Griffin Wong previews and breaks down everything you need to know about the Cleveland Browns heading into the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Cleveland Browns, in the midst of a perpetual rebuild, wrote another mediocre chapter into the books in 2025. They opened the season with five losses in their first six games and started three different quarterbacks throughout the season, none of whom performed very well. Head coach Kevin Stefanski got the axe at the end of the season, and the Browns poached Todd Monken from a fellow AFC North team (the Baltimore Ravens) to replace him. They still have to figure out their quarterback situation, with 2025 draftees Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel still on the roster along with Deshaun Watson, whose contract they re-structured in the offseason.
Even after hiring Monken and making several free agency moves, Cleveland is still a long way from postseason contention. The Browns lost a couple of major free agents, including linebacker Devin Bush, who led the league in both interception return touchdowns and interception return yards. They also lost offensive linemen Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin, Cam Robinson, Ethan Pocic, and Joel Bitinio, though at least the latter four remain unsigned and could theoretically return. While Cleveland made some solid signings to replace its departed linemen, bringing in Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson, those are either lateral moves or downgrades, since Pocic had better Pro Football Focus grades than Jenkins and Bitinio had higher grades than Johnson last season. As a result, the Browns (+15000) are the fourth-biggest long shots to win the Super Bowl at DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re +1800 to win the AFC North.
Cleveland had a solid draft overall in 2025; fifth overall pick Mason Graham had an underrated rookie season, Carson Schwesinger won Defensive Rookie of the Year and Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin, and Sanders all look like they could be potential starters, though the latter has the most question marks. The Browns’ lone current superstar was also a former first round pick: Myles Garrett, who won Defensive Player of the Year after breaking the single-season sack record, has spent his entire nine-year career in Cleveland after being selected first overall in 2017. After three consecutive years of having seven or fewer draft selections because of the Watson trade, Browns general manager Andrew Berry will have nine picks to work with this season, including two first-rounders because of a draft day trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season.
After finishing with a 5-12 record last season, there aren’t many areas in which Cleveland couldn’t use help, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The Browns were offensively impotent last season, finishing with the third-fewest total yards and ranking dead last in score percentage. None of their quarterbacks is a particularly compelling option headed into the season, though there aren’t many starting-caliber quarterbacks in this draft class beyond presumed first overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Even though Judkins showed some promise as the starting running back, Cleveland still finished in the bottom eight in rushing yards, touchdowns, and yards per attempt, and Judkins is coming off of a severe ankle injury. The Browns addressed some of their weaknesses in free agency with their signings on both the offensive and defensive lines, but none of their additions look likely to make a significant impact.
Cleveland had an elite defense last season, posting the second-highest overall defensive grades at PFF (first in run defense, first in pass rushing, and 12th in coverage). The Browns limited opponents to the third-fewest net yards per attempt and were worth the third-most expected points added on rushing plays. As a result, they’ll likely prioritize offense in the early part of the draft, since they had by far the lowest offensive grades, finishing with among the five worst grades in every offensive sub-category. Finding an upgrade over Sanders or Watson isn’t guaranteed with the sixth overall pick, but finding a better offensive lineman to protect him is a necessity, since both Sanders and Gabriel would’ve ranked among the league leaders in sack percentage if they’d played enough to qualify. All of the top offensive tackle options should be available, with Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, Utah’s Spencer Fano, and Miami’s Francis Mauigoa headlining the class. Of the three, Proctor might be the best fit, since he spent most of his collegiate career at left tackle, but Fano has some experience at that position as well. Fano’s teammate with the Utes, Caleb Lomu, could also be an option, especially if Cleveland ends up trading back.
Alternatively, the Browns could target a wide receiver to aid whichever quarterback ends up winning the training camp competition. Last season, Cleveland’s wideouts combined for fewer yards than any other team’s, and 2024-25 Pro Bowler Jerry Jeudy took a step back, recording fewer than half as many receiving yards (602) as he did in 2024 (1,229). None of the Browns’ other wideouts has done much in his career, as speedy rookie Isaiah Bond had the worst catch rate and success rate of any wideout to qualify. The receiving room’s woes weren’t entirely the players’ faults, as Sanders and Gabriel made off-target throws frequently, but Jeudy certainly didn’t help himself by ranking second in the league in drops. A sure-handed receiver like Makai Lemon or Carnell Tate would make life easier for whichever quarterback ends up as Cleveland’s starter. While both players will likely be available at sixth overall, Lemon could also be attained after a potential trade-back.
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