Dawgs By Nature
After Week 14 of the 2025 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns are slotted in with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft order. The Browns will also acquire another first-round pick from the Jacksonville Jaguars, a pick that is currently slotted late in the opening stanza.
Despite a very good game from QB Shedeur Sanders against the Tennessee Titans in Week 14, Cleveland is still likely to select a quarterback if it has a chance at the top of next year’s NFL draft. Given Sanders’ great stat line this week, completing a Browns 2026 NFL mock draft to build around Sanders is fun and, to some extent, logical.
The reality is that if Sanders proves he is THE guy for the franchise, Cleveland will have all kinds of options in the 2026 NFL draft, including trading down again if another team is desperate to get up for their quarterback. For now, we will just focus on building the best team around Sanders with this Browns mock draft using Pro Football Network’s Mock Draft Simulator.
First round – OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
The top tackle in the draft heads to Cleveland to protect Sanders.
First round – WR Denzel Boston, Washington
This year’s draft has a lot of interesting receivers. Boston’s size gives him the leg up on KC Concepcion for this pick.
Second round – WR Jakobi Lane, USC
Doubling up on bigger receivers with a history of production should immediately upgrade the Browns offense around Sanders.
Third round – OT Dametrious Crownover, Texas A&M
Speaking of doubling up, trusting Dawand Jones will be able to stay healthy is too far of a leap. If Sanders is locked in at quarterback with Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson at running back and Harold Fannin Jr. set as the starting tight end, adding both starting tackles and two top receivers in the first three rounds fixes a lot of issues.
Fourth round – QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Listen, if Sellers is being drafted this low he should return to college, at a different school. However, he was available here and gives Cleveland a big QB to run sneaks and be creative on offense. Plus, you can never go wrong trying to invest in a big, athletic QB in the middle rounds.
Fifth round – CB Treydan Stukes, Arizona
Fifth round – DT Zane Durant, Penn State
Fifth round – OG Tomas Rimac, Virginia Tech
It is important for the Browns to build their backup defenders and special teams, after investing heavily in the offense earlier. Getting a guard who can compete for a starting job or be a solid backup right away in the fifth round is another smart way to build the offensive line.
Sixth round – CB Charlie Demmings, Stephen F. Austin
Sixth round – RB Daylan Smothers, NC State
With a Dillon and a Dylan already on the roster, adding a Daylan just made sense. Jerome Ford is likely gone after this season so some depth...
