Cleveland Browns select top QB to revitalize offense in 7-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft

The 2025 NFL season is just over halfway completed, and it is already draft season for most Cleveland Browns fans. It has been another disappointing season for Cleveland, leading to many questions about the future of the franchise.

Is head coach Kevin Stefanski on the hot seat, or is his job secure for 2026? Who will be starting at quarterback to open next season? Will general manager Andrew Berry be the one selecting players in the 2026 NFL Draft?

There are a ton of questions to be answered for the Browns this offseason. But the biggest question for fans will be: what are they going to do with this offense? Switching play-callers and quarterbacks mid-season has harbored minimal improvement to this point. Rebuilding and revamping the offense must be a focus for whoever his heading the front office and coaching staff. That is a focus for Cleveland early in this 2026 NFL mock draft.

2026 NFL Mock Draft: Cleveland Browns focus on the future of the offense with their first four selections

Round 1, Pick 3: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

Shedeur Sanders may or may not have a real chance to prove himself as the future starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. But as a fifth-round pick, even if he plays fairly well to finish the season, it may not prevent the Browns from prioritizing finding their franchise signal caller atop the 2026 NFL Draft.

If the Browns are selecting third overall, there is a very good chance they take a stab at a new quarterback. With the season that Fernando Mendoza is putting together for the Indiana Hoosiers, he certainly could be the first one off the board in April.

At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Mendoza has the desired size and frame of an NFL quarterback. He is a cerebral processor of the field and displays elite accuracy at all levels of the field. After showing promise at Cal, Mendoza has done nothing but win at Indiana and will hopefully do more of the same in Cleveland.

Round 1, Pick 19: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

With the second of their two first-round picks in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Cleveland Browns make a lot of Ohioans happy, snagging the latest standout wide receiver from the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Browns' offense has been non-existent down the field. Fortunately, Carnell Tate excels down the field, making big play after big play for the reigning national champions. While underclassman Jeremiah Smith fosters most of the attention in the Ohio State wide receiver room, Tate could prove to be a true number one receiver in the NFL, which is something the Browns desperately need.

Round 2, Pick 38: Olaivavega Ioane, OL, Penn State

While most of the attention has been focused on the offensive tackle situation for the Browns, and rightly so, Cleveland will also need to address the interior of their offensive line. Joel Bitonio made the decision to come back and play, potentially, one last season in 2025. With a potential retirement impending for Bitonio, and Wyatt Teller's contract being up after this season, Cleveland could use an elite guard like Olaivavega Ioane.

Ione has been as steady as they come on the offensive line for the Penn State Nittany Lions. The 6-foot-4, 330-pound force has spent his entire collegiate career at Penn State, starting every game this year and last year at left guard, proving to be a plug-and-play replacement for Bitonio, with similar perennial Pro Bowl potential.

Round 3, Pick 69: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

After landing a highly-touted guard, the Browns double down on the offensive line, tabbing Clemson's Blake Miller as a new option to be the starting right tackle. Jack Conklin has simply not been able to stay healthy throughout his Cleveland Browns career, leaving a gaping void on the right side of the line very frequently when he is not on the field.

Miller has started every game at right tackle for the Tigers since 2022, providing the reliability at the position that Cleveland desperately needs. Hailing from Strongsville, it would be a homecoming for the 6-foot-6 315 315-pound tackle, who could also prove to be a plug-and-play replacement starter for the Browns in 2026.

Round 4, Pick 104: Jalon Kilgore, DB, South Carolina

After focusing heavily on the offensive side of the ball early in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Cleveland Browns snag a dynamic defensive back to add to defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's arsenal.

The Browns' defense has played at a very high level in 2025, and adding a versatile player like South Carolina's Jalon Kilgore will further boost the secondary. Kilgore excels around the line of scrimmage and in coverage, making him a great weapon in Schwartz's defense, and should allow him to make an early impact in his NFL career as a nickel corner, playing in the slot and near the box.

Round 5, Pick 143: Nyck Harbor, WR, South Carolina

The Browns go back to the offensive side of the ball, selecting back-to-back South Carolina Gamecocks with wide receiver Nyck Harbor. After selecting the downfield threat in Tate earlier, the Browns eye a big target for their new quarterback.

Harbor is a big-bodied receiver, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 244 pounds. Harbor could complement Tate on the outside, or provide a large frame target over the middle in more of a big slot role in the Browns offense. While he has not been the most productive receiver in the SEC, former Brown and current South Carolina wide receivers coach Mike Furrey has developed Harbor into an impressive receiver and a very intriguing option in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft.

Round 5, Pick 146: Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State

Going back to the offensive line and back to the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Browns take another stab at left tackle in Drew Shelton. The 21-year-old Shelton started five games at left tackle as a true freshman in 2022, has been a staple at left tackle this season, and has the tools to become a quality starting left tackle in the NFL. Dawand Jones has also struggled to stay healthy thus far in his NFL career, so adding as many quality options to the tackle position should be a priority for Cleveland if they want to keep their young quarterback upright and healthy.

Round 5, Pick 148: Bear Alexander, DT, Oregon

In the midst of a strong rookie season from Mason Graham and a breakout campaign from Maliek Collins, defensive tackle may not be a dire need for the Browns, but adding a viable rotational nose tackle can always help anchor a defense. Bear Alexander has played at Georgia, USC, and now Oregon, showing he can hold his own on the inside against some of the best offenses in college football.

Round 6, Pick 206: Anthony Lucas, EDGE, USC

Another transfer for the defensive line, Anthony Lucas went from Texas A&M to USC, also playing at the nation's highest level. While the box score production has not been there for Lucas, at 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds, he has the frame the Cleveland seems to look for in rotational defensive ends. After signing Alex Wright to an extension and with Isaiah McGuire in the fold as well, Lucas could sit back and learn from the best in Myles Garrett while developing into a potential early-down end.

Round 7, Pick 242: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri

Josiah Trotter has playing linebacker in his blood, with his father being Philadelphia Eagles star linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and his brother, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. recently being drafted by those same Eagles out of Clemson. Josiah began his career at West Virginia, where he racked up 94 tackles in 2024. So far this season at Missouri, Trotter has been a menace at the line of scrimmage, totaling 11 tackles for loss. With the emergence of Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate, Carson Schwesinger, Trotter could provide some depth and special teams upside early in his career, and could develop into a viable running mate for the blooming star.