Andrew Berry saved one final addition for the very end of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he used it to add more firepower to the tight end room.
The Cleveland Browns selected tight end Carsen Ryan out of BYU with the 248th overall pick, the final selection of their draft weekend in Pittsburgh. The Browns made it official on X with a simple and clean message.
“BYU to CLE. Welcome to the team, Carsen Ryan!” the Cleveland Browns posted.
BYU ➡️ CLE
Welcome to the team, Carsen Ryan! pic.twitter.com/2P2XaLJaRj
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) April 25, 2026
Ryan is a fascinating prospect who took an unconventional path to get here. He started his college career at UCLA as a running back, catching 6 passes for 82 yards as a freshman in 2022 and 13 passes for 205 yards as a sophomore in 2023 before transferring to Utah and converting to tight end for his junior season. He caught 10 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown for the Utes in 2024, showing enough promise at the new position that BYU came calling for his final season.
His senior year at BYU was where everything came together. Ryan hauled in 45 receptions for 620 yards and 3 touchdowns across 14 games, averaging 13.8 yards per catch. Over his entire college career he put together 74 receptions for 1,020 yards and 7 touchdowns across 43 games, all while making a complete position switch that most players never successfully pull off.
That versatility is exactly what makes Ryan an intriguing late-round addition. He spent two years learning how to run routes and catch passes as a running back before transitioning to tight end and immediately producing. The football IQ required to do what he did, change positions, transfer twice, and still put up numbers in the Big 12, is not something you can overlook.
Todd Monken already has Harold Fannin Jr. and Joe Royer in the tight end room. Ryan gives Cleveland a third option. If he can continue developing as a blocker and refine his route running at the pro level, he has the kind of receiving background that could make him a useful chess piece in Monken’s offense down the road.
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