Abdul Carter reportedly 'tracking to be a Brown' as No. 2 overall pick

Now that it appears Cam Ward will be selected with the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans, the pre-draft scrutiny has turned to the Cleveland Browns and what they might do with the No. 2 selection.

Like the Titans, Cleveland needs a franchise quarterback and could choose Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. However, Cleveland's brass seems to be very enamored with Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

And right now, it sounds like the Browns are content to draft Carter, who not only would be the best player available but is regarded as the top prospect in the entire draft.

"I have Abdul Carter as the likely pick at No. 2 today," Schefter said on ESPN's "NFL Live" on Wednesday. "We reserve the right to change our mind. A lot of things change. But with the way this is shaking out to me, it looks like he's tracking to be a Brown."

"The way this is shaking out to me, it looks like he's tracking to be a [Cleveland] Brown," - @AdamSchefter on Abdul Carter going No. 2 overall. https://t.co/EktYjEc56L pic.twitter.com/4uNbDLJ3XX
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) March 26, 2025

The NFL mock draft community believes Carter is Cleveland-bound as well. In the new NFL Mock Draft Consensus, half of this week's first-round forecasts project the Browns to select the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Carter to form a 1-2 punch with All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett.

Cleveland making a play for Carter is a lot more believable than the outrageous rumor that circulated Wednesday. Word emerged that the Browns were engaged in trade talks with the Dallas Cowboys for quarterback Dak Prescott, but multiple national NFL writers reported the proposed deal was in fact not true.

I hate that I even have to address this, but we might as well get it from both sides. As @SlaterNFL reported from the #Cowboys end and I am now reporting from the #Browns end, there is NO DAK PRESCOTT TRADE IN THE WORKS. NO TALKS. My god, this time of year. Go on with your day. pic.twitter.com/Npcaxir4eB
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) March 26, 2025