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Browns 6-5 rookie QB Taylen Green, who ran 4.36 40: 'I really don't think there's anybody like me'

Not Fernando Mendoza.

Not Ty Simpson.

Not Carson Beck.

No quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft class – or the league overall, for that matter -- has the measurables of Taylen Green, the sixth-round draft choice of the Cleveland Browns.

At 6-foot-5 7/8, 227 pounds, with a 4.36 40-yard dash, Green has the physical make-up that makes fans' imaginations run wild and offensive coordinator's plans expand into new territory.

He's not lacking confidence, either.

"To be honest, no," Green said last week at rookie minicamp when asked if there was a quarterback he compared his potential to, via Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. "I would say of course Lamar [Jackson], but he ain't 6[foot-]6. Josh Allen is close, but I'm 230. He's like 260. My dad says Randall Cunningham-ish. I really don't think there's anybody like me. Not in a like cocky (way) or anything, just some confidence. There's nobody that moves like me, that's as tall as me."

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Green's blistering 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine was the second fastest for a quarterback since 2003, per NFL Research. He also leaped to a 43 1/2-inch vertical.

A Texas native who began his college football career at Boise State before transferring to Arkansas, Green threw for more than 2,700 yards and at least 15 touchdowns in each of his two seasons with the Razorbacks. During those two years he also ran for at least 600 yards and scored eight rushing TDs in each year.

"He's a freak is what he is, I mean, he's incredibly rare," NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said following Green's selection.

However, there's a reason he was a sixth-round choice as his otherworldly athleticism needs to be complemented by more refinement and polish at quarterback.

Thus, many could surmise he landed in a great spot with Browns rookie head coach Todd Monken, who coached the aforementioned Jackson the past three seasons, which included the Baltimore Ravens quarterback earning a pair of All-Pro honors along with his second career MVP.

Monken is reticent to take too much, if any credit, for Jackson's exploits, though.

"Well, I was lucky enough to get Lamar a lot later in his career, so let's not …," Monken said. "We did some things with Lamar, but he was already further along. But you can see that with Tay. You can see from when he was at Boise to then getting with Bobby Petrino and the guys at Arkansas, he's come a long way.

"You can see that already and there's still a next jump that he can make. It's exciting to have him out here and let him just play through some things. Obviously, this is the time for him to get reps. Once we get into OTAs in another week, that's really going to diminish. You're not going to see as much of him because of the numbers, but I'm excited. I'm excited for him. He's a great kid and everything we've heard about him so far has been true."

NFL hope and hype are eternal during the spring. Every team has the same record, nobody's wearing pads and optimism and ideas reign.

Monken has a QB competition to oversee, though. It's one in which Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are leading the way with Dillon Gabriel having been mentioned as still being a part of it. So, Monken has quickly doused any expectations that Green is a new entry into the competition.

However, he could still be used in special packages, an idea Monken said was "too early" to determine.

Confident as he is in his abilities, Green is very much cognizant of his status, with his stellar measurements not excluding him from keeping his ears and eyes open.

"They have experience in the league and success at a high level," Green said of the Browns' other quarterbacks. "So, I'm just the young pup. I feel like a freshman again and just trying to take everything in and learn at a steep curve. I'm going to probably get on their nerves and ask a lot of questions, but that's OK."

Just how and if Monken will use Green will be intriguing from the spring through the fall, but for now, the Arkansas product is grateful that the coach is considering getting him involved and happy and willing to do whatever he has to when his number is called.

"It definitely means a lot," Green said. "It's really cool. Just the vision that he has for me. I'm just, especially my rookie year, I'm just here to help the team win. No matter what I have to do, I'm blessed to have this opportunity and blessed to have them draft me because not a lot of people get that opportunity. So if it's just running somebody over to get that touchdown. I'm going to run somebody over."

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