The Cleveland Browns are perpetually on the lookout for a potential franchise quarterback, and they may have been banking their hopes on finding one in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, a series of events seems to have conspired against them to make that scenario less likely.
Though the Browns do hold the No. 6 overall pick, which is usually a prime spot to land a QB, it may not work out that way. Only Fernando Mendoza of Indiana is viewed as a can’t-miss prospect, so he will almost surely be gone by then, perhaps as soon as No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders.
That would leave the Browns either having to reach for someone who isn’t truly worthy of a selection that high, or it would allow them to address another glaring area of need with a premium player. That could be a wide receiver or an offensive lineman.
However, one recent mock draft linked the Browns to a surprising QB prospect at No. 6: Ty Simpson of Alabama.
“Ty Simpson recently declared for the draft, throwing his name in the hat of the quarterbacks. Shedeur Sanders played admirably down the stretch, but the Cleveland Browns could still be in the market for a quarterback. Simpson struggled late at Alabama, but his first handful of performances highlighted a potential franchise signal-caller who diagnoses pre-snap reads at a high level,” Justin Melo wrote.
Ty Simpson we will NOT forget your tape from the first half of the season pic.twitter.com/5nrkSLZWZl
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 8, 2026
Simpson may indeed be the second-best quarterback prospect available, but that might say more about the dwindling class than it does about him. Heading into the season, this draft was expected to be overflowing with QB talent, but that is no longer the case, as it’s been diminished by poor play (Grant Nussmeier), injury (Drew Allar), or players returning to college for another season (Arch Manning, Dante Moore).
Though Simpson did confirm his intention to enter the draft, there were reports that he was potentially also looking for a new NIL deal with a college team. Last season was just his first as a full-time starter, so it could be argued that he would have benefited from more experience.
The Browns may have no one to blame for this situation but themselves, as they were in contention for the No. 1 pick late in the season before victories in the final two games dropped them in the draft order.
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