Cleveland Browns fans have endured six decades of high-profile buffaloing since the franchise last won a championship.
Notice the prize isn’t “Super Bowl.” The Dawg Pound certainly does.
As the Browns eye their latest turnaround attempt, selecting a marquee Buff with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft on April 24 seems savory. Colorado star Travis Hunter should be there for the taking, and while his athleticism won’t immediately erase the sting of “The Drive” or “The Fumble” and is no salve for the state of things at quarterback, the two-way star could help set Cleveland on a course toward perennial playoff ecstasy.
Notice that word isn’t “agony.” Of course, the Dawg Pound would simply settle for postseason participation these days.
Perhaps I should have used poetic license above and referenced Hunter’s ATHleticism. Many draft projections list the reigning Heisman Trophy winner as ATH, for “athlete.” Hunter didn’t inspire the abbreviation, of course, but he surely personifies it.
Hunter dominated on both sides of the ball in his junior season for the Buffaloes, catching 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns while contributing four interceptions, 11 passes defended and 35 tackles as a defensive back.
“I feel like I have put my body through a lot,” Hunter said during the NFL combine, a nod to the conditioning that allowed him to average 113 snaps per game in 2024.
There’s low-hanging gallows humor with tying that quote to the prospect of joining the Browns. Cleveland has made the playoffs only twice since Hunter — who turns 22 on May 18 — was born.
The first instance came during his junior year of high school.
Deficiencies at quarterback have been a leading factor in the Browns’ long-term woes, leaving some fans and draftniks to covet Hunter’s Colorado teammate, Shedeur Sanders, as the No. 2 pick.
With the Tennessee Titans presumably primed to take Miami QB Cam Ward with the top overall selection, the Browns’ war room must realize the notable drop-off in quarterback prospects in the 2025 draft class.
Sanders could contribute, yes — especially as conjecture swirls over the future of Browns incumbent (or not?) quarterback Deshaun Watson.
But Hunter would bring greater value more quickly. You can bet your ATH that he’s simply the best player in the draft for a team that needs help at receiver.
Jerry Jeudy led Cleveland with 90 receptions and 1,229 yards last season while ranking second with four touchdowns. Elijah Moore was the only other wideout to eclipse 500 yards receiving.
It’s intangible, of course, but Hunter also would send a jolt through a franchise thirsting for marketability, no matter where he takes most of his snaps.
He’s held firm throughout the draft process about his aspiration and ability to be a two-way star in a league with little history of them, given its physical demands.
Hunter sported an NFL-issued shirt that read “DB15” at the combine. Last week, he declined to participate in drills for cornerbacks at Colorado’s showcase for NFL scouts.
At any rate, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said during the combine that the front office viewed the 6-foot, 188-pound Hunter first as an offensive talent.
“In terms of Travis Hunter, cornerback or receiver? The answer is yes,” Berry said. “So, he can play both, and I think that’s what makes him special.
“We would see him as a receiver primarily first, but I think part of what makes him a bit of a unicorn is the fact that he can do both at a high level.”
Indeed, Hunter brings a unique profile to the draft pool. So listen to conventional wisdom, Cleveland, and welcome him aboard.
