Insider names team that could give Travis Hunter exactly what he wants

Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter has made it clear that he wants to remain a two-way star while playing at the highest level. 

For a mailbag published on Wednesday, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated explained why the Cleveland Browns making Hunter the second overall pick of the 2025 draft could work well for everybody involved. 

"The beauty of Travis Hunter for the Cleveland Browns is that he can fill two needs," Breer wrote. "(Cornerback) Denzel Ward’s been banged up a bunch, so Hunter can provide injury insurance and be a more than solid No. 2 corner on defense while complementing (receiver) Jerry Jeudy in packages on offense. So, while with other teams there might be one need that supersedes the other in how to deploy Hunter, for Cleveland, it feels like the level of need on one side of the ball mirrors the other."

Specifically, Ward has suffered a minimum of six reported concussions during his pro career. That history suggests it's only a matter of time before he will again be sidelined due to a head injury. 

Meanwhile, ESPN stats show that the 3-14 Browns finished the 2024 season ranked 28th in the league in total offensive yards per game (300.8) and last with an average of 15.2 points scored per contest. In short, Cleveland needs help on both sides of the ball, not just at the quarterback position, if the club plans to be competitive this coming fall. 

"My guess is that they’d follow the Colorado blueprint — having Hunter put most of his early practice and meeting time into defense to give Cleveland an airtight bookend to Ward, while building out packages for him to contribute offensively," Breer added about how the Browns will handle Hunter as a rookie. 

As of Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Hunter as a significant betting favorite at -330 odds to be the draft's second pick. Also on Wednesday, Dane Brugler of The Athletic predicted that Cleveland will select Hunter at choice No. 2 and then grab Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the first pick of the second round. 

Dart could learn about life in the NFL while serving as a backup behind veteran Joe Flacco and former first-round selection Kenny Pickett.