As much as the Cleveland Browns wanted to deny and avoid it, the organization had to be thinking about which quarterback it would want with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Based on most projections, the 2026 season was going to be a path to their potential franchise QB of the future.
Now, after just three weeks, that outlook has drastically changed. The Browns are preparing for a first-place showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, with thoughts about college players pushed well into the background.
Nevertheless, insider Tony Grossi is continuing his weekly list of the top 5 college QBs the Browns should be scouting, which could prove necessary no matter where they wind up drafting.
“No. 1, Darian Mensah of the University of Miami; No. 2, CJ Carr of Notre Dame; No. 3, Jayden Maiava of USC; No. 4, Arch Manning of the University of Texas; No. 5, Drew Mestemaker of Oklahoma State University,” ESPN Cleveland posted.
The weekly @TonyGrossi top 5 college QBs for the Browns in 2027.
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/d9WUgcgdlw
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) September 29, 2026
In a very interesting twist, right now, according to Tankathon, the Browns would have the No. 15 overall pick, which is the one they received from the Los Angeles Rams in the trade for Myles Garrett. Cleveland’s own pick would be at No. 18 as the best team not to qualify for the playoffs.
There is a very good chance that more than one of the quarterbacks on Grossi’s list would be available to the Browns at either of those selections. They also could package the two picks in a trade in an attempt to move up to get the player they want.
Even though Deshaun Watson has shown glimpses of his Pro Bowl form while leading Cleveland to two straight comeback victories, he is not expected to remain with the Browns after this season. But the longer he remains the starter, the less time they will have to evaluate Shedeur Sanders, which could lead Cleveland to a first-round quarterback out of necessity.
The Browns have been linked to Manning since before the 2026 NFL Draft, with owner Jimmy Haslam reportedly very interested in him. But despite Texas being ranked No. 1 in the country, Manning has fallen back in the race for the Heisman Trophy, which has led to some speculation that he could return to college for yet another season.
There is a lot that can happen for the Browns, Manning, and the rest of these players from now until next April, but fans may prefer to wait a while before paying full attention.
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