The Cleveland Browns went into the preseason with a four-man quarterback competition, which is never the recipe for a successful NFL season. The Browns have cycled through that depth chart and still have major questions at the position, though rookie Shedeur Sanders has shown promise in his two starts.
He is getting an extended look as the starter and has a Week 14 matchup against the lowly Tennessee Titans. If he keeps playing well, he could put pressure on a front office that has two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft that are expected to be used to find Cleveland’s next franchise quarterback.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic recently revealed which college QB the Browns should target.
With the team potentially winning too many games to get a pick in the top three, a trade up might be Cleveland’s only chance to land Fernando Mendoza.
“All the reasons they loved Dillon Gabriel, that’s why I think they’re going to like Fernando Mendoza as well, except Mendoza has better physical traits and better upside,” Brugler said.
"He's a lot more NFL ready. That's where the Browns are in their roster construction. All the reasons they loved Dillon Gabriel that's why I think they're gonna like Mendoza except he has better physical traits."
📞@dpbrugler on why he mocked Fernando Mendoza to the Browns👀 pic.twitter.com/HcZIYqbiAb
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) December 4, 2025
Mendoza’s presence has helped Indiana to its best season in school history, and he is firmly in the mix for the Heisman Trophy and to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2026.
Sanders could finish the season strong and convince the decision-makers that they don’t need to look for a potential franchise QB, but the odds of that happening are slim.
If the Browns can use some of their draft capital to make a move up for Mendoza, it’s something that has to be considered.
Gabriel isn’t the most natural comparison for Mendoza, but he does exhibit the traits one would expect head coach Kevin Stefanski to love.
This situation will get much more interesting in the offseason, but for now, Sanders can add to his case with a strong showing against the Titans.
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