The Cleveland Browns Probably Won’t Even Draft Their Biggest Need in the First Round

The Brown's most important need on offense looks to be unaddressed for another draft.

Feb 3, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Executive vice president, football operations and general manager Andrew Berry speaks to the media during a press conference to introduce new head coach Todd Monken at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

When the NFL Draft rolls around, the coverage of the class's position strength is always a topic of conversation. Last season, the running backs were a talking point as Ashton Jeanty headlined a deep group that also boasted Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, and Cleveland’s own, Quinshon Judkins. 2025 was also strong on tight ends and interior defensive lineman. 

This year, defense takes center stage as edge rushers like Arvell Reese, David Bailey, and Rueben Bain Jr. are keen to make an immediate impact. Linebackers are also a deep group, led by OSU standout Sonny Styles, but there is one position that is lacking for the second straight year.

What is the Browns biggest need?

The quarterback prospects have fallen short for the second year in a row, Fernando Mendoza will be a starter eventually, but there is maybe one more guy you can say that for. That would be Bama QB Ty Simpson, but the jury is still out on him. 

For Cleveland, getting consistent QB play has been like pulling teeth. Shedeur Sanders had his moments last season, but was not consistently a good starter, Dillon Gabriel did not pass the ball down the field, leading to the Browns being extremely cautious when he started. Deshaun Watson was a Pro-Bowler SIX seasons ago, and is coming off of an Achilles tear.

Apart from Mendoza, this year’s class is filled with guys who were supposed to be apart of a stacked QB class. This includes Garrett Nussmeier from LSU, Drew Allar from Penn State, Cade Klubnik from Clemson, and if you include the players that went back to college for another season, you get Dante Moore from Oregon along with Arch Manning from Texas. 

For the first three guys, their struggling senior years knocked them down tremendously, and especially, out of the first round. That is not to say that Cleveland will not take a quarterback come April 23rd, but the need does not outweigh the risk of taking one of these prospects in rounds one or two. 

The most smart option for Cleveland is to build up the offense around the signal caller and if Sanders is not the answer at the position, be ready to draft one next season. It is typical Cleveland fashion to already be looking towards the next season, but in terms of the QB, it is the most plausible option. 

If the Browns follow suit on what most projections say, getting help up front and on the outside, a rookie QB will be coming into a great situation.