Jimmy Haslam’s stunning admission on why the Browns passed on Travis Hunter originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The lead up to the 2025 NFL Draft was filled up speculation on what the Cleveland Browns would do with the No. 2 overall pick. Even though the Tennessee Titans didn’t publicly announce Miami quarterback Cam Ward as the top overall pick, he was expected to be in Nashville.
This left Colorado’s electric two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter available for the Browns. But that never happened as the organization traded the pick to Jacksonville, who promptly drafted Hunter, returning him to his home state.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam recently addressed the decision, shedding light on the team’s decision making process back in April.
LIVE: Jimmy and Dee Haslam speak to the media https://t.co/1XpQrk9g22
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 29, 2025
“Those are hard decisions,” Haslam said during Browns training camp on Tuesday. “Hunter is a special football player and I do think he can play both ways. He’s not just a good kid–he’s a great kid.”
Ultimately, Haslam saw more value by trading back and the offer from Jacksonville was irrefutable. The Browns selected dominant Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham with the No. 5 overall pick, while also picking up a first-rounder in next year’s draft.
On the other hand, Jacksonville got a generational players. Under new GM James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen, the Jaguars aggressively pursued Hunter and are now helping him transition into playing both receiver and cornerback at the next level. This means he’ll be on track to be the NFL’s first two-way player in the modern era.
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While Cleveland missed out on Hunter, they didn’t come away empty-handed. The Browns selected Hunter’s quarterback Shedeur Sanders with a fifth round shocker. However, being the fourth-string passer comes with baggage with Sanders reportedly making a strong push to compete for the starting job.
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If Browns kept the No. 2 pick and took Hunter, the hype would be sky-high in Cleveland. Sanders could have been reunited with his top playmaker. Instead, Hunter will begin his NFL journey in Jacksonville, while Cleveland continues to build around its defense and prepare for the future whatever that might look like in the coming months.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.