Cleveland Browns Biggest Winners and Losers From the NFL Draft

Some of the starters for Cleveland may be losing their jobs by the time the 2026 season starts.

Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) runs with the ball against Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Winston Jr. (23) during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland utilized the ten selections it had in the 2026 NFL Draft to grab a majority of offensive players, eight of them in fact. The lack of playmaking from the offense last season definitely made Andrew Berry not shy in addressing the team’s needs. 

Selecting so many players on the offense might lead to some tough conversations about who will be forced to take a step back or even lose their job altogether. So, which Browns players benefited the most from how Cleveland attacked the draft? 

Winner: Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson

While Sanders should be in line to be the Browns' starting quarterback next season, there is always a possibility that Watson could find his way there. Whoever Cleveland is rolling out to start next year will be surrounded by a completely revamped offensive line, plus new weapons on the outside.

Spencer Fano projects to be the team’s starting left tackle, ensuring the QB’s blindside, but is also able to slide to the right side. But Sanders will be relieved to see KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston lining up on the outside. It is a stark contrast to the receiver corps last season, which was one of the least productive in the league. 

Loser: Cedric Tillman

Tillman was the Brown’s first pick in the 2023 Draft at No. 74, as their first-round pick that year was part of the Watson trade, and their second-round pick was traded to New York for Elijah Moore, and Cleveland got back that 74th pick. Berry addressed the hole at WR by taking Concepcion and Boston, effectively leaving Tillman in the past. 

Tillman could never find his footing with Cleveland, as injuries have caused him to miss 13 regular-season games in three years. Unfortunately for Tillman, the future is now. 

Winner: Quinshon Judkins

Judkins was extremely effective in his rookie season when he was blocked for adequately; sadly for him, those instances were not common. In 2025, the Browns' o-line ranked 24th in run block win rate according to ESPN Analytics.

The 2026 newcomers, Fano, Austin Barber, and Parker Brailsford, will be able to clear lanes for Judkins to burst through. Barber ranked 2nd out of 632 tackles in college football in terms of run block grade per PFF, Fano was also impressive in run blocking, ranking 21st.

Loser: Dawand Jones

Continuing on the theme of the article, the revamped offensive line was a huge demand that Berry did not look away from. Jones played some good football for the Browns, when he was healthy. 

Coming off of three straight season-ending injuries, the playing time for Jones looks glim. Drafting two tackles, plus trading for another, buries Jones in the depth chart, and coming off of another serious knee injury does not help.