The Opening Drive 4/3: Five 'Buyer Beware' Browns Targets in the 2026 NFL Draft

Each of these players have the right upside but the risk associated should make the Browns pause.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 06: Ty Simpson #15 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to throw the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs during the fourth quarter in the 2025 SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

The Browns have a rich history of draft day blunders. We don’t need to rehash all of those but we know they did much better in 2025 and desperately need a repeat of that success in the 2026 NFL Draft. This year, the draft comes to Pittsburgh and the temptation to swing big will be louder than ever. The Dawg Pound will be watching. The pressure to make another splash at important positions on offense is real.

So before anyone in Berea falls in love with a prospect’s combine numbers or gets seduced by first-round upside language, consider this the annual intervention. Some of this year’s most hyped names come with concerns that deserve more than a footnote. Injury files that don’t close. Resumes built on one good season. Athletic profiles that flatter at the combine and disappear on third-and-seven in November.

These are prospects you know but, in my opinion, have a big flaw or two that give me serious hesitation on the Browns taking the swing in specific ranges. Let’s dig in.

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Monroe Freeling | OT | Georgia

Size: 6’7” | 315 lbs | Projection: 1st Round