{"id":279680,"date":"2026-04-25T19:18:54","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T23:18:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=279680"},"modified":"2026-04-25T19:22:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T23:22:43","slug":"cleveland-browns-2026-nfl-draft-grades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/04\/25\/cleveland-browns-2026-nfl-draft-grades\/","title":{"rendered":"Cleveland Browns 2026 NFL Draft Grades"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2026 NFL Draft<\/a> has finally wrapped up, so let\u2019s take a look at what the Cleveland Browns accomplished. Andrew Berry has grown into one of the best talent evaluators in the NFL, but the Browns still need to add talent to compete in the competitive AFC North. Coming off a 5-12 record in 2025 that did little to answer some of the most important questions any franchise can face, did the Browns do enough in this draft to answer some of them?<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns 2026 NFL Draft Grades<\/h2>\n

First Round (9 Overall) \u2013 Spencer Fano, OT<\/h3>\n

Cleveland makes the smart move and trades back just a touch to stockpile picks later in the draft, knowing that one of their targets will remain on the board. Andrew Berry traded the 6th overall pick to the Chiefs for picks 9, 74, and 148, giving the Browns more ammo in the third and fifth rounds. With the ninth pick, Cleveland selected Spencer Fano, the offensive tackle out of Utah. It was an obvious need for the Browns, and they filled it with one of the best options available in this class. While the analytics-driven front office in Berea views Fano with a higher grade than Francis Mauigoa out of Miami, most analysts and pundits would disagree. Spencer is a solid scheme fit for the Browns and gives them some flexibility with how they continue to build out the offensive line for 2026.<\/p>\n

Spencer Fano NFL Draft Profile<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Round (24 Overall) \u2013 KC Concepcion, WR<\/h3>\n

It was obvious that the Browns would look to add another weapon at wide receiver early in this draft. There were connections to KC Concepcion out of Texas A&M, so there was little surprise with this pick. Concepcion offers the ability to immediately separate off the line of scrimmage, giving the Browns a chance to make quick connections within the offense. There is some concern when it comes to concentration and drops, which is the primary factor in lowering this grade a bit.<\/p>\n

KC Concepcion NFL Draft Profile<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Second Round (39 Overall) Denzel Boston, WR<\/h3>\n

Cleveland goes after another weapon for the offense with their first pick in the second round, and this is arguably the player they should have taken at No. 24 overall. Denzel Boston, the wide receiver out of Washington, is a true outside receiver and likely an immediate target hog within the Browns\u2019 offense. There are those who have concerns over Boston\u2019s perceived lack of top-end speed, but his ability to shield the ball from defenders creates additional catch space when the ball is in the air. There is a path here for Denzel Boston to quickly emerge as the WR1 in new head coach Todd Monken\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n

Denzel Boston NFL Draft Profile<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Second Round (58 Overall) \u2013 Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S<\/h3>\n

With many analysts and pundits viewing Emmanuel McNeil-Warren as a potential late first-round pick, the value here for Cleveland is outstanding. The Browns needed to add more versatility and pop to the back end of the defense, and this pick definitely accomplishes the task. With Emmanuel\u2019s size and ability to work near the line of scrimmage, McNeil-Warren should be an immediate sub-package contributor. This is a quality get at No. 58 overall and a pick that Cleveland will likely look back on, wondering how he was still available.<\/p>\n

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren NFL Draft Profile<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Third Round (86 Overall) \u2013 Austin Barber, OT<\/h3>\n

This is the first pick in this body of work for Andrew Berry that is a bit of a head-scratcher. Austin Barber, the offensive tackle out of Florida, could have easily been a better value as a fifth-round target. The only thing that buoys this grade to a degree is the fact that the offensive line is such a position of need for the Browns. With little to offer in the way of run blocking at this point in his development, it will likely be some time before Austin works his way into any kind of meaningful role for the Browns.<\/p>\n

Austin Barber NFL Draft Profile<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: C<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fifth Round (146 Overall) \u2013 Parker Brailsford, IOL<\/h3>\n

