The Cleveland Browns exited the NFL draft with a lot of talent and youth. While general manager Andrew Berry has publicly stated that the team doesn’t adhere to age guard rails, his draft history does not support that. This year’s class is no different, they are the third-youngest in the NFL.
It’s hard to determine how much weight the Browns place on age during the draft. There are many position-specific variables, and every team has its algorithm to rank its board. Not to mention the many confounders in general. For example, top prospects are usually younger players, who’re encouraged to go pro earlier in their careers. This year, the Browns had five picks in the top-100, giving them more access to younger players. There’s been a shift recently to value height, weight, and speed backed by some analytics based on combine data. Older prospects tend to be more athletic than their younger counterparts. Teams could be overvaluing athletic testing as a group. More analysis is needed to understand the market dynamics of the draft. Until then, the Browns’ age guardrails will remain up over the next few years.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns had a youth movement in the 2025 NFL draft