Possible Browns Draft Targets Who Helped or Hurt Themselves at the NFL Combine

The Cleveland Browns closed out their week at the NFL Scouting Combine with a much clearer, in-depth view of the prospects on their draft board.

After a full weekend of scouting and evaluation, the Browns now have a better idea of which prospects they may target with their nine picks in April’s NFL Draft. With two first-round selections, Cleveland faces the tough task of navigating scenarios that allow them to land their most sought-after prospects.

While the Browns can’t draft every player they want, they now have the tools to craft “ideal outcomes” by prioritizing prospects whose draft stock rose with strong combine showings over those who hurt theirs due to underwhelming performances.

Here are a few prospects for each situation that could remain on their draft board—and those who may have fallen off.

Helped: Georgia OL Monroe Freeling

Freeling significantly boosted his draft stock at the Combine with elite athleticism for a tackle his size. At 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, he became the first prospect with those measurables in NFL Combine history to post a sub-5.00 40-yard dash time, a vertical over 30 inches, and a broad jump over 9 feet.

For Cleveland, Freeling would be an exciting first-round target unlikely to slip past the top 32 picks. Known for his pass-protection reliability with Georgia, his 9.99 Relative Athletic Score (2nd among offensive tackles since 1987 out of 1,512) is a major selling point.

Hurt: USC WR Makai Lemon

Lemon was stellar at USC and entered the Combine with sky-high expectations. Those weren't on display, however, as poor interviews became the main talking point. His responses were described as “bizarre” due to overall odd demeanor and shifting gaze on-stage during his interviews.

Lemon’s shifting gaze was noticeable when he appeared to jog during an on-field drill, underrunning his route and dropping the catch. While minor notes, they stand out for a prospect praised as a potential top 15 pick considering his successful 2025 campaign with USC.

Helped: Clemson OL Blake Miller

Miller lit up the Combine, posting a 32-inch vertical and 9-foot-5 broad jump that ranked elite in his class, plus a 5.04 40-yard dash at 317 pounds. At 6-foot-6 with exceptional arm length, he projects as a very intriguing NFL tackle prospect.

Miller, primarily a right tackle, could slide to left tackle if he returned home to the Cleveland area—especially after the Browns acquired Texans tackle Tytus Howard early Monday. His quickness and strength would translate seamlessly to the blindside, placing him atop Cleveland’s offensive line prospect rankings.

Questionable: Ohio State WR Carnell Tate

While Tate still remains one of, if not, the top wide receiver prospect in this year's draft class, his combine results have drawn some divide amongst scouts and members of the media. This rift stems from Tate’s 40-yard dash time, which was expected to be in the 4.40 range, but was officially clocked at 4.52.

Tate’s speed will undoubtedly translate to the NFL, thanks to his knack for spectacular contested catches and reliability as one of college football’s most complete receivers. Some scouts expected him to measure 6-foot-3—as he did at Ohio State—but he was officially listed at 6-foot-2.

Tate excels at boxing out defenders to secure catches, so his height shouldn’t weigh heavily in scouts’ pre-draft analysis. His biggest Combine plus: among the top four receiver prospects, he was the only one to run the 40-yard dash, which speaks for itself when it comes to discussions surrounding his on-field speed.

He should remain near the top of Cleveland’s draft board, given their urgent need for wide receiver help.