Dawgs By Nature
Before the Amari Cooper trade, PFF added QB Jalen Milroe, WR Jalen Royals
The Cleveland Browns have clearly turned their attention to the future after trading WR Amari Cooper. That future is murky, at best, with QB Deshaun Watson under contract for two more years and huge salary cap implications with that deal.
The NFL is still investigating Watson in relation the most recently lawsuit filed against him.
The Cooper trade added a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft while sending out a sixth-rounder. Cleveland received a seventh-round pick in 2026 as well. After years of very few premium picks (in the Top 100), the Browns are set to have four in 2025.
Prior to the Cooper deal, Pro Football Focus conducted a three-round NFL Mock Draft for Cleveland where they totally overhauled some key positions on the offense starting at quarterback:
Round 1 (2): QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Milroe will compete with Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and MIami’s Cam Ward to be the first quarterback off the board, but as things stand, he is the highest-ranked player at the position on PFF’s Big Board. He’s not making many mistakes, having posted just a 1.8% turnover-worthy play rate through seven weeks.
If the Browns are selecting with the second pick, Watson would have continued to play poorly and a replacement would be necessary. If the quarterback’s play improves and their draft positioning drops, it is probable that Cleveland stick with Watson going into the 2025 season and spend their early picks building the rest of the roster.
With Milroe on board, PFF then added OT Josh Simmons out of Ohio State and WR Jalen Royals from Utah State. Simmons is likely out the rest of the year after getting hurt against the Oregon Ducks but was projected as a first-round selection before the injury.
Royals topped 1,000 yards last season as a junior with 15 touchdowns. This season, in just six games, he has 44 receptions for 646 yards and five touchdowns. Royals is listed at 6’, 205 pounds.
Given the Browns lack of success with third-round receivers, fans might bristle at selecting another here. With Cooper out the door and Elijah Moore entering free agency, Cleveland needs to round out their wide receiver group this offseason.
With the Cooper trade coming after this mock draft from PFF, we don’t see what they would do with the other third-round pick. Perhaps a tight end or running back to continue the offensive overhaul or maybe the other side of the ball.
What do you think about this three-round Browns mock draft adding Milroe, Simmons and Royals? Share your thoughts down in our comment section
