🏈 Browns NFL Draft Predictions 2026: Mock Draft Picks, Best Prospect Fits, Team Needs & More
Armed with two first-round picks and one of the NFL's most overhauled rosters, the Cleveland Browns enter draft week with the No. 6 and No. 24 picks and a chance to reshape their franchise under head coach Todd Monken - starting with a decision at quarterback that could define the next era of football in Cleveland.
As part of our NFL draft predictions for every team, we break down the Browns' full draft picks, biggest team needs, ideal prospect fits, mock draft projections, and our prediction for which player Cleveland will draft in the first round, which begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET live on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
📊 Browns draft picks 2026
See where the Browns rank by the latest Super Bowl odds for every team.
| Round | Pick(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | No. 6, 24 (via JAX) |
| 2 | No. 39 |
| 3 | No. 70 |
| 4 | No. 107 |
| 5 | No. 146, 149 |
| 6 | No. 206 |
| 7 | No. 248 |
🆘 Browns team needs entering draft
We break down every team's projected NFL win totals with our best Over/Under picks by division.
- Team needs: QB, OL, WR, CB, EDGE
- Key additions: Zion Johnson (OG), Tytus Howard (OT, via trade), Quincy Williams (LB)
- Key departures: Joel Bitonio (OG), Wyatt Teller (OG, Texans), Jack Conklin (OT), David Njoku (TE), Martin Emerson (CB)
The Browns' quarterback room is always a featured topic of draft week, and that remains true this week with Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel all in the mix entering 2026. With such a weak QB class, though, the offensive line might be the more urgent fix after Cleveland lost three longtime starters in Bitonio, Teller, and Conklin, gutting a unit that was once among the league's best. The receiving corps needs help too with Browns wideouts combining for just four touchdowns all of last season, worst in the NFL.
🏈 Browns draft prospect fits
I asked NFL draft expert Rob Paul to pick the Browns' best prospect fits in a dream scenario, their safest picks, and their best upside picks for Thursday:
| Pick type | No. 6 pick | No. 24 pick | Paul's take |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌟 Dream pick | Spencer Fano, OL, Utah (7.20) | KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M (7.20) | The Dallas Cowboys look like a potential trade candidate for the Browns, and if Cleveland could move back and add a gifted athlete along the offensive line in Fano and a dynamic route runner at receiver in Concepcion, that would be best case scenario |
| 🛡️ Safe pick | Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami (7.25) | Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana (7.20) | Players like Mauigoa and Cooper are exactly what the Browns need, physical plug-and-play starters with high floors who can help rebuild the culture in Cleveland for new head coach Todd Monken |
| 🚀 Upside pick | Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (7.25) | Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah (7.05) | Tate is the most talented wide receiver in the draft and can immediately give Cleveland a downfield threat with his ball tracking skills and ability to win contested catches, while Lomu is a smooth athlete with Pro Bowl upside if he can add strength |
📝 Browns mock draft consensus picks
I went through the latest mock drafts from other top experts across the industry and gathered their predictions for the Browns' first pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Here's who they expect Cleveland to draft first:
| Source | Pick |
|---|---|
| Mel Kiper (ESPN) | Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama (at No. 12, trade back) |
| Chad Reuter (NFL.com) | Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia |
| Mike Renner (CBS) | Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama |
| Todd McShay (The Ringer) | Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama (at No. 12, trade back) |
| Dane Brugler (The Athletic) | Spencer Fano, OT, Utah (at No. 12, trade back) |
| Nate Tice (Yahoo) | Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State |
There sure seems to be a lot of smoke about the Browns trading back from No. 6 to No. 12, and three of the latest mock drafts have Cleveland taking Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor with their first selection. Only Yahoo's Nate Tice has this team shirking the O-line in favor of a skill-position star in Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate, whom Paul listed as his upside swing for the Browns. Instead, he thinks the Browns will take a different offensive lineman.
🔮 Browns draft predictions 2026
See Rob Paul's expert NFL mock draft for projections and analysis of all 32 first-round picks.
Paul's pick at No. 6: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami
- Pro comparison: Darnell Wright
- Measurables: 6'5" | 329 lbs | 20 years old | RAS: 8.75
The direction of the Cleveland Browns remains unclear under Todd Monken, so targeting a high-floor player at a premium position is the best-case scenario. Francis Mauigoa is a mammoth who creates tons of movement in the run game thanks to his power, hand placement, and underrated athleticism. Though he has the talent to be an All-Pro guard, Mauigoa showed he has the footwork and enough length to stay at tackle in the pros after allowing just 15 pressures this past season.
Paul's pick at No. 24: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
- Pro comparison: Emeka Egbuka
- Measurables: 6'0" | 199 lbs | 22 years old | RAS: 9.15
In an ideal world, the Browns come out of the first round with an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. And it's hard to ask for a better scenario than getting Mauigoa and Cooper. The Indiana wide receiver would immediately start for Cleveland and give Monken a YAC weapon to help take pressure off whoever starts at QB. Cooper is like a running back with his ability to break contact, ranking No. 4 nationally in forced missed tackles on receptions (27), and he's just as physical blocking.
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