Insider Names 5 College QBs The Browns Should Be Looking At

It took only about three minutes into the 2026 season for Cleveland Browns fans to turn their attention back to the 2027 NFL Draft. Deshaun Watson threw an interception just five snaps into his return, setting the tone for what would become an ugly 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

For those who monitor such things, the Browns did receive some good news from around the NFL. The New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, two teams that are expected to compete with the Browns for the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft, each started their seasons with a victory.

So, considering it’s never too early to plan ahead, insider Tony Grossi has named five college QBs the Browns should be looking at, a list that is topped by longtime target Arch Manning.

“2 weeks of college football are in the books! Here’s Tony Grossi’s top 5 QBs that he’s looking at for the Browns in the 2027 draft: 1. Arch Manning; 2. CJ Carr; 3. Darian Mensah; 4. Jayden Maiava; 5. LaNorris Sellers,” ESPN Cleveland posted.

2 weeks of college football are in the books! Here’s @TonyGrossi’s top 5 QBs that he’s looking at for the Browns in the 2027 draft 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/zWmoo3MBtd

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) September 14, 2026

Manning looked like he might not be on this list at all after he and Texas trailed Ohio State entering the fourth quarter of their high-profile game on Saturday. But unlike Watson and the Browns, Manning and his teammates were able to rally for an inspiring victory, making him the clear favorite for the Heisman Trophy at this early stage of the season.

One name notably absent from Grossi’s list is Dante Moore of Oregon, after the top-10 team lost to Oklahoma State, which had lost 12 games in a row. Even though Moore led a comeback that gave his team the lead, it was the latest disappointing outcome for him in an important game. Once thought to be a potential top-2 overall pick, his draft stock may be falling because of that.

Mensah is an intriguing prospect, as he has burst onto the scene with the University of Miami after having a lower profile at Duke. He has eight TD passes and four incompletions in just 45 pass attempts this season, but that has come against lesser competition.

Based on what the Browns and Watson, in particular, showed in their opener, they are the NFL’s definition of “lesser completion” and well on their way to an early pick in the draft.