Parker Brailsford immediately offers the Browns depth at center, but beyond that, there likely isn\u2019t much room for him on the offensive line. While he represents a solid player who can move and create blocks on the run, there\u2019s a lack of size and strength that will keep him from moving to another position on the line. As for playing strictly center, Brailsford represents an above-average option in this draft. With a limited range of possibilities, the only thing that keeps this grade from sinking lower is the fact that this is a needed depth piece for Cleveland.<\/p>\n

Parker Brailsford NFL Draft Profile<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: B-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fifth Round (149 Overall) \u2013 Justin Jefferson, LB<\/h3>\n

The addition of Justin Jefferson in the fifth round is an under-the-radar kind of move that is going to pay solid dividends for the Browns. Considering the injury situation with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and the lack of depth with speed at the position, Jefferson actually has a path to meaningful playing time early in his career. Jefferson moves well in open space, so having this player type when going against a scrambling quarterback like Lamar Jackson is always a plus. There\u2019s the potential here for a future starting linebacker on the Browns\u2019 defense.<\/p>\n

Justin Jefferson NFL Draft Profile<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: A<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fifth Round (170 Overall) \u2013 Joe Royer, TE<\/h3>\n

The Browns have a bit more of a need at tight end than some would perceive, so adding a player like Joe Royer\u2014who can step in and be an effective option when Harold Fannin comes off the field\u2014carries real value. Royer is a willing reception target who fights for passes and refuses to let defenders bully him at the catch point. He\u2019s a work in progress when operating within the rushing attack, but he doesn\u2019t shy away from getting his jersey dirty. Cleveland gets a quality depth piece for the offense at No. 170 overall.<\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sixth Round (182 Overall) \u2013 Taylen Green, QB<\/h3>\n

When you get into the sixth and seventh rounds of the draft, adding athletic specimens with upside is never a bad move. Taylen Green may represent the biggest wild card of the 2026 class. Taylen has made it clear that he does not want to play any position other than quarterback. For the Browns and their packed quarterback room, Green\u2019s selection likely means that Dillon Gabriel will be the odd man out. The upside here is undeniable. If Taylen can get more consistent with throwing the football, there is starter upside here that few quarterbacks can athletically match. Cleveland gets a truly dynamic player at the top of the sixth that may be looked back on as a franchise-changing selection.<\/p>\n

Taylen Green NFL Draft Profile<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: A+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seventh Round (246 Overall) \u2013 Carson Ryan, TE<\/h3>\n

Carson Ryan gives the Browns another option at tight end who possesses enough upside to generate some interest coming into this draft. Far from a finished product as a receiver, Ryan shows good effort against the run and a willingness to bloody his nose against bigger defenders. As the last pick in the draft for Cleveland, Carson Ryan rounds out a tight end room that was full of bodies but a tad short on talented depth.<\/p>\n

Browns Draft Grade: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Last Word on the Cleveland Browns 2026 Draft<\/h2>\n

The Cleveland Browns and GM Andrew Berry<\/a> are slowly but surely putting together the kind of roster that can have them competing for the AFC North title on a yearly basis. This 2026 draft class does a solid job of continuing that trend by adding good talent at positions of need while maximizing the value of each pick. The short trade down from No. 6 overall gave them the ammunition needed to move up in the second round to snag sliding talent and continue adding quality players in the later rounds of the draft.<\/p>\n

While the Browns will still have plenty of questions going into this season around whether or not they are headed in the right direction, a draft class like this one goes a long way toward getting them to the promised land.<\/p>\n

Cleveland Browns Overall Draft Grade: A<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 2026 NFL Draft has finally wrapped up, so let\u2019s take a look at what the Cleveland Browns accomplished. Andrew Berry has grown into one of the best talent evaluators in the NFL, but the Browns still need to add talent to compete in the competitive AFC North. Coming off a 5-12 record in 2025 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5786,"featured_media":253974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647,8],"tags":[33533,34059,34692,33966,34634,6181,33896,34485,33873,34334],"class_list":["post-279680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","category-browns","tag-2026-nfl-draft","tag-austin-barber","tag-carson-ryan","tag-emmanuel-mcneil-warren","tag-joe-royer","tag-justin-jefferson","tag-kc-concepcion","tag-parker-brailsford","tag-spencer-fano","tag-taylen-green"],"modified_by":"Sue Levine","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279680","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5786"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=279680"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":280042,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279680\/revisions\/280042"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/253974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=279680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=279680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=279680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}