Cleveland Browns fans may be resigned to the fact that there won’t be any help coming at quarterback from the 2026 NFL Draft. The team won too many games to earn the No. 1 overall pick that could have brought in Fernando Mendoza, and there doesn’t seem to be any other franchise-level talent available.
However, don’t cross it off the list just yet. Multiple prospects can still make an impression during the pre-draft process, and somebody could prove to be worthy of a valuable selection, perhaps as early as the No. 24 overall pick.
CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner is calling on the Browns to “take the risk” with QB prospect Ty Simpson of Alabama at that spot.
“I might be higher on Ty Simpson than a lot of people. I do think he does a lot of NFL things. He’s very physically gifted. He’s got a very good arm. He’s a good athlete. From Week 2 through Week 8, he looked like a franchise QB prospect before the wheels fell off. I would take the risk. He flashed enough for me,” Renner said.
"I think he does a lot of NFL things. He's very physically gifted, good arm, good athlete… From weeks 2 to 8 he looked like a franchise QB prospect. I would take the risk. He flashed enough for me."
📞@mikerenner_ on Browns taking QB Ty Simpson 24th overall pic.twitter.com/Jk0CnFrSJ7
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) February 23, 2026
In the early part of the 2025 season, Simpson began to climb the draft board as he helped Alabama get off to a good start, highlighted by impressive wins over Georgia and Vanderbilt. However, in part because of injuries to his back and ribs, Simpson and his team faltered down the stretch, losing big to Georgia in the SEC championship game and to Mendoza and Indiana in the second round of the College Football Playoff, which lowered his stock.
Yet, it was a breakthrough campaign for the 23-year-old, who had attempted just 50 passes in his first three college seasons. This year, he had 473 attempts, and he completed 64.5 percent of them for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns with just five interceptions in 15 games.
The Browns using a late first-round pick on Simpson should not be seen as much of a stretch, especially when you consider that some people have suggested that the Browns draft him at No. 6 overall, or perhaps trade up in the first round to select him before No. 24. The Athletic has Simpson at No. 27 on its consensus list of the top 100 draft prospects, two spots ahead of potential offensive tackle target Monroe Freeling of Georgia.
With the Browns almost universally seen as having a glaring need at quarterback, nothing should be off the table at this point.
NEXT: Insider Warns Browns About Waiting On WR In Draft
