Every Expert Mock Draft First-Round Pick for the Browns

As the 2026 NFL Draft draws closer and closer, we might actually be further away from knowing with any degree of certainty who’ll get picked by the Cleveland Browns once the selections start rolling in.

An avalanche of mock drafts, insider reports and a fair amount of guesswork lead to several different names being projected for the Browns. Even for Round 1, there isn’t any consensus among league observers on what Cleveland will do with their 6th and 24th overall picks.

Let’s take a look at what the industry’s most renowned mock drafts have to say on the Browns’ upcoming draft plans:

The trade down

This has become quite a popular option, with several big-name analysts foreseeing a deal being made with the Cowboys, who currently stand at 12 and 20.Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay and Dane Brugler are among those projecting a trade down for the Browns from 6 to 12 in the opening round, and in all three cases, Cleveland’s first pick would be an offensive lineman -- Kiper and McShay have Kadyn Proctor, Brugler has Spencer Fano.

However, there is no agreement regarding the compensation for the Browns, as McShay doesn’t see Cleveland earning an extra first rounder, while Brugler sees the team giving up its second rounder to make the deal happen.

Should the Browns get their hands on the Cowboys’ selection at 20, Kiper sees them taking wideout Denzel Boston, while Brugler sees them picking up KC Concepcion. As for the 24th pick, both analysts agree on defensive backs, with Kipe mocking cornerback Jermod McCoy to the Browns, and Brugler handing them safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

McShay, on the other hand, sees them taking Concepcion at 24.

Staying put at 6

Among the mock drafters projecting Cleveland to keep their selection at 6, only Daniel Jeremiah sees the team going for a wideout there, Carnell Tate. Meanwhile, Chad Reuter and Lance Zierlein see the Browns opting for Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, while Peter Schrager has them taking Fano.

It’s fair to assume then that most analysts see better value at the top among offensive linemen, than the top wideout when it comes to Cleveland.

As for the 24th slot, count Schrager among those who sees Concepcion going to the Browns, while Reuter believes they could find Jordyn Tyson still available.

Jeremiah takes the O-line route here, with Caleb Lomu, but Zierlein throws a curveball with edge rusher TJ Parker, meaning he feels Cleveland will wait to add a set of hands for the passing attack.

Reuter also sees Parker going to the Browns, but as a second round choice, and Brugler sees the team picking up edge rusher Derrick Moore in the third.

Brugler also sees the team double dipping at offensive tackle with Markel Bell in the fourth, a prospect that has met with the team on multiple occasions.

What are the draft analysts missing?

If observations in regards of this 2026 class are right in considering the offensive tackles as a very good group -- likely the reason why so many different names are being thrown around in the top half of the first round -- then wouldn’t Cleveland be better served using it’s highest value pick ion the rarest talent?

If there is consensus on Tate as the best wideout possible, and the dropoff to Tyson, Concepcion and the rest is more noticeable than the separation between Fano, Freeling, Proctor or Lomu, why not pick first at the position with least options, and wait to see which offensive lineman falls to the second half of the opening round? This is especially true after hearing GM Andre Berry say he would feel comfortable playing a game right now with the current group already on roster.

I get that tackle is a position of need, regardless of what Berry said, but there seem to be many really good options for the middle to bottom of the first. I’m not sure the same could be said for wideouts at the X position, where Tate would seem to project. A guy like Concepcion -- who projects as a slot -- doesn’t necessarily carry the same weight as a boundary receiver.

As for the rest of the positions, loading up on defensive backs and edge rushers seems wise, and adding another tight end to the mix sounds pertinent. I wouldn’t discard double dipping at wideout though, just off of what last year’s group contributed -- or didn’t -- to the team’s offense.

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