By now, everyone around the league knows what the Cleveland Browns will be looking for in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Their needs on the offensive side of the ball are obvious and well-documented, so they could be considered one of the safer predictions to be made in the top 10 picks.
At No. 6 overall, Cleveland is expected to select either a wide receiver, who is likely to be Carnell Tate of Ohio State, or an offensive lineman, who will probably be their highest-rated player at the position available to them. The Browns also have other less-pressing needs they will try to fill with the seven additional picks they have, barring any type of trade.
Cleveland also has a much-publicized need for a quarterback. With a class that has fewer top prospects than hoped for, the Browns are thought to be putting off that search until next year’s draft.
However, in naming the Browns’ top three biggest draft needs, insider Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN is listing quarterback along with offensive tackle and wide receiver, and says Cleveland’s new coaching staff “could be compelled to draft at the position” this year.
“Top three needs: OT, WR, QB,” Oyefusi wrote. “The Browns spent the first wave of free agency upgrading their offensive line, but they still have a glaring hole at left tackle; Dawand Jones is coming off his third consecutive season-ending leg injury and is more comfortable at right tackle. Cleveland also needs a playmaker to lift the league’s least productive receiver room in 2025. And though the Browns haven’t added another quarterback and will miss out on Fernando Mendoza, this new staff could be compelled to draft at the position.”
With Mendoza almost certainly heading to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 1 overall, the next QB prospect for the Browns to consider would be Ty Simpson of Alabama. Cleveland has been linked to him as high as the No. 6 overall pick, and later in the first round, either at No. 24 overall or in potential trade-up scenarios.
Potential QB choices in the later rounds include Drew Allar of Penn State and Garrett Nussmeier of LSU. Each of them was considered a potential first-round pick before injuries derailed their final college season, so perhaps they will provide some value and upside.
As for offensive tackle, there should be some options at No. 6 overall. They would include Francis Mauigoa of Miami, Spencer Fano of Utah, Monroe Freeling of Georgia, and, in a bit of a surprise, Kadyn Proctor of Alabama.
If the Browns could satisfy all of the needs listed by Oyefusi, it would have to be considered a successful draft, at least at first glance.
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