work. Enter Jalen Milroe out of Alabama.

Milroe would be the best option for Cleveland in the second round if they don't take a tackle - or, if they haven't taken one of Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders in the first round. His deep passing is ranked highly amongst draft profiles compiled on him, and his ability to run and make something out of nothing in the pocket could be useful for the Browns as they need to jumpstart their run game again next season. He's a raw prospect, but assuming he's their new backup to Watson or Winston in 2025, he's a great gamble for Cleveland.

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