B
Cleveland Browns
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Browns a B.
by elroy2k ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 3 steals
· 1 reaches
The Browns bet big and early on Marvin Jones Jr., 90 picks ahead of the board. Bold does not always mean right.
That Washington Jr. pick is the receipt they will wave around later. They will regret leaving quarterback for another day if the season turns on it.
The dealing nudged the ledger their way without much fuss. The roster is better shaped than it was, with edge rusher chief among the fixes.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the quarterback spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 6th overall pick they get a centerfielder for the defense at fair value. A real need, handled.
They took Emmanuel Pregnon at par in slot 39, which is nothing to complain about. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Taking Anthony Hill Jr. in pick 58 is close to grand larceny; a linebacker that good had no business lasting this long. It adds depth where they could use a little.
A tidy little value on Keionte Scott in Round 3, Pick 6, a step better than break-even. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
The board fumbled Mike Washington Jr. all the way to No. 107, and they scooped it up. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Joe Royer slipping to the Round 5 slot is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Zane Durant at pick No. 189 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Nothing to complain about; Jeff Caldwell went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
VJ Payne in slot 206 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. It fills a real need, too.
They talked themselves into Marvin Jones Jr. at the 248th overall pick, and the board did not agree. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.