Cleveland Browns 2026 draft: ‘A potential home-run class’

Mel Kiper at ESPN: A

The Browns came into Thursday with two first-round picks (thanks to last year’s trade with the Jaguars, so Jacksonville could go up to No. 2 for Travis Hunter) and two big needs. Would they go receiver at No. 6 and offensive tackle at No. 24? OT at No. 6 and WR at No. 24? Or would they completely shake things up and entertain a trade?

They ended up going OT-WR … and then hitting both positions again on Day 2. The Spencer Fano and Austin Barber picks could be the final touches on a complete offensive line rebuild this offseason. The Browns had 14 different offensive line combinations play at least 10 snaps last season, third most in the NFL. Then … everyone was gone. Wyatt Teller signed with Houston, and Cam Robinson, Jack Conklin, Joel Bitonio, and Ethan Pocic are all still unsigned. In their place, Cleveland traded for Tytus Howard, re-signed Teven Jenkins, and brought in Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson, in addition to getting Dawand Jones back from a knee injury.

But this team needed a left tackle, and Fano could be a solution. He has spent the past two seasons on the right side, but he was an LT in 2023. He stays square to pass rushers and has pop in his hands, but 32⅛-inch arms might ultimately force a move inside. I love that Cleveland was able to trade back, add picks, and still get one of the top two tackles in the class. Barber made the opposite change, going from the right side to the left during his college career. He’s a great run blocker, but he gets beaten by power a lot in pass protection at 6-foot-7 and 318 pounds. I thought there were better options out there, and Cleveland having to trade up to get him made this pick a little questionable.

At receiver, the Browns landed two of my top eight guys in the class. I have concerns about KC Concepcion’s drop issues (seven last season), but he has a nose for the end zone (25 career TDs) and averaged 15.1 yards per catch last season. I said Denzel Boston would have been the right pick in Round 1 … and Cleveland got him in Round 2. Even though I would have flipped these two players value-wise, the Browns ended up with two really talented pass catchers. That’s critical. The Browns’ WR room was at the bottom of the NFL in receptions (117), yards (1,467), and TDs (four) last season. Boston takes defenders out of the play with his 6-4 frame and routinely makes tough catches on balls thrown too high or too low. Like Concepcion, he had a healthy YPC in 2025 at 14.2, and he scored 20 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

The major defensive addition was Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Just sheer value — my No. 33 prospect at No. 58. Take him out of Toledo and put him in a Power 4 uniform, and maybe he goes a little earlier. But I’m not worried about the quality of competition. He flies to the football and generates turnovers (10 forced fumbles, five interceptions).

Among the Day 3 picks, Parker Brailsford and Taylen Green stand out. Brailsford is yet another option for the offensive line, with more than 2,400 snaps at center over his career. And while the Browns don’t need any more quarterbacks quantity-wise, Green is an explosive player who ran a 4.36 and jumped 43½ inches in the vertical jump at the combine. He needs to work on his accuracy, but he has a big arm and a lot of attributes.

The Browns received an A-plus from me last year, and the class lived up to expectations. Carson Schwesinger was Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. were the main catalysts of the offense, but all seven picks chipped in at some point during Year 1. I don’t know that Cleveland’s 2026 group of draft picks will have the same impact, but this is another good group that should have Week 1 roles. Another good draft weekend for the Browns.

Mike Jones at The Athletic: Winners

General manager Andrew Berry and his staff took an aggressive approach to wheeling, dealing, and stockpiling picks while filling multiple needs. They got a Day 1 starter in Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano (No. 9 pick) and two potential difference-making wide receivers in KC Concepcion (24th) and Denzel Boston (39th), who should complement each other nicely. From there, they added pieces that can help in their secondary, additional offensive line reinforcements, a tight end, and an intriguing quarterback prospect in Arkansas’ Taylen Green.

Danny Kelly at The Ringer: A+

The Browns were one of the biggest winners of this entire draft, scooping up value every time I looked up. I loved what they did in the first round, trading back a few spots with the Chiefs before landing a tough, athletic offensive tackle in Utah’s Spencer Fano. Fano helps address a big need for the team and gives them flexibility up front, with experience at both left and right tackle. GM Andrew Berry then turned to the receiver position with his next two picks, nabbing my 14th-ranked player in KC Concepcion at no. 24 overall before landing my 19th-ranked player in Denzel Boston at no. 39 overall. Cleveland later moved up early in the second round to the 58th overall pick to secure my 25th-ranked player in safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. The combination of deft maneuvering and overall value gained makes this a potential home-run class for Cleveland.

