Cleveland Browns' Biggest Draft Needs and Most Likely Picks in Rounds 2 & 3

The Cleveland Browns pretty much followed the script on Thursday night, leaving the first round with an offensive tackle and a wideout after adding a couple of extra picks via trade down.

The heavily mocked to the Browns KC Concepcion from Texas A&M was indeed picked up at the 24th overall, but not before Cleveland traded back from 6 to 9 at the top of Round 1, and selected Utah’s Spencer Fano.

Both picks cover positions of immediate need for the Browns, and both first-rounders are expected to compete for starting jobs the moment they walk through the doors at team headquarters in Berea for the first time.

Next up, Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday night, where Cleveland did an outstanding job last year.

What are the Browns biggest draft needs after Round 1

At this point, the only starting position that might be still vacant is center, should the Browns decide to keep Elgton Jenkins at guard.

However, a second round pick might be too high for this year’s crop of centers, so we'll likely have to wait until the third for a name like Iowa’s Logan Jones or Auburn’s Connor Lew to pop up.

By trading down three spots at the beginning of Round 1, Cleveland was able to add a third- and a fifth-rounder to its weekend arsenal. One of those now two third-rounders in Browns' possesion could likely become the team’s new center.

As for the rest of the roster, there are some positions that should benefit from open competition. Additionally, the talent still available for the second round is littered with names that were widely regarded as first-round prospects.

Safety could be an option, should Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren still be on the board by the time Cleveland’s 39th overall pick is called upon. Arizona’s Treydan Stukes could be another name worth keeping tabs on at the position.

In staying with the defensive backfield, cornerbacks Avieon Terrell from Clemson, Colton Hood from Tennessee and D’Angelo Ponds from Indiana immediately stand out as options. Remember, the team let Martin Emerson Jr. walk in free agency, and Denzel Ward has been talked about constantly as trade deadline bait. Four days before his 29th birthday, finding an eventual successor for Ward doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

Back in November, the Browns signed a three-year $33 million extension with defensive end Alex Wright. However, the team also attempted to add free agent A.J. Epenesa before backing out of the agreement due to medical concerns. That means Cleveland is on the hunt for another pass rusher. Clemson’s T.J. Parker has been mocked as a second round alternative for the Browns, but other names that could be considered are Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell.

The possibility of double-dipping at wideout remains intriguing, as the team is looking to bounce back from a season in which wideouts accounted for only four touchdowns all year long, and in which the team’s top wide receiver, Jerry Jeudy, tied for second in dropped passes. Washington’s Denzel Boston and Alabama’s Germie Bernard could be appealing as second day picks.

Should the Browns opt for a new set of hands for the passing game, but not a wideout, one tight end under consideration should be Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers in the second round or Ohio State’s Max Klare in the third..

With three picks slated to be executed on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Cleveland is in prime position to repeat last years’ success, given where those three picks are located -- 39th, 70th and 74th -- and the level of talent still available on the board.

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