Deshaun Watson has shocked everyone with his performance as the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns this season. Nobody expected them to be 5-3 at this point of the year and Watson has been so solid that there have been murmurs of him actually signing another contract to stick around in Cleveland past 2026.
However, Browns fans won’t see him this weekend since he just got out of concussion protocol. Shedeur Sanders will be making his first start of the year against the New Orleans Saints in what is the biggest start of his career and a golden opportunity for him to prove that he has improved and could be the franchise QB this team is looking for.
With the uncertainty around Watson and Sanders’ long-term, it’s a fair assumption that the Browns are zeroed in on the 2027 draft for their next quarterback. Ryan Fowler of NBC Sports shared that the Browns had scouts in attendance for Saturday’s huge matchup between Miami and Notre Dame, and it’s no secret that they were there alongside 24 other teams to watch Darian Mensah and C.J. Carr.
25 NFL teams will be in attendance for No. 1 Miami @ No. 11 Notre Dame tonight:
• Eagles
• Commanders
• Cowboys
• Vikings
• Bills
• Steelers
• Falcons
• Ravens
• Seahawks
• Panthers
• Broncos
• Browns
• Lions
• Packers
• Colts
• Texans
• Rams
• Patriots
•…— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) November 7, 2026
Certainly some of those teams weren’t just scouting the quarterbacks since Miami and Notre Dame have plenty of other NFL prospects, but the Browns absolutely had an eye on Mensah and Carr. Both of them were incredible as they combined for over 600 total yards and six touchdowns.
There is obviously still plenty of time for the scouts to sink their teeth into these prospects, but most mock drafts currently have Mensah and Carr as early-to-mid first-rounders. Drew Mestemaker has emerged as the likely QB1 as of now, while Arch Manning’s inconsistent year could drop him down the board or send him back to school for another year. Mensah and Carr have some red flags, but it’s tough to argue with their production thus far.
With two first-round picks at their disposal, the Browns have all the capital to maneuver around the board and go get exactly which quarterback they want. They won’t have a top-five pick unless they trade up, but it’s nice to have the assets and the flexibility to be aggressive.
The scouts had to be pleased with what they saw in South Bend on Saturday. Did they like it enough to push for the front office to bring one of these guys to Cleveland? Only time will tell.
NEXT: Insider Explains Why Shedeur Sanders Could Thrive On Sunday