Chad Reuter at NFL.com: A-

The Browns found a potential starting tackle early in Round 1, grabbing the athletic, versatile Fano in spite of his lack of ideal length. They also met their need for a receiver and returner by snagging the explosive (if inconsistent) Concepcion with the first-round pick received from Jacksonville in the Travis Hunter trade last April. Cleveland found great value on Friday night, as well, taking hard-hitting safety McNeil-Warren in Round 2 and the athletic, stout Barber in Round 3. The icing on the Browns’ Day 2 cake was trading the third-rounder acquired from the Chiefs for two fourth-rounders this year and a 2027 fourth from the Giants.

Brailsford is undersized but tough in the pivot. I loved the decision to pick Jefferson in Round 5. He finds the ball in the open field and is not afraid of contact. Royer is a good pass catcher who strengthens the Browns’ tight end corps. Green arrives in a crowded quarterback room, but he was worth a sixth-round pick.

Vinnie Iyer at The Sporting News: B+

Fano was a good start to the draft to help rebuild the offensive line, and GM Andrew Berry followed up well with Barber a little later. McNeil-Warren was a falling start that had to be caught for the defense. Concepcion and Boston fill huge needs, but that’s putting a lot on them together, given Concepcion’s concerns with hands and Boston’s worry with speed.

Carter Bahns at CBS Sports: A

Cleveland wanted to come out of the first round with an offensive lineman and a receiver, and it did just that. And then it repeated the feat on Day 2.

Shoring up the line is a necessity if the Browns are ever to develop a franchise quarterback. Renner said they got the cleanest offensive line prospect in the draft in Spencer Fano, and then they grabbed Austin Barber three rounds later and Parker Brailsford in Round 5. That’s one box checked. Surrounding said quarterback with playmakers is also a non-negotiable. Enter KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. Box No. 2 is also checked.

It wasn’t until their seventh pick that the Browns received a grade other than an “A.” The Justin Jefferson selection is an upside play, and that’s fine for an already loaded defense.

Then came Round 6. Cleveland added a fourth quarterback to its roster in the uber-athletic Taylen Green. General manager Andrew Berry quickly shut down the idea of moving him to receiver, but is there really room for four signal-callers in this group? Deshaun Watson is locked in, so all eyes will be on Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel and whether one of them gets moved.

Pro Football Focus: A+

Highest-graded pick (2025): S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo Rockets (91.9)

Fano: The Browns traded back with Kansas City and still had their pick of the top offensive linemen on the board. Fano can move along the offensive line, giving Cleveland the flexibility to field its “best five” after adding several veteran offensive linemen in free agency and overhauling the unit. Fano has played primarily right tackle over the past two seasons, earning 80.0-plus PFF grades in both years, after playing left tackle in his first season at Utah.

Concepcion: The expectation was that Cleveland would come out of the draft with an offensive lineman and a wide receiver to bolster an offense that needed more talent. That’s exactly what happened. Concepcion isn’t going to come in and be a traditional “X” receiver for Cleveland, but he can work as a “Z” and in the slot while bringing after-the-catch ability to the Browns’ offense.

Boston: Boston is a smooth-moving “X” receiver with the size and skill set to develop into a starting outside receiver at the next level. He is less comfortable and productive against zone coverage, but in single-coverage situations, he is often the player to bet on thanks to his elite hand strength.

McNeil-Warren: McNeil-Warren is a big, explosive safety with a knack for creating turnovers. He projects as a potential impact starter in a box role.

Barber: Barber, a three-star recruit from Jacksonville, Florida, developed into a multi-year starter at left tackle after beginning his career on the right side. At over 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, he has a prototypical frame with solid athleticism, flexibility, and balance, giving him developmental starting potential.

Brailsford: Brailsford wins with quickness and technique but has outlier size limitations. While he showed high-level play in 2023, his lack of strength and mass were exposed in 2024, particularly in the run game. He projects best to an outside zone scheme.

Jefferson: Jefferson played a career-high 612 snaps at Alabama in 2025 and earned a 67.7 PFF grade, highlighted by a 73.9 coverage grade. In coverage, he allowed 36 receptions for 321 yards on 52 targets without surrendering a touchdown, while recording one interception and five pass breakups.

Royer: Royer is a receiving-focused tight end best kept out of key blocking situations. He brings above-average athleticism and excellent hands, projecting as a TE2 with flexibility to align in receiver roles.

Green: Green is a well-built, athletically gifted prospect whose inconsistent passing will likely hold him back from a shot at a starter role (and maybe even a backup) in the pros. However, he is such a good athlete that a change to tight end or wide receiver could be in the cards.

Ryan: Ryan broke out with the Cougars in 2025, as he earned an 82.6 PFF receiving grade and ranked in the 93rd percentile in separation rate. His smaller frame and limited contested-catch production raise concerns, but his run blocking provides value, as his negatively graded run-block rate ranks in the 78th percentile, which supports his case as a potential late-round option. ***Now it is your turn, Browns fans. How would you grade the team’s 2026 draft class? Let us know in the comments!***