Most of the talk involving the Cleveland Browns regarding the 2026 NFL Draft has focused on their two first-round picks and their need for a wide receiver and an offensive lineman. However, the draft and their needs go much deeper than that, so there are other positions that will be addressed as well.
Last year, the Browns fared very well by trading down from No. 2 overall and winding up with defensive tackle Mason Graham with the No. 5 selection. At some point this year, they could select someone from an unlikely place to play alongside him.
Navy defensive lineman Landon Robinson is an intriguing prospect who recently got honest about meeting with the Browns at the East-West Shrine Bowl.
“I definitely met with a good amount of teams. There was a big winter storm during the East-West Shrine this year. A few teams had left town before it got too bad. I had great meetings with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and the Los Angeles Chargers,” Robinson said.
Robinson is a unique prospect, not only because of where he played his college football. According to SI.com, he arrived at Navy as a 220-pound linebacker, but he is now a 285-pound defensive tackle.
The transformation helped him post 14.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss in the past three seasons. His athleticism is also shown by the fact that he gained almost 90 yards on three fake punts during his time at Navy. Robinson was not invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, but at his recent Pro Day, he reportedly impressed scouts and also took part in some running back drills.
The Naval Academy can select five athletes per year to have their military service deferred, which would, in this case, allow them to play in the NFL right away. Safety Rayuan Lane played 17 games for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season after he was taken out of Navy in the sixth round of the 2025 draft.
Robinson is not listed on any notable list of top 100 draft prospects, but it’s possible his Pro Day performance will move him up the board a bit. The Browns could select him with one of their later picks.
They have nine in total after trading one away in the deal for offensive lineman Tytus Howard, including four in the last three rounds.
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