Andrew Berry had better look over his shoulder constantly on Sept. 13 while the Browns are at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, because the statute of limitations on grand theft in Florida lasts five years.
It has been less than 17 months since the Browns’ general manager robbed the Jaguars blind in a 2025 draft-day trade that netted the Browns four starters, all because Berry was willing to part with one precious draft pick.
The Browns and Tennessee Titans tied for the worst record in the NFL in 2024, when both teams finished 3-14. The strength of schedule tiebreaker went to Tennessee. The Titans selected quarterback Cam Ward with the first pick.
Berry was on the clock next. The consensus was Shedeur Sanders or Travis Hunter, both from the University of Colorado, would go to the Browns with the second pick.
The Jaguars, who went into the draft with the fifth pick, were set at quarterback with Trevor Lawrence. Jaguars general manager James Gladstone coveted Hunter because the two-way star played wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado. Gladstone envisioned him doing the same thing for the Jags.
Gladstone traded the fifth pick, plus picks 36 and 126 in 2025 and his first-round pick in 2026 to the Browns for picks two, 104 and 200 in 2025.
Gladstone was elated to draft Hunter. He took running back Bhayshul Tuten with pick 104 and defensive back Rayuan Lane with the 200th pick.
Berry used the fifth pick on defensive tackle Mason Graham, pick 36 on running back Quinshon Judkins and pick 126 on running back Dylan Sampson. The Jacksonville first-round pick in 2026 turned out to be pick 24. The Browns used it on wide receiver KC Concepcion.
Graham, Judkins and Concepcion all start for the Browns. Sampson is a change-of-pace running back behind Judkins and an important receiver out of the backfield.
Hunter suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice two weeks after the seventh game of 2025 (the Jaguars had a bye after the seventh game). He started four games as a receiver and caught 28 passes for 298 yards and a touchdown. He also started four games at cornerback. He made 15 tackles and broke up three passes without making an interception.
Hunter is healthy again. He is penciled in as a starting cornerback for the Jaguars. Reports out of Jacksonville indicate he will be used as a receiver selectively. That is not what the Jaguars projected when they made the blockbuster trade.
Tuten had 83 carries for 307 yards and five touchdowns last season backing up Travis Etienne, who rushed for 1,107 yards and seven TDs. Etienne signed with the Saints in free agency. Tuten and Chris Rodriguez are expected to share running back duties this season.
Rayuan Lane is listed as a backup safety on the Jacksonville depth chart.
Judkins was closing in on a 1,000-yard rookie season (827 yards) before a fractured fibula in the first half of the 15th game ended his season. He is healthy again.
Graham was one of the most improved players in Browns training camp this summer. Sampson carried 65 times for 175 yards and caught 33 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns a year ago. It will be a surprise if his workload doesn’t increase.
Concepcion will be a player to watch this season. That is if Deshaun Watson can get the ball to him. Concepcion will also return punts.
“We’re going to put our most explosive players out there, who give us a chance to score, and he’s one of those guys,” head coach Todd Monken said on Sept. 11. “Now, if he gets nicked up, that’s different. But as of now, we’re going to play our best players in every scenario we have during the game to give ourselves the best chance to score and stop people.”
• Curious which two players were drafted in between the Jaguars taking Hunter and the Browns selecting Graham? The Giants took defensive end Abdul Carter third and the Patriots took offensive tackle Will Campbell fourth.
I didn’t know that
… until I read my Snapple bottle cap.
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