The Opening Drive 1/23: Jesse Minter Withdraws and Shrine Bowl Prospects of Note (Offense)
Another final candidate removes the Browns and who will matter this weekend in Dallas.
Here we are once again. The Browns have a second interview lined up and that interview gets cancelled as the coach they hoped to interview takes another job. It happened earlier this week with Mike McDaniel in order to accept the offensive coordinator job in Los Angeles and now we have a repeat as Jesse Minter cancelled on the Browns today.
Minter turned down the Browns interview and Raiders job as well in order to become the fourth head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. This one made plenty of sense for both sides all along given their history but I respected the Browns taking the time to interview Minter given he has more than earned the interest of every team in the NFL. His defensive philosophy will mesh well with the Ravens and expect he will carry on their tradition of winning.
As for the Browns they head into the weekend with just one interview officially lined up. They will meet with Grant Udinski today and then watch as Udinski will meet with the Bills over the weekend. As of writing this newsletter that is all we know for confirmed interviews. It is believed they will have Rams Pass Game Coordinator Nate Scheelhaase also come in next week following the Rams NFC Championship game on Sunday but the specific date has yet to be confirmed.
We all know the Rooney Rule lingers for the Browns so they will need to meet that criteria in the coming week. That means some other interview must happen — one that we do not know anything about as of right now.
The fallback options are there with Jim Schwartz and Todd Monken should they not find themselves enamored with either of the young candidates but the pressure is on now on than ever to close one of the promising options. The Bills interest in Udkinski might be serious, and the Steelers loom as another prominent franchise with serious interest in Scheelhaase. The Browns will need to impress in a very important next seven days.
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I am down here in Dallas this week, and over the weekend, to get eyes on the Shrine Bowl prospects for us. Practices kick off this morning and I hope to give you guys the best coverage possible this week and help us learn some mid and late round draft prospects to know. Here are the names worth knowing on offense as the festivities kickoff at the Cowboys’ facility and we will use the 2026 Consensus Big Board to provide some data on where the players are ranked in that system.
Quarterback
#161 on the consensus draft board, Cade Klubnik, Clemson
The top quarterback in this game is Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, who came into the year with some first-round hype but quickly saw it fade as his lack of pocket navigation and inconsistent accuracy stood out. It is unlikely the Browns commit more assets to late-round quarterbacks after last season but so much of this depends on the next two months of personnel decisions. Miller Moss of Louisville and Behren Morton of Texas Tech are also interesting as prospects this week.
Running Back
#136 Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
#197 Roman Hemby, Indiana
#242 CJ Donaldson, Ohio State
#250 Robert Henry Jr., UTSA
The Browns should not be in on any premium running backs this offseason considering what they spent on the position last year, but given the injury to Quinshon Judkins and the departure of Jerome Ford, they might now start to look around in the later rounds.
If they want to go with a bigger back, C.J. Donaldson actually began his career at West Virginia, where he transferred from in 2025, as a “tight end.” At the college level, he ran the ball 517 times for 2,419 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and 40 touchdowns to go along with 47 receptions for 286 yards and two scores. He was Ohio State’s change-of-pace back this year who found most short-yardage situations and any role needing a bigger body for blocking purposes.
Roman Hemby recorded a 1,000-yard rushing season for Indiana after transferring from Maryland. He brings a nice blend of speed and power. He also returned kicks for the Hoosiers from time to time.
Receiver
#88 Skyler Bell, UConn
#178 Eric Rivers, Georgia Tech
#186 De’Zhaun Stribling, Mississippi State
#196 Noah Thomas, Georgia
The Browns need ball winners and if they do look in that bigger body realm then you’re going to watch receivers in this group, it will be Stribling (6-2, 210) and Thomas (6-5, 205).
Stribling caught 216 passes for 2,964 yards and 23 touchdowns in college, at Washington State, Oklahoma State and Mississippi. Thomas was at Texas A&M until this past season and finished with 89 receptions for 1,238 yards and 19 touchdowns. He only posted a 16-reception, 254-yard and 4-touchdown mark in 2025.
Another one I’m fascinated to see where NFL teams view him is Navy’s Eli Heidenreich. He rushed for 437 yards and three touchdowns on 67 carries, adding another 877 yards and five touchdowns on 46 catches this season. He is just a really good football player who can play both positions but is more likely to settle in at running back. I am also quite interested in his ability as a special teams ace— something the Browns badly need.
Tight End
#106 Jack Endries, Texas
#135 Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
#145 Dalton Bentley, Utah
#209 Lake McRee, USC
#256 Riley Nowakowski, Indiana
This draft class is deep at tight end and the Browns could use one. Specifically they could use one who excels in the blocking phases of the game and can be a flexible receiving option when called upon.
Jack Endries is the premiere name to know. He wasn’t the biggest Cal transfer in the portal last year — that title goes to future first overall pick Fernando Mendoza — but Endries’ name is probably second on that list. He’s one of the top prospects at this entire event.
Eli Raridon checked in with impressive natural body mass despite shorter arms but his physical nature in both aspects of the position will draw plenty of interest down here.
Indiana’s Riley Nowakowski played linebacker, fullback and tight end and was a relative unknown in the scouting community until he transferred from Wisconsin to Indiana in 2025. He has a chance to thrive in the right hybrid fullback/tight end role in specific offenses.
Offensive Line
#80 Brian Paker II, Duke
#140 Pat Coogan, Indiana
#142 Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
#148 Jaeden Roberts, Alabama
#151 DJ Campbell, Texas
#168 Fa’alili Fa’amoe, Wake Forest
#175 Joshua Braun, Kentucky
#176 Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame
#247 Diego Pounds, Mississippi
This is where the Browns will be focused all offseason and where I will try to spend most of my time this week as well.
Interestingly, Brian Parker II was listed as an interior offensive lineman by the Shrine Bowl, despite playing right tackle at Duke. Many scouts expect that he’ll move inside, potentially to center, at the next level. Pat Coogan, the Rose Bowl MVP, is another center prospect who actually played center at the college level. Parker II had some buzz to start the season, but that buzz quickly cratered as time went on. It became evident fairly quickly that he’s not an offensive tackle and will likely be kicking inside to guard or center. It seems center is his best bet to make the league, similar to former Duke tackle Graham Barton. If he has a strong week and game performance he could creep into more Day 2 discussions.
Texas A&M’s Ar’Maj Reed-Adams is a 6-foot-5, 314-pound Dallas native is a powerful athlete with plenty of length for the guard position in the NFL. He spent his first four years as a Jayhawk before transferring to College Station for his final two years of eligibility. In 2025, Reed-Adams was voted as a team captain and logged 680 snaps at right guard. He is older as a sixth-year senior. He has the opportunity to refine his footwork and hand placement, areas an NFL coaching staff can help develop. Reed-Adams had the option to enter the 2025 NFL Draft but chose to return and refine his craft. A year later, that decision appears to have paid off, as the interior lineman is now projected to be a mid-round selection. He has a strong chance to emerge as one of this year’s biggest risers from the Shrine Bowl and the Browns will be watching closely.
Browns Film Breakdown will return soon with some fresh content.
Nice summary! Looking forward to seeing more as the week develops