For the first time in four years, the Cleveland Browns had a first-round pick in the NFL draft. They started with the No. 2 overall pick but made a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to move down to No. 5 overall and recoup more capital in the 2025 and 2026 drafts.
Cleveland went defense early and selected Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham with their first-round pick and then drafted UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger at the top of the second round. From there, Cleveland set to work upgrading the offense at running back, tight end and most notably quarterback.
Cleveland selected Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round at No. 94 overall. With their final pick in the draft, the Browns selected another quarterback: Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. His fall was one of the biggest storylines in the draft and Cleveland traded up to select him in the fifth round at No. 144 overall.
Cleveland bow exits the draft with five quarterbacks on its roster: Gabriel, Sanders, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Deshaun Watson.
That leaves plenty of options for coach Kevin Stefanski as to who the starter will be in 2025. Here’s how the odds stack up:
Cleveland Browns starting quarterback odds
Odds via DraftKings for who will take the first snap in the regular season at quarterback.
5. Deshaun Watson (+5000)
Watson has by far the longest odds considering his most recent performances last year for the team and his injury status. Watson tore his right Achilles tendon last October and then re-tore it later when rolling his ankle. A second surgery in January could keep him sidelined for the entire 2025 season.
4. Dillon Gabriel (+750)
Gabriel was a surprise pick for some in Round 3. The former Oregon quarterback is undersized at 5-foot-11 and has limitations as a downfield passer. He is relatively mobile and thrives on timing, somewhat reminiscent of Tua Tagovailoa.
Stefanski has had success in coaching offenses quarterbacked by the likes of Case Keenum and Kirk Cousins. Both are slightly undersized and weren’t deep-ball passers. Gabriel could end up being the choice thanks to his vast starting experience in college (63 starts over six years).
3. Shedeur Sanders (+300)
Sanders has shorter odds than Gabriel likely because of his draft pedigree. The Colorado passer is more accurate than Gabriel and has a stronger arm and bigger frame. He similarly thrived in college with timing in addition to accuracy and poise and could work in the offense under Stefanski.
2. Joe Flacco (+250)
Flacco led the Browns on a late-season run into the playoffs in 2023. He went 4-1 as a starter and earned Comeback Player of the Year honors for his effort. The Browns ultimately fell in the playoffs to the Houston Texans that season but Cleveland needed the entire 2024 season to match his four wins from the year prior.
Flacco turned 40 earlier this year and will be one of the oldest players in the league in 2025. He has experience on his side but may hit a cliff due to age.
1. Kenny Pickett (+100)
Pickett has the best mix of health, youth and experience. He’s started games in the AFC North, which neither Gabriel nor Sanders can match at this point. He’s healthy at the time of publishing, which can’t be said for Watson. And he’s 13 years younger than Flacco.
Pickett was a first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 draft and started 24 games for the team in 2022 and 2023. He went 14-10 as a starter by completing 62.6% of his passes for 4,474 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He spent the 2024 season with the Super Bowl-winning Eagles as the backup quarterback.
Cleveland Browns quarterback outlook
By selecting two running backs in the draft, Cleveland is signaling a return to a run-first offense. Four of the five quarterbacks have a reason why they could start in Week 1. But none is likely expected to shoulder the load of the offense given the team’s draft investment.
The 2026 draft class is expected to have more first-round talents at quarterback than the 2025 class. By getting that extra first-round pick in the deal with Jacksonville, the Browns put themselves in position to select one if available or trade up for one.
It could end up that all five of these quarterbacks aren’t the long-term answer at the position for Cleveland. The Browns could decide which one works best for this season then reset for 2026.