In just under a month, a moment many Cleveland Browns fans have been waiting for will take place— the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Anticipation builds as to what the Browns should do with not just one but both of their first-round picks. The Browns own their own pick (No. 6) and the Jaguars’ pick (No. 24), which they received in last year’s draft in a trade that netted the Jaguars Travis Hunter.
With two first-round picks, fans and media members agree that the Browns must take an offensive tackle and a wide receiver, but in what order?
The Case for Receiver
The case for the Browns to draft a wide receiver in the first round is easy.
The team has not used a first-round pick on the position since Corey Coleman in 2016, a player who did not pan out. The case for which first-round pick the Browns should use is much more complicated. While talents such as Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson are thought of highly, and may go closer to the Browns’ sixth pick than their 24th, the wide receiver position seems to be much deeper than, say, tackle.
The list of names, with various skill sets and fits across wide receiver archetypes, is long for the 2026 class. Need a true wide receiver one? There are options. Need a smaller slot build? Options there too. The point is, the Browns need to draft a receiver, but do they need to draft a receiver at pick six? That depends on the tackle class’s depth.
The Case for Tackle
The tackle class for the 2026 class is a unique one.
The top names who played tackle during their college career are either more suited for the Guard spot or played right tackle. Names like Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano are examples of this, and while those two would be nice additions, the Browns added four starting-level linemen in free agency, filling all but the left tackle position.
That leaves two prospects, Monroe Freeling from Georgia, and Caleb Lomu from Utah. Freeling has climbed boards due to his physical stature and athleticism, as well as a strong combine. Lomu, on the other hand, has more to work on in his game, making him a much rawer prospect who more than likely will be there at pick 24. While the 2026 class is deep at offensive line, it is not as deep at specifically left tackle, a premium position, especially in the NFL.
The Verdict
While both wide receiver and tackle are positions of need for the Cleveland Browns, and the team’s first two round picks should be a combination of those positions, the draft should look something like this:
Round 1, Pick 6: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
Round 1, Pick 24: Omar Cooper Jr, WR, Indiana
This does not account for the ability to trade, as Monroe Freeling will still most likely be on the board in the early teen range if the Browns were able to get a deal done. Alternatively, trading up from 24 to the late teens may net you a name like Jordyn Tyson, due to his extensive injury history, or Makai Lemon, due to his supposed tanking of interviews at the combine.
Regardless of trade or not, tackle THEN receiver is the best order for the Browns to go in the first round because tackle, especially left tackle, has become a much more premium position as tackle prospects become harder and harder to find. True first option wide receivers can be found in later rounds. 2022 second-round pick George Pickens and 2021 fourth-round pick Amon-Ra St. Brown are examples of this.
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft can be simple for the Browns: go for the harder to find, less-deep position first in tackle, then take the best receiver that falls to pick 24, and move into the 2026 season with two cornerstone pieces on offense.
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