Browns Late-Round Draft Picks Who Have Best Shot to Make the Roster

The later rounds of the NFL Draft rarely come with a spotlight. They come with opportunity.

For the Cleveland Browns, this year’s Day 3 class is built on projection, versatility, and players who have taken less conventional paths to get here. These are the spots on the roster that are earned in August, not handed out in April.

There’s a case to be made for each of them finding a role.

Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati

Joe Royer knows what it looks like at the top of the room. He started his career at Ohio State before finding a bigger opportunity at Cincinnati, and when he got it, he produced.

Over his final two seasons, Royer put up 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. He works the middle of the field comfortably. At 6-foot-5 and around 250 pounds, he has the size teams want, but it is the steadiness that gives him a real chance here.

Cleveland does not need him to be a featured player right away. They need reliability. They need someone who can block when asked, catch what is thrown to him, and avoid mistakes.

Carsen Ryan, TE, BYU

Carsen Ryan walks into the same room, but with a slightly different feel to his game.

At BYU, he showed he can produce, finishing his final season with 45 catches for 620 yards. But what stands out is how he plays through contact.

Ryan finishes runs, absorbs hits, and keeps moving forward. There is an edge to his game that shows up quickly.

Now he and Royer are competing for similar space on the roster,
One brings steadiness. One brings a little more physicality with the ball. Somewhere in that competition is likely at least one roster spot.

Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama

Justin Jefferson comes from a program where nothing is handed to you.

At Alabama, he finished with 79 tackles and played with the kind of speed that translates. He sees things quickly and closes even faster. That shows up right away on tape.

There are still areas to clean up. Holding up against blocks, adding strength, handling the physical side of the position at the next level.

But what he already does well gives him a path. For Jefferson, that likely starts on special teams.

Parker Brailsford, C, Alabama

Interior offensive line play is not always noticed until something goes wrong.

Brailsford brings intelligence, experience, and a clear understanding of how the position works. And just as important, he brings flexibility.

“I definitely think I could play any of the interior positions,” Brailsford said after the draft. “I actually started at right guard my redshirt freshman year, so I’m pretty comfortable playing all three if need be.”

That matters in a room where depth is constantly tested. Brailsford also made it clear where he feels most comfortable.

“I think I would have the most impact at center just because I’m able to direct things,” he said.

It also puts him in direct competition with players already trying to hold that spot, including Kingsley Eguakun who was acquired at the end of last year.

Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas

Taylen Green may be the most intriguing name in this group.

He slid in the draft, but the flashes were there at the Senior Bowl. The mobility. The ability to create when things break down. The kind of traits that get noticed.

The Browns could take the patient approach and develop him on the practice squad. That would give him time to clean up the details that come with playing quarterback at this level.

But there is a risk in that approach. Quarterbacks with traits tend to get attention. If Green shows enough in preseason, another team could decide to take a chance and add him to their active roster.

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