With just weeks remaining until the 2026 NFL Draft, excitement is building in Cleveland as the Browns have the sixth and 24th overall picks among their nine picks in the overall draft. With clear needs still lingering after free agency, the Browns are set up to add a few more game-changing talents to the roster.
The consensus among most mock drafters is that the Browns will use the two first-round picks on a wide receiver and a left tackle, perhaps Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate at No. 6. As nice as Tate would be, one insider cooked up another fun scenario that would involve the Browns making a big trade at the top of the first for the second year in a row.
During a recent episode of Draft SZN on ESPN Cleveland, Tony Grossi said that the Browns will have a decision to make if Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love makes it to No. 6. He said the Browns will have an opportunity to make another big trade down, or they could shock the world and take him and trade Quinshon Judkins.
“If Jeremiyah Love slips to six, surely the Browns will have to decide whether to take him or trade the pick, and it depends what they got in the trade that would surpass the value of the pick. I think there’s a case to be made to take him, it’s just that if they were a really good team and didn’t have obvious holes elsewhere like receiver and tackle, yeah you take him and you could always trade one of the other ones,” said Grossi.
It’s hard to believe teams will be clamoring to trade up for a running back, and that’s no indictment on how good Love is. He is one of the most flawless running back prospects the league has ever seen, but it’s exceedingly rare in this day and age for a team to move up for him unless a team like the Washington Commanders at No. 7 wants to move up one spot to make sure they don’t miss out on him.
Love is likely going to be one of the best backs in the league the minute he steps onto the field, but teams won’t be lining up to trade for Quinshon Judkins afterwards. He just broke his leg and it’s highly unlikely the Browns would recoup the second-round pick they initially invested in him.
Judkins had a strong rookie year and should be the guy going forward. If the Browns can trade down if Love falls to them, that’s a fantastic outcome provided they can still land the receiver and the tackle that they obviously need, but taking Love and keeping him wouldn’t make any sense.
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