The 2026 NFL Draft is only a few days away, which is a more stressful deadline for some teams than others. The Cleveland Browns, for instance, enter the draft with two first-round picks, which is a privilege that comes with a great responsibility.
They were pleased with their selections in the 2025 draft, and most of those players lived up to expectations, if not exceeded them. With plenty of holes to fill, especially on the offensive side of the ball, the pressure is on for them to make magic happen for the second straight season.
Some drafts seem more straightforward than others, but this year’s seems to be anything but. Teams across the league have such varied needs, and with a weaker quarterback class, anything can happen.
With this in mind, fans and analysts have differing theories as to what the Browns should do and what positions they should pursue. There is also plenty of discourse on what this team should not do, which is what analyst Dan Labbe mentioned in a recent article on Cleveland.com.
“You’d be adding a great player [in Jeremiyah Love], but you’d also be kind of creating this situation, just because of the position, where you’re not going to be able to maximize him or maximize Quinshon [Judkins],” Labbe said.
Labbe indicated that it could be tempting for the Browns to go after highly sought-after RB, Jeremiyah Love, but warned against it. In his mind, it could create more trouble than it’s worth, even though Love is among the most talented athletes in this year’s class.
Quinshon Judkins burst on the scene for Cleveland in his rookie campaign in 2025, and to this point, all indications are pointing to him being the team’s RB1 in 2026. Drafting Love would certainly complicate that, and could make for a messy backfield on an offense that doesn’t need to introduce any more chaos.
Love is viewed by many as a generational prospect, but with holes at wide receiver, offensive line, and so many other positions, it could be in the Browns’ best interest to go elsewhere. If he is available at No. 6, for some reason, the Browns might be able to trade back a few spots, still getting a player they like while gaining additional capital in the process.
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