One of the biggest talking points heading into the draft is who, between the Browns and Giants, will sign Travis Hunter. Abdul Carter is also in contention to be picked by either of these teams. But… who will go first?
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When the mock drafting season began, most projected Abdul Carter as a late top 10 pick, while Hunter was consistently slotted in the top 3. However, as the draft process has unfolded, Carter has steadily climbed up the board. At one point, there was even speculation that he might challenge for the No. 1 overall pick.
So, there’s a growing chance that Carter could be selected by the Browns at No. 2, ahead of Hunter. While most draft projections say otherwise, it’s still a possibility. Don’t believe us? ESPN analyst Marcus Spears echoes this sentiment, arguing that it would actually be the right move.
On an episode of First Take, Spears asserted that selecting Hunter to play wide receiver would be a mistake, as the Colorado star has never played that position full-time. Instead, he’s more of a bits-and-pieces player.
“A wide receiver ain’t going to help the Cleveland Browns and their a** get any better. That’s not going to happen,” Spears remarked, much to the dismay of Dan Orlovsky.
“Bro, Travis Hunter has not been a full-time wide receiver in his life. And you’re going to be an NFL franchise to bet on him being your number 1 wide receiver day one? And, you still have questions at quarterback?” he continued.
“Yes!” Orlovsky responded emphatically. He wholeheartedly believes Hunter should be the number two pick of this draft.
But Spears disagreed with Orlovsky. By drafting Carter, he said, the Browns could build a world-class defense alongside Denzel Ward and Myles Garrett.
It was a solid point from Spears, especially considering the Browns don’t have a viable quarterback right now. Orlovsky clapped back, though, arguing that a strong defense doesn’t necessarily lead to wins, but a good offense will. “You’re going to win games 10-9 (with a good offense),” Orlovsky said.
Spears then challenged Dan, asking how many more wins Travis Hunter would bring to the Browns without a quarterback compared to Carter.
“More than an edge rusher! I’ve been very clear from the beginning: if you’re Cleveland, take Travis Hunter. That’s not any shade at Abdul Carter. Take Travis Hunter, play him both ways. Start him at wide receiver, and he’s absolutely going to play like a number one. Marcus, this dude’s tape is off the charts,” Orlovsky replied.
“A wide receiver ain’t gon’ help Cleveland … get any better.”@mspears96 and @danorlovsky7 debate whether the Browns should draft Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter pic.twitter.com/jGEP8ovK93
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 24, 2025
Orlovsky has been all-in on Hunter since the start of draft season, so it’s no surprise to see him so passionate during this debate. Yet, fan reactions disagreed with his take and felt Spears was making more sense. After all, who is Hunter going to catch passes from in Cleveland?
“Spears is right,” one person commented. “Dan is delusional,” another chimed in.
“Why is Dan so taken back by this? Cleveland won’t be good until they get better QB play. Not that complicated,” someone else wrote.
The top comment that received the most likes simply stated what we all know by now: “Well, looks like nothing can really save Cleveland, honestly.”
Well looks like nothing can really save Cleveland honestly
— The LakeDown (@TheLakeDown) April 24, 2025
In the end, Orlovsky was a bit off base with his argument. Spears was trying to highlight how the Browns don’t have a quarterback to support Hunter’s talent, and that selecting him could turn out to be a waste, which might very well be the case. So, why not bolster the defense and take a flyer on a quarterback later?
Sure, the league has trended toward offensive firepower leading to Super Bowl contention. However, we just saw the Eagles completely shut down the Chiefs in the Super Bowl with defense.
But of course, there’s always a catch. Myles Garrett chose to stay in Cleveland because the team convinced him they’d be competing for Super Bowls. So, it might be smart for them to draft a quarterback. Maybe they grab Hunter first, then trade up for Shedeur Sanders if he starts to slide.
Either way, Hunter would be the flashy, fun pick for the Browns—but Carter might be the guy who actually makes them better. That’s why it’ll be interesting to see which direction Cleveland takes tonight.
