So much can change between now (the lull in the 2025 offseason) and the 2026 NFL draft, but that is part of what makes football so much fun to follow and cover. The NFL has become the constant “What if?” conversation. Whether it is about “What if Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders or Kenny Pickett prove to be the next breakout quarterback, fixing the Cleveland Browns?” or “What if Arch Manning is the most athletic, best Manning to come out of college?”
For the Browns, those two questions are linked together with the next draft. If Gabriel, Sanders or Pickett prove to be quality starters, Cleveland’s two first-round picks can be used in a myriad of ways (including trading down with a QB desperate team).
While Browns fans hope their team finds a way to win games on the field this season, the 2026 NFL draft gives those fans something else to be excited about and look forward to. “What if (insert college prospect name) was in Cleveland next year?” should be asked a lot during the college season.
ESPN put out lists of top 5 players at every position next year, with Matt Miller and Jordan Reid each providing theirs. Interestingly, neither included Manning in their quarterback list, but both had Cade Klubnik as the top passer heading into the college season.
At wide receiver, with Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams not eligible next year, there are some interesting names in their very early rankings:
Miller’s top five
1. Antonio Williams, Clemson
2. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
3. Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn
4. Denzel Boston, Washington
5. Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Reid’s top five
1. Ja’Kobi Lane, USC
2. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
3. Antonio Williams, Clemson
4. Carnell Tate, Ohio State
5. Denzel Boston, Washington
At offensive tackle, another position Cleveland fans will likely spend a lot of energy on, Miller and Reid had a couple of guys who will need attention this year:
Toughest player to rank: (Kayden) Proctor, (Alabama). There are mixed feelings about the 6-7, 360-pound junior. On one hand, he’s a massive tackle prospect with otherworldly blocking strength. But his moments of brilliance are countered by plenty of disappointing stretches. He tends to float against lesser competition, losing attention to detail and not using his power advantage. Scouts want to see more consistency from Proctor in 2025, and many believe he can be a top-15 pick if he shows it. — Reid
Player outside of the top five to watch: Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame. I had a pretty tough time keeping Wagner out of my top five after he played a very strong 16 games in 2024. The 6-6, 293-pound junior right tackle flourished as a run blocker, with awesome agility and awareness in space. He has the chance to shoot up draft boards if his second season as a full-time starter is as good as his first. — Miller
As training camp gets rolling next month, college practices will start to ramp up. We will attempt to provide 2026 NFL draft prep throughout the college season while also seeing how the Browns are doing on the field.
Are you excited for both the Browns season and to see who is coming up in the next NFL draft or do you just wait until the NFL season is over before switching your attention to the draft? Are there players, listed above or not, that you want us to try to focus on during the college season and/or are excited about possibly seeing in Cleveland next year?
Share your thoughts in the comment section below as Ohio prepares for some high heat days