Browns 7-round mock draft: When could Cleveland draft QB?

The Cleveland Browns are going to be one of the most interesting teams to watch during the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Browns are one of five NFL teams armed with two, first-round selections. The team has a clear-cut need to upgrade an offense that scored the second-fewest points per game last season (16.4) to give first-year coach Todd Monken a chance to successfully install his offense.

The Browns are also facing a question about whether or not they will select a quarterback. They aren't expected to target one in the first round, but will they really be comfortable rolling with a unit of Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel in 2026?

It's possible, especially if the team is keeping one eye on the 2027 NFL Draft class, which looks stronger at the quarterback position. But Cleveland could still opt to add something to its quarterback room, if only to give Monken another option to watch in what once again figures to be the NFL's most wide-open quarterback battle.

Here's a look at how the Browns could upgrade their roster during the 2026 NFL Draft.

Cleveland Browns mock draftRound 1, Pick 6: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

The Browns seem likely to add a wide receiver and an offensive tackle with their first two selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. It isn't clear yet which position they will prioritize, but if they go with a wide receiver at No. 6, Tate is most likely to be the pick.

Tate is one of the draft's most polished receiver prospects. He is a smooth route runner who showed the ability to be a downfield threat thanks to his soft hands and contested-catch capabilities. He would be a nice partner for Jerry Jeudy and would provide Watson and Sanders a much-improved receiver room.

Round 1, Pick 24: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Proctor may actually be in play for the Browns with the No. 6 overall pick, though they would probably like to trade down to get him. Either way, Cleveland has a big need at left tackle, where Dawand Jones is currently penciled in as the starter, and Proctor has the skills needed to fill that position.

Proctor has incredible size at 6-7, 352 pounds, but he has rare movement skills considering his frame. He will need to work on his consistency at the NFL level, but if he puts it all together, the 20-year-old could emerge as the best tackle from this year's class.

Round 2, Pick 39: CB D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana

Ponds is an interesting prospect. He doesn't exactly have prototypical NFL size at 5-9, 182 pounds, but he was hyper productive across three seasons at James Madison and Indiana, generating 169 tackles, seven interceptions and 33 pass defenses.

The Browns have a strong cornerback tandem in Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell but could use an upgrade at the nickel position, where Ponds would be an ideal fit.

Round 3, Pick 70: WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia

Here's another smaller-stature playmaker for the Browns. Branch (5-9, 177 pounds) was a screen maven at Georgia and was hard to tackle with the ball in his hands. He showed great speed and elusiveness as a receiver and a return man, so he would be an ideal slot-man for Cleveland.

Branch has also drawn comparisons to Zay Flowers, who Monken coached in Baltimore, so that could be enough to convince the first-year coach to double-dip at the receiver position early.

Round 4, Pick 107: Edge LT Overton, Alabama

The Browns could use some depth along the edge behind Myles Garrett. Overton doesn't have the athleticism and burst for which teams typically look in an edge player, but his sizable 6-3, 274-pound frame should make him a quality edge-setter.

Overton can win with physicality at the point of attack and may also be able to play inside at the NFL level. He's a bit of a tweener, but Cleveland can find a role for him.

Round 5, Pick 146: LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah suffered a neck injury in 2024 and hasn't played since. Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Kabot reported earlier in the offseason it's "doubtful at best" that he will play again, so the Browns have to start planning for a future without him.

Cleveland started that process by signing veteran Quincy Williams in free agency to pair with Carson Schwesinger. The Browns still need depth at the position, however, so grabbing Elarms-Orr - who has good athleticism and notched a career-best 130 tackles in 2025 - to develop as a backup seems like a solid move.

Round 5, Pick 149: TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M

David Njoku isn't returning to the Browns in 2026, which leaves the team a bit thin at tight end behind Harold Fannin Jr. Boerkircher wasn't all that productive as a receiver for the Aggies, but he's a good blocker with a solid 6-5, 245-pound frame. That makes him a nice partner for Fannin, who is undersized but has elite receiving skills for the position.

Round 6, Pick 206: C Parker Brailsford, Alabama

The Browns signed Elgton Jenkins in free agency to be their new starting center. They could still use depth behind the 30-year-old, and Brailsford enters the NFL with three years of starting experience at Washington and Alabama.

Brailsford is on the smaller side at 6-2, 289 pounds, but he's hyper-mobile and plays with a great motor. If he can add some muscle mass to his frame in the NFL, he could eventually emerge as a starter.

Round 7, Pick 248: QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech

Could the Browns select a quarterback earlier? Sure, but they could also eschew the position while keeping an eye on the 2027 NFL Draft class, which will likely feature Arch Manning, Dante Moore and Julian Sayin.

Still, taking a flier on a player like King - a dual-threat quarterback with excellent mobility - with their final selection would be a solid gamble.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Browns 2026 NFL mock draft: Cleveland builds up offense, lands WR