The Cleveland Browns are once again one of the worst teams in the league in 2025.
However, that doesn't mean the Browns haven't received a ton of attention. Due to having rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, a ton of eyes have been on the Browns despite the team's struggles.
Sanders has now been the starter for five games, and the results have been mixed. The Browns are just 1-4 with Sanders as the starter, but the rookie doesn't exactly have the best supporting cast.
Will Sanders end up doing enough to prove to the team that he deserves to start in 2026? Or will the team feel obligated to make a big move this offseason? Ian Cummings of PFSN recently published a new mock draft and he has the Browns trading up to No. 1 and selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Cummings' deal looks like this:
Giants receive: No. 3 pick, No. 28 pick, 2027 first-round pick, 2027 third-round pick
Browns receive: No. 1 pick
Regarding this move and the Mendoza selection, Cummings offered the following:
Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman. He helped lead the Indiana Hoosiers to their first Big Ten Championship win since 1967. He nearly led the nation with an incredible PFSN QB Impact score of 93.2 and a blue-chip draft evaluation grade.
The bottom line is, the Browns have a chance to add a prototypical franchise QB with a much higher evaluation grade: A gunslinger with a rocket arm and the requisite pocket mobility, who also has high-level pre- and post-snap discernment, poise under pressure, leverage IQ, and accuracy.
Cleveland can’t afford to settle or be cautious. It’s been far too long since they’ve had stability at the most crucial position in sports, and they’re in a position to solve it this April.
As Cummings mentioned, Mendoza just won the Heisman and has the Indiana Hoosiers playing the best they've ever played in program history. The quarterback has the arm, accuracy, and football IQ teams desire out of their franchise passers.
In 2025, Mendoza has thrown for 2,980 yards with 33 touchdowns and six interceptions. The quarterback has also rushed for 240 yards and six scores while completing 71.5% of his passes.
Considering Sanders is on a rookie contract, the team could keep him around as Mendoza's backup in 2026. The team could feel comfortable knowing they have a backup who has starting experience.
Would the Browns give up this much capital to move up for Mendoza? This isn't considered a deep quarterback class, so it's possible they feel the need to. There's no denying that Mendoza is a top prospect and would immediately excite the fanbase in Cleveland.
Sanders will get two more starts in 2025 as the team's season comes to a close.
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