C+
Cleveland Browns
Some hits, some head-scratchers, and a C+ for the Browns.
by Reheheheheh ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 3 steals
· 4 reaches
The Browns did not so much draft Dalton Johnson as overpay for him, 51 picks clear of his grade. It sets an uneasy tone for the weekend. It lands right in the middle: a C+, no more, no less.
However the rest shakes out, Washington Jr. at that price is a win they earned. For all the activity, quarterback went untouched, which is hard to explain.
Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.
If Kadyn Proctor and a couple of the gambles land, hindsight will be kinder than this grade.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get protection for the quarterback, even if it was a touch early. A real need, handled.
In pick No. 24 they get a blindside protector. A clean fit for the roster.
A wild overpay on Max Klare in Round 2, Pick 7, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They paid sticker price for Kamari Ramsey in slot 70, and that is fine. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Taking Mike Washington Jr. in the 107th pick is close to grand larceny; a running back that good had no business lasting this long. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They reached into another round for Louis Moore, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It fills a real need, too.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Dalton Johnson. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr in the 206th overall pick should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. It adds depth where they could use a little.
You do not let a linebacker like Owen Heinecke reach the 248th pick and blink. They did not. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.