Browns' Mason Graham-Travis Hunter decision has suddenly taken a surprising twist

Billy Heyen

Browns' Mason Graham-Travis Hunter decision has suddenly taken a surprising twist image

The Cleveland Browns took a chance during the 2025 NFL Draft.

They traded away the No. 2 overall pick, and the chance to take Travis Hunter, to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In return, the Browns got the No. 5 overall pick, the No. 36 overall pick and the Jags' 2026 first-rounder.

The fifth pick was used on Mason Graham from Michigan (with 36 on RB Quinshon Judkins and the 2026 first-rounder still to go).

The Browns certainly got more bulk out of the deal, but it felt at the time like trading the generational two-way talent could still have the potential to backfire.

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So far, not so much.

Hunter hasn't made much of an offensive contribution at all for the Jags as he's forced to spend a lot of time in an injury-depleted secondary.

Meanwhile, Graham just had a 43% pass-rush win rate on Sunday in a Week 3 upset win of the Green Bay Packers.

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The kid from Michigan is really getting the job done.

In the meantime, Judkins was clutch on the ground on Sunday, too.

And the Browns still have that 2026 first-round from Jacksonville in addition to their own. They'll be able to trade up for whoever they want, if they feel that's worth it.

In the meantime, Graham will continue trying to show that Cleveland deserves him.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle