What Browns’ 2026 Rookies Must Do to Top Last Year’s Draft Class

By now, almost everyone agrees that the Cleveland Browns 2025 Draft Class was an exceptional haul.

A mix of immediate NFL stars along with key contributors made last year’s draftees a special bunch.

That means the standard for this year’s group of draft picks is uncharacteristically high, given Cleveland checkered draft history.

What the 2025 Draft Class did for the Browns

First-round defensive tackle Mason Graham got selected fifth overall after a trade down netted the team extra second- and fourth-rounders last year, and an extra first-rounder for this year, setting the tone for the whole event.

Graham took some time to get really going, but he finished the season on a strong note after starting all 17 regular season matches.

Second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger, on the other hand, got going early and secured Defensive Rookie of the Year honors thanks to a 156 tackle season that included 2.5 sacks and two interceptions. Schwesinger earned all kinds of praise league-wide in the process.

Fellow second-rounder Quinshon Judkins began his pro career on suspension, but made a quick turnaround to become Cleveland’s featured rusher, racking up seven scores in the process.

Third-round tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was equally impressive, leading the team in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions despite poor quarterback play throughout the year.

Fourth-round running back Dylan Sampson provided a spark here and there with his open space ability, and should be in line for a strong sophomore effort.

Finally, we can debate all we want about the merits of fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ Pro Bowl nod as an alternate, but the fact of the matter is that no rookie passer had ever earned this honor in team history. Sanders’ performance was uneven at best, but he finished the season on a high note, leading the team to two divisional wins in the last two weeks.

What the 2026 Draft Class needs to do for Cleveland

The bar is high. In order to outperform last year’s rookies, Cleveland needs to find at least five starters from the current group, which in itself is a very tall order.

First round offensive tackle Spencer Fano from Utah could already be penciled in at the left side, after being selected ninth overall. And first- and second-round wideouts KC Concepcion from Texas A&M and Denzel Boston from Washington have a good chance at taking over the slot and X positions, respectively, for the offense. After that, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren from Toledo, another second-rounder, should be looking to compete for Ronnie Hickman’s starting job at free safety.

Is there another potential starter after those four? Fifth-round center Parker Brailsford from Alabama might have a shot, but there’s no guarantee.

In terms of production, it won’t be easy, either. The current uncertainty at the quarterback position adds to the challenges that lie ahead for Concepcion and Boston, and counting on either of them leading the team in all three major receiving categories looks unrealistic, considering the club expects a rebound season from top wideout Jerry Jeudy, and Fannin’s role should only grow after the team lost fan favorite Davoid Njoku at tight end.

Perhaps McNeil-Warren could have a Nick Emmanwori-type sudden impact for the Browns as Seattle enjoyed from the South Carolina product last year. Other than that, it’s hard to imagine anybody else outperforming what Schwesinger or Fannin did for Cleveland last year.

Part of the issue is that the team’s roster is objectively better this year, precisely because of last year’s rookies. That will logically make it harder for the newcomers to have the same caliber of impact.

Post draft grades are fun, but the real analysis begins in September. #DawgPound

"Right now, we're an A on paper, but those guys still have to go out there and play."

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— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) April 30, 2026

In any case, we should really be looking at it from a big picture perspective, where regardless of how many starters come out of the 2026 Draft Class, the important thing for general manager Andrew Berry and the team’s front office is being able to string two outstanding draft hauls consecutively, something that hasn’t happened in Cleveland in decades.

And we’ll have to wait a few months to know if that’s indeed the case.

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