Over his previous six drafts in charge, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has only made three first-round selections. He has never taken a wide receiver inside the first 70 picks. Berry has also never previously entered a draft with multiple first-rounders, so an already complicated guessing game becomes even more difficult given that the Browns have a screaming need for receiver help.
For Berry and the Browns, is it as simple as targeting the two most obvious immediate needs, left tackle and wide receiver, in some order with those Round 1 picks at Nos. 6 and 24? Could Berry trade down in the first round for the second consecutive year? Or — depending on what happens in the first five picks — might the Browns take a longer-term approach and select a defensive player (or even a running back)?
Months of guessing on the next phase of Berry’s ongoing roster rebuilds end on Thursday. The Browns either will select another cornerstone player at No. 6 or trade down, continuing to add picks and flexibility to a pretty murky blueprint for how they’re actually going to fix an anemic offense.
“I love how everybody last year thought we weren’t trading down and this year, everyone assumes we are,” Berry said last week.
What Browns fans would really love is more touchdowns. Maybe those come via Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, who’s generally regarded as the No. 1 wideout in this class and near-certainty to be picked in the top 10. Maybe the Browns will continue to restock their offensive line after inexplicably not drafting an offensive lineman last year, despite having an aging group in place.
Though gifted players such as Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs might be a tough sell based on the current Cleveland roster, the Browns don’t seem to be one player or one decision away from returning to relevance. And if no real answer at quarterback emerges, the future of defensive veterans Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward could again become a topic of discussion.
For my final mock draft, I’m guessing all the trade talk will end up being just that. The Browns should be open for business, but finding a realistic trade partner likely won’t be as easy as the mock draft universe makes it seem.
I’m bucking another trend (and my own previous ideas) by guessing that Cleveland either won’t get the chance to draft Tate or will pass on him. I’ve become slightly more open to the idea of the Browns actually starting their draft with a defensive player, but I’m going big at No. 6 and taking an offensive lineman.
Round 1, No. 6: Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama
I’m going with Proctor here, a player who fits the mold of previous Berry selections as a young (20) prospect with rare athletic gifts for a player his size. At Alabama’s pro day last month, Proctor was a shade over 6-foot-6, 358 pounds. He’s worked to keep his weight down, which will be key to him reaching his full potential.
If it’s Tate, I’ll gladly be wrong and support the idea of the Browns embracing the forward pass, but building through the line first is probably the route the team will choose. More accurately, I should call it the route the Browns will continue to choose.
Two of Cleveland’s three external offensive line additions from March are 30 years old. None of the returning offensive linemen has shown any long-term reliability or production. Whether the Browns think they’re patching together a viable quarterback room or just planning to remake the group again next offseason, line is the pick.
The Browns can still draft two receivers later or even pursue one via trade. The lack of activity in the receiver room thus far suggests that something may be in the works.
Am I certain the Browns will pick Proctor at No. 6? No. But do I think they want either Proctor or Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling? Yes. I wouldn’t even rule out Penn State guard Vega Ioane after a potential trade-down. I think the team wants athleticism and upside on the offensive line and can figure out positions later.
What about a potential trade and then a selection of Proctor or Freeling? I think it’s possible, but Cleveland needs to find a fit. The Dallas Cowboys, with two first-round picks (Nos. 12 and 20), make sense. Would the New York Jets — who own No. 16 this year and three first-rounders in 2027 — want to make a big move to No. 6?
My answer? Maybe. For this mock, I’m sticking with the picks the Browns have. It’s my mock draft, and I’ll cry (and pick three tackles) if I want to.
Round 1, No. 24: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
He’s had some drop issues and recently needed a knee scope, but the Browns have been tracking Concepcion since his breakout freshman season at NC State. Starting the draft with an offensive lineman, then furthering the remake of the receiver room with Concepcion as a Zay Flowers-like player, would make sense.
Concepcion is neither a finished product as a wide receiver nor a traditional, big-bodied outside player, but he’s electric with the ball in his hands. For a team that needs playmakers and has valued run-after-catch ability, Concepcion is sensible here. An addition (or two) to the outside receiver group can be made later.
Round 2, No. 39: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
The whispers about the Browns’ interest in McNeil-Warren are loud. He’s a versatile, modern safety who isn’t afraid of contact, and the team’s future at the position is uncertain with Grant Delpit signed only through 2026 and Ronnie Hickman currently set to play on a one-year restricted free-agent tender.
What stands out is that McNeil-Warren is not a left tackle, quarterback or wide receiver. In a bit of an understandable victory lap, Berry has continually referenced last year’s selection of Carson Schwesinger as one the Browns didn’t necessarily plan on making — and one that was made at what could be considered a non-premium position. The Browns used the first pick of the draft’s second day on a player who became the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and seems to be a cornerstone player.
What that exactly means for this draft or McNeil-Warren’s chances of becoming a Brown isn’t clear, but it seems to be a strong hint that, inside the draft room, Cleveland’s decision-makers will value players they see as top-tier prospects over perceived positional need or value.
Round 3, No. 70: Markel Bell, OT, Miami
Bell has a Dawand Jones body type and natural left tackle skills. He only played two years of major college football and needs more seasoning, but his wingspan and feet make him a rising prospect. If the Browns don’t take a true left tackle early in the draft, they could target Bell earlier than most forecasters believe. I still feel good about this pick here because Proctor and Bell could end up being tried at multiple spots before finding a permanent one.
Notice the theme of this mock? There’s a clear emphasis on upside and getting ahead of things in future offseasons.
Round 4, No. 107: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
Hurst is big, fast and interesting. He’s probably not a finished product after spending his college career playing at the Division II level and then in the FBS’s Sun Belt Conference, but with the right development, he could become an outside receiver and red zone target.
Round 5, No. 146: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Allar was such a big Browns fan growing up in Northeast Ohio that he had a Charlie Frye jersey. That No. 9 is currently taken, but the Browns figure to be in the market for a developmental quarterback, and Allar is looking for redemption after his final college season didn’t go as planned. He has enough arm strength and athleticism to be worth a shot at this stage of the draft.
Round 5, No. 149: Parker Brailsford, C, Alabama
Brailsford landed with the Browns in a previous version of this mock draft and continues to make sense as a potential fit. He started four years at a high level in college (Washington and Alabama) and was a team captain last fall. The Browns have options at center for now, but there’s a potential vacancy in 2027.
Round 6, No. 206: Riley Nowakowski, FB/TE, Indiana
Maybe he’s a fullback. Maybe he’s a tight end. The Browns seem to be looking for both, and Nowakowski has some linebacker in his background, too. He went from unrecruited and unappreciated to playing key roles for Indiana’s national title team. His path to NFL playing time is probably to win on special teams and take on linebackers.
Round 7, No. 248: Taurean York, LB, Texas A&M
Getting York here would be another bet on immediate special teams help and potentially a rangy contributor on defense down the road. York entered the NFL after just three college seasons and is on the smaller side, but his play early in his college career put him on NFL radars.