Cleveland Browns 2026 NFL Draft odds: Clear priorities at wide receiver, left tackle at No. 6 pick

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While the Cleveland Browns probably don't have their long-term quarterback on the current roster among Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson, they're probably not going to be looking to address the positio0n with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23. Most experts say the team's other biggest needs are at receiver and left tackle, and it so happens the top four favorites at DraftKings to be the sixth pick play one of those positions.

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I will remind everyone again that these futures betting props for exact draft positions are for which slot the player is picked at, regardless of which team picks there – but the sportsbooks obviously are assuming the team in the current spot stays put. That obviously doesn't always happen, as we saw in 2025.

Travis Hunter entered that draft as the betting favorite to go second overall. Cleveland held that pick but traded it to Jacksonville for the No. 5 overall and a bunch more, including the Jaguars' 2026 first-round choice, which sits at No. 24. Needless to say, that the Browns have another choice opens up their options at No. 6 and also gives them the potential ammunition to trade higher.

The +150 favorite to be the sixth pick is Ohio State wideout Carnell Tate, who is ranked as the No. 18 prospect on the CBS Sports Big Board and No. 2 receiver behind Texas A&M's KC Concepcion. He's ranked No. 12 and but a +10000 prop betting longshot to be the No. 6 pick.

Tate finished with career highs of 838 receiving yards and nine scores last season opposite Buckeyes superstar wideout Jeremiah Smith, who should be a top-5 pick in 2027. So we can understand why Tate's numbers weren't otherworldly, but he led the FBS with six TD receptions of at least 30 air yards.

In 2024, Emeka Egbuka was overshadowed at Ohio State as well by Smith but was the No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 draft by Tampa Bay and had a terrific first year, finishing fifth in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race. Tate has an over/under draft position of 7.5 with the Under highly juiced (-260). Clearly, the books don't see him getting past Washington at No. 7.

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Cleveland's receiving room under new head coach Todd Monken, the former Ravens offensive coordinator, currently includes the likes of Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, free-agent addition Tylan Wallace (really a special-teamer) and young guys such as Isaiah Bond, Luke Floriea and Gage Larvadain. That's pretty barren.

Jeudy led all wideouts with just 50 catches for 602 yards in 2025, but the entire offense was inept usually because of who was under center. And the leading receiver overall was tight end Harold Fannin Jr., a rookie third-round steal who had 72 catches for 731 yards and six scores.

The three other favorites to be chosen sixth are all offensive linemen: Georgia's Monroe Freeling (+425), Miami's Francis Mauigoa (+550) and Utah's Spencer Fano (+900).

Cleveland was busy this offseason on the O-Line, trading for Texans starting right tackle Tytus Howard and signing him to a big extension while also adding Chargers free agent guard Zion Johnson and Packers free agent center/guard Elgton Jenkins while re-signing guard Teven Jenkins. But there isn't a left tackle there, and that's a blinding need for the Browns.

The highest-rated offensive lineman on the CBS Sports Big Board is Alabama's Kadyn Proctor at No. 4, but he's a +1500 longshot to be the sixth pick. Fano is rated No. 5 in the Big Board. Mauigoa, a right tackle, is 16th and Freeling is 25th.

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I asked CBS Sports and SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White his take on what Cleveland will do: "Tate seems like the most likely option for the Browns at No. 6, though the price doesn't seem to provide enough value with the uncertainty of what could transpire in the first five picks. How the Browns approach this pick should be tied to who they feel will be available at No. 24 -- will they have the opportunity to draft a receiver or offensive lineman they're targeting at that position or with a small trade up?

"I like Tate as their pick unless they want to risk being able to land the falling Jordyn Tyson with their second pick (and then hope the red flags causing his fall don't come to pass), but if I'm betting No. 6, I'd make it Spencer Fano at +900 and hope Tate goes top five."

Picks: I like that +900 price as well on Fano to Browns and will also back Tate as first receiver selected (-290)