The Cleveland Browns may have found a gem with their final pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, if a former NFL coach who knows him quite well is to be believed. Tight end Carsen Ryan was the No. 248 overall pick, less than 10 away from Mr. Irrelevant, but that doesn’t mean he can’t contribute to the Cleveland offense as a rookie.
Ryan played collegiately at UCLA and Utah before winding up at BYU last season. There, his tight ends coach was Kevin Gilbride, an experienced NFL offensive coordinator who at one time was head coach of the San Diego Chargers and won the Super Bowl twice with the New York Giants.
Gilbride said he believes Ryan is a perfect fit for the Browns’ offense, as he will be able to quickly adapt to the passing game.
“The offense, I do believe, suits him perfectly because of the versatility and what he can do,” Gilbride said. “Split out is No. 1, have his hand in the dirt, playing the inline Y, being the move tight end, creating separation versus band defenders and getting open in zones. He can do it all. So if he truly gets the opportunity, I think it’s the perfect offense for him.”
Last season at BYU, Ryan had 45 receptions for 620 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games. Over his 43 college games, he had 74 catches for 1,020 yards and seven TDs.
He may have been very fortunate to land with the Browns, who reportedly had other plans on how to address the position in this year’s draft. However, blocking tight ends Oscar Delp and Will Kacmarek came off the board in the third round, well before Cleveland expected them to, so the team had to change course.
Head coach Todd Monken had success as the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens with two receiving threats at tight end in Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. So, after failing to find a blocking complement for Harold Fannin Jr. in the draft, the Browns selected Ryan, after taking Joe Royer in the fifth round.
Royer, who was the No. 170 overall pick, is an interesting prospect as well. While at Cincinnati, he broke the school’s single-season record for receptions by a tight end that was held by Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
So, Ryan may face some competition for playing time from a fellow rookie, but Gilbride believes his former player will be up to the task.
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