3 offensive linemen the Browns can draft to move on from Jed Wills Jr.

With the Cleveland Browns sitting at 2-7, it's a great time to look at who the team can take in the upcoming 2025 draft. The team is aging out, and with them having not had a first round pick since they traded for Deshaun Watson, Cleveland can finally add some youth to its most important position groups.

Those groups include at wide receiver, in its secondary, and on its offensive line. The latter is what matters most as the Browns presumably plan on paying Nick Chubb in the offseason when he becomes a free agent. They have to find ways to make the start of next season as comfortable for the veteran back as he'll be on his second year after another major knee injury and surgery.

The team's current offensive line, while injury prone, has also just not performed its best. Ranked 25th in the league in pass rush protection by Pro Football Network and 24th in run blocking win rate per ESPN, the O-line has been the team's Achilles heel when trying to evaluate its quarterback talent. Jameis Winston, Deshaun Watson, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson have all been pressured incessantly because of the O-line's inability to stay upright against opposing defensive lines, and Chubb has struggled to find a rhythm since returning to action because of them.

One glaring issue at O-line has been at tackle - specifically on the blind side. Jed Wills Jr., drafted by the Browns back in 2020 as their 10th overall pick, has been underwhelming on the O-line. He has a run block grade of 51.6, a pass block grade of 63.6, and is graded 52.9 overall this year by PFF. That's good - or bad - for 93rd out of 126 tackles in the league.

Enter Dawand Jones. Jones has slid into the starting position at tackle in Weeks 8 and 9 for the Browns, and the team has seen some significant improvement in pocket protection. But, he still only has a run block grade of 43.2, and has an overall grade of 45 per PFF. He's a band aid for the team but not necessarily a long term solution for them as they continue to experiment throughout this losing season.

3 offensive linemen to target in the draft

The Browns have a few big decisions to make with their treasure trove of picks in 2025. Of course, they'll have a prime first round pick and are likely to select a wide receiver instead of a quarterback given how the team seems ready to ride with Watson for another season. But, the team can also snag a really decent tackle in this class if they choose to with their first rounder.

One name to watch for is Kelvin Banks Jr. out of Texas. Banks is CFB's leader in pass block rate, grading out with a 91.4. A junior, Banks is a proven tackle in a great college program that could have a better time sliding into professional play and into a starting role if the team is to let Wills go in the offseason.

Will Campbell out of LSU would also be a great fit for the Browns. Campbell is a junior, and has for a third straight year been posting a 70-plus PFF grade. If the team is aiming for more proven tackles, Banks and Campbell are the top two picks for them to consider.

A third tackle Cleveland should be looking at, though, could be Cameron Williams from Texas as well. Williams is a big tackle who's ability to clamp defenders makes him a great add to the blindside, but he's also prone to being too slow on the edge and getting beat out, leading to a lot of chasedowns in the pocket. That's the opposite of what the Browns want after experiencing that with Wills, so Banks or Campbell seem like more of the sure things.