The Cleveland Browns are in the admirable and perhaps unprecedented position of having nine of the 10 picks from the 2026 NFL Draft make their 53-man roster. That means there are plenty of candidates to become impact rookies this season.
While their top three selections, tackle Spencer Fano and wide receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, have lived up to their status as immediate contributors, the next offensive player who was chosen, lineman Austin Barber, is making a late push to join them. After switching positions, the third-round choice is competing with Teven Jenkins to be Cleveland’s right guard.
As a potentially unexpected starter, Barber may have been the Browns’ biggest draft steal, as he could turn out to be a key factor on a rebuilt offensive line.
Coming out of the draft, Boston was seen as a huge bargain, as the potential first-round choice fell into the second round as the No. 39 overall pick. The University of Washington product used that snub as motivation and was seen as the Browns’ best rookie for most of the offseason.
With Fano taking over at left tackle and Concepcion showing off his all-purpose prowess in the preseason, it would be hard to overtake them. But Barber, the No. 86 overall pick after the Browns traded back into the third round, has been steadily gaining ground.
The fact that head coach Todd Monken is even considering using a second rookie on the starting offensive line speaks volumes about the progress Barber has made. His excited reaction to being drafted by Cleveland went viral, and now he is making noise on the field as well.
After playing only tackle at the University of Florida, the Browns have experimented with Barber at guard as they attempt to use their five best offensive linemen regardless of position. Even if he does not earn the starting job right away, at 6-foot-7, 320 pounds, Barber has shown the talent and versatility to be the first-call backup at multiple positions.
It is huge for a franchise to find a starting offensive lineman with a mid-round pick, and if Barber turns out to be a fixture on the line for years to come, the Browns will look back on their good fortune as a real steal, indeed.
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