The Cleveland Browns spent modestly on the first day of NFL free agency, adding a new starting offensive guard in Zion Johnson and reuniting linebacker Quincy Williams with defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg.
Free agency allows for analysts and teams to readjust their boards and how they align with team needs leading up to the NFL Draft. It’s common to see a new mock draft or two spring up after the heavy first day of free agency as well. For the Browns, now much changed with their pressing team needs.
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They still need a left tackle, and they still need a ton of help in the wide receiver room. A new mock draft done over at Daft on Draft hit on these two needs that have not been filled through the first day of NFL free agency.
Who the Browns selected in a new mock draft with pick No. 6
Daft on Draft selected Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling with the sixth overall pick in their new mock draft, making him the first tackle off the board. The argument here was that if the Browns opt for a natural, prototypical young and athletic left tackle, they could very easily prioritize Freeling over two right tackles with perceived limitations in their frames, in Spencer Fano of Utah and Francis Mauigoa of Miami.
Here is what Daft on Draft had to say about landing Freeling:
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“And after trading for right tackle Tytus Howard, the Browns now get their bookend. Freeling is young, peaked over the back-half of the season, and has his best football still ahead of him. This is what a rebuilding team needs to build around upfront.”
Browns land WR with the Jaguars’ selection at the end of round 1
Coming back on the clock with the 24th pick in the draft, Daft on Draft then had the Browns land the Biletnikoff Award-winning wide receiver Makai Lemon out of USC. The third wide receiver off the board, both Carnell Tate of Ohio State and Jordyn Tyson of Arizona State, came off the board in the top-15 of this mock draft.
The author questioned Lemon’s body of work against press-man coverage and potentially his limitations as a slot-only as the reasons he could fall in the draft. Daft on Draft did, however, praise Lemon’s profile later on:
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“However, the production, strong hands through contact, creativity after the catch, and ability to eat up green grass against zone coverage are undeniable. After landing Freeling with the sixth overall pick, the Browns now upgrade their wide receiver room with Lemon.”
Freeling and Lemon would be a slam-dunk outcome for the Cleveland Browns in the 2026 NFL Draft.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns address unfilled needs from NFL free agency in new mock draft