Parker Brailsford Has Opportunity To Prove He Was the Gem of 2026 Browns Draft Class

How the fifth-round pick could turn into a year one starter in Cleveland.

Jun 9, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns center Parker Brailsford (52) walks off the field following practice during mandatory mini camp at Cross Country Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

During the third day of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, an International Fan of the Year nominee for the Cleveland Browns stepped to the podium to announce the Browns' fifth-round pick, No. 146 overall, Parker Brailsford.

Little did that fan know, he would be announcing a name that could be starting for the orange and brown as soon as September.

had to sneak the Myles celly into the announcement!

NFL Draft on NFLN, ABC & ESPN pic.twitter.com/8xPziVjf4o

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) April 25, 2026

The Center Situation

The Cleveland Browns have rebuilt their entire offensive line from scratch during the 2026 offseason, adding six new names in free agency and the draft. Three of those additions came from the draft in tackles Spencer Fano and Austin Barber, as well as the undersized center from Alabama, Parker Brailsford.

At the center position, the competition appears to be between new addition Elgton Jenkins, Luke Wypler, and rookie Parker Brailsford. While Jenkins brings versatility and Wypler has starting experience, Brailsford stands out because of his youth and athleticism.

Ready Sooner Than Expected

Brailsford, while undersized, offers something to the Browns that they haven’t had at the center position: athleticism. Browns GM Andrew Berry was quoted as saying, "Centers that can pull and work at the second level and get to the perimeter because of their athleticism and speed, they give you a lot of optionality in the run game," when speaking about Brailsford.

This frame and athleticism make sense when you compare Brailsford to another center who has succeeded in Todd Monken's offense, Tyler Linderbaum. While Linderbaum was regarded much higher than Brailsford, being selected with the 25th pick overall in the first round of his respective draft, both Linderbaum and Brailsford have similar strengths and frames.

An Unfair Comparison?

Linderbaum stands at 6’2” tall while weighing 296 pounds, whereas Brailsford is 6’2” and 289 pounds. While their frames are similar, make no mistake, Brailsford still needs to add weight, as even just a 7-pound difference can mean the world in the NFL. If Brailsford wants to make a push to be a starter in year one, weight management will be key.

Both players also have similar strengths in their athleticism. Brailsford and Linderbaum have the athletic ability to pull and work in space when it comes to outside zone and screen passes. Both are concepts Todd Monken likes to incorporate heavily into his offense.

While Brailsford is not a lock to be the starting center for the Cleveland Browns in 2026, he has a strong case to win the job. If Brailsford, who has already had some first-team reps during minicamp, continues to add weight while staying consistent in what he’s best at, the Browns may have stolen their starting center in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.