Former ESPN NFL Draft expert Todd McShay turned independent draft analyst. Todd McShay is on Mock Draft 3.0, and for the Cleveland Browns, he has been very consistent.

There is an obvious consensus around the Browns that they are going wide receiver and tackle in the 2026 NFL draft. The only question is where they will do it.

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Half of the draft predictions have the Browns selecting Carnell Tate with the No. 6 pick, and the other half have them going with a tackle, likely Monroe Freeling, at that same pick. The reality of the situation is that the tackle draft this year is far deeper than the wide receiver draft. If the Browns approached this logically, they would go tackle, then the wide receiver, unless they absolutely love a prospect.

McShay hints at the latter as in his 3.0, the Browns go with Tate with their first selection of the draft. Now, while that isn’t shocking, what stands out in this mock is that it is screaming that the Browns will make a trade in the first round.

McShay has the top tackle in this draft, Freeling, falling all the way to pick No. 17 to the Detroit Lions. The Lions are tasked with replacing their veteran bookend, Taylor Decker, as they let him walk in free agency this year. It is obvious that they are going to be in the tackle market. Regardless, if Freeling tumbles down the draft board, the Browns are going to be dialing the phones.

Who did the Browns trade with?

The trade partner in this scenario is the New York Jets. The Jets are trying to stockpile picks and will be drafting a wide receiver at some point in this draft. Cleveland’s trade package to New York wouldn’t have to be all that expensive for them to move back eight picks in a wide receiver-loaded draft.

Swap first-rounders and then maybe get away with throwing in the third round selection to move up to pick No. 16, ahead of the Detroit Lions. If Freeling is there and he is their guy, they need to pull the trigger on that deal. Cleveland gets their star wide receiver and a hopeful left tackle of the future who is one of the most athletic players in the draft.

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That would be a dream scenario for the Browns and one that would be a really good start in resetting the offensive side of the football.

Maybe that is a fairy tale, or maybe it is a realistic scenario. In McShay’s mock, he does not predict any trades; he just drafts it straight up, and he has Cleveland selecting Caleb Lomu with the 24th overall pick.

If Cleveland decides to take this route, it would not be a disappointing outcome at all. That’s still a first round that you walk away from feeling very good about.

The scenarios are becoming more and more realistic as we are now one month away from the NFL Draft and with it, the realization of the Browns’ needing to nail it this year is starting to crystallize. Either one of these two scenarios coming true on draft night would certainly feel like they did just that.

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This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns make major NFL Draft trade in Todd McShay’s mock draft 3.0