Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, most analysts focused their attention on who the Cleveland Browns would target as a long-term solution for the quarterback role.
Cleveland waited until their third pick in the draft to address their offensive needs, and the organization waited until late in the third round to take a quarterback.
Browns legend Hanford Dixon believes the team may have had other ideas about how to tackle those needs, but their timing became an issue.
Dixon revealed those thoughts during his weekly podcast, suggesting the Browns missed out on their original quarterback target in this year’s draft.
“I think what happened was the Browns wanted to draft Jalen Milroe … but what happened was Seattle jumped the Browns and took Milroe,” Dixon said.
Jalen Milroe? Hanford shares his WILD opinion on who he thought the #Browns were going to take at quarterback in the NFL Draft. #DawgPound
"I really believe that we wanted to draft Jalen Milroe."
Presented by @NEFDirecthttps://t.co/eLIHIUQcCx #nefd pic.twitter.com/6lpUNof8x7
— The Hanford Dixon Show (@TopDawgShow) May 4, 2025
Instead of Milroe, Cleveland will now have two rookie signal-callers to work with during the offseason.
Cleveland took Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel with the No. 94 overall selection, choosing the Ducks’ quarterback after Milroe was off the board.
Dixon credited Cleveland for making a decisive move to acquire Colorado signal-caller Shedeur Sanders during the fifth round.
Those players will join veteran Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett in the crowded quarterback room during the offseason, and all four players will compete for the team’s starting role in 2025.
The Browns will host a rookie minicamp next week.
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