It was thought that the Cleveland Browns lost their chance to fix their quarterback situation in the 2026 NFL Draft when they fell out of contention for the No. 1 overall pick. With no one looking to be worthy of a top 10 selection other than Fernando Mendoza, and with so many needs to address, the Browns seemed to be resigned to using their picks on other positions.
Yet a lot has already changed in this NFL offseason. The Browns have almost rebuilt their offensive line through a trade and some signings, and the quarterback market has not provided a viable solution to that lingering issue. So, the Browns may decide to use a later-round pick on a quarterback after all, and he’s someone they’ve had their eye on for quite some time.
Analyst Nathan Zegura recently suggested that the Browns could make a surprising QB pick in this year’s draft, using a mid-round choice on Drew Allar of Penn State.
“Could Ty Simpson (of Alabama) be somebody that really intrigues them, that they think is a real, likely answer? Possibly. Would I be surprised if he was taken in the first round of this draft by the Cleveland Browns? Yes, I would. What I think is more likely is that a guy like Drew Allar, who the Browns were very, very high on. Had Drew Allar come out last year, I think there’s a good chance that Drew Allar is a Cleveland Brown. I could see them taking a flyer on Drew Allar in the third or the fourth round,” Zegura said.
"Could Ty Simpson be somebody that really intrigues them? Possibly. Would I be surprised if they take him in the 1st round? Yes I would. What I think is more likely is a guy like Drew Allar. I could see them taking a flyer in the 3rd or 4th round."
📞@NathanZegura on if the… pic.twitter.com/jFGeU7hdnT
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) March 13, 2026
According to Zegura, the Browns were very interested in Allar had he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. Instead, he decided to return to Penn State for another season, which is a choice both he and the Browns likely regret. Allar had a subpar start to the year before suffering a season-ending injury, and Cleveland made little progress at QB after selecting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
In fact, in the aftermath of last year’s draft, it was said that Allar’s absence changed the Browns’ plans considerably, because they reportedly were considering taking him at No. 2 overall. They wound up trading down from that spot and selected defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5.
That deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars also gave Cleveland an additional 2026 first-round pick, which wound up as No. 24 overall. There has been some thought that the Brows could use that selection on Simpson, but it is likely more beneficial to spend it on an offensive lineman or wide receiver instead.
Now, after an impressive performance at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Allar looks to be fully healthy, and the Ohio native could be on his way to Cleveland after all.
NEXT: Analyst Reveals Browns' Potential Plans At Left Tackle
