Analyst Says Browns Should Avoid One QB Prospect

NFL teams have been spoiled with an abundance of quarterback talent in the draft in recent years. The 2024 NFL Draft, for instance, could go down as one of the best quarterback drafts in NFL history.

Some years seem to have a lot of winners in them, while others are soft at particular positions. The 2026 NFL Draft is projected to have fewer can’t-miss quarterback prospects than other years, which could put needy teams in a bind.

Fernando Mendoza, of course, is the clear-cut QB1 in the class, but behind him, it’s murky at best. Analysts are torn about who the next-best QB is, and there’s also a lot of dialogue about when the next quarterback will be taken. Some have argued that another QB or two could be taken later in the first round, while others believe there will be a drop-off until the second round, at the very least.

Ty Simpson is commonly said to be the next-best prospect at the position after Mendoza, as he had some encouraging moments at Alabama. However, he might not be the right pick for the Cleveland Browns, which is what analyst Nick Wilson called out on 92.3’s The Fan.

“I would not take Ty Simpson this year. Everyone’s talking about the Browns wanting to trade down so that Monroe Freeling isn’t as much of a reach, you can use that exact same principle for Ty Simpson. The Browns are a wild card of sorts,” Wilson said.

"I would not take Ty Simpson this year. Everyone's talking about the Browns wanting to trade down so that Monroe Freeling isn't as much of a reach, you can use that exact same principle for Ty Simpson. The Browns are a wild card of sorts."@NickWilsonSays and @JPeterlin on why… https://t.co/k5zeAE9WRx pic.twitter.com/IfdUHOPEaA

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) March 23, 2026

With the 2026 quarterback class being weak, Wilson wants the Browns to really weigh their options and see what makes the most sense for them moving forward. In his eyes, they should fill gaps at other positions rather than to fit a square peg into a round hole, so to speak.

If Simpson isn’t their favorite prospect, and if he isn’t someone they can confidently roll into the future with, it might be in their best interest to punt at the position, at least in this year’s draft. The 2027 draft is said to be filled with an epic crop of quarterback prospects, one that almost certainly will be worth waiting for.

The Browns have had their fair share of struggles at this position, and if they’re not willing to wait, they might settle. But, settling could come at a cost, especially if they’re unable to land one of the top guys in next year’s class.