CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns own the No. 6 and No. 24 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft after a brutal 5-12 campaign that left second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders battered. After firing Kevin Stefanski and hiring Todd Monken to lead the charge, the front office is signaling a total philosophical shift. Cleveland already spent big in free agency to fix a unit that surrendered 21 sacks in just seven starts last year, and this latest PFF mock draft suggests they aren’t finished yet.
Cleveland spent the first month of the offseason overhauling the depth chart, signing veterans like Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson. However, the work in the trenches continues at the top of the draft. At No. 6, the simulator sends Miami’s Francis Mauigoa to the shores of Lake Erie. Mauigoa isn’t just a big body; he is a statistical anomaly. The Samoan tackle allowed a pressure on only 3.5 percent of his pass-blocking snaps during his three-year stint with the Hurricanes.
Mauigoa would slide into the starting right tackle spot immediately. With Dawand Jones as the only returning starter from the 2025 unit, the Browns are effectively building a fortress around Sanders. This move forces Tytus Howard into a swing-tackle role, a necessary change after Howard struggled with eight penalties and 21 pressures last season. The draft room in Cleveland likely feels the heat—protecting the “franchise” isn’t a suggestion anymore; it’s a mandate.
The shocker comes later in the first round. Despite grabbing Mauigoa at No. 6, the PFF simulator projects Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor to Cleveland at No. 24. This pick comes courtesy of the Jaguars, who traded up for Travis Hunter last year. Iheanachor is a raw, high-ceiling project who didn’t even play high school football. His combine numbers were freakish, but he remains a technical work-in-progress.
Taking two tackles in the first round is a bold, perhaps desperate, strategy. While the Browns need depth, passing on a wide receiver or a linebacker here might draw some boos from the Dawg Pound. If Monken wants to run his “smashmouth” scheme, Iheanachor’s athleticism is a fit, but he will need a heavy dose of coaching before he’s ready for AFC North pass rushers.
“We’re in the development business. Nobody has a ready-made roster. If we want Shedeur to operate at his best, he needs to be upright. It’s that simple. We’re going to be physical, and we’re going to be nasty up front.”
— Todd Monken, Browns Head Coach
The Browns finally address the defense at No. 39 with Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood. Hood was a breakout star for the Vols in 2025, stepping in for an injured Jermod McCoy and holding opposing quarterbacks to an elite 70.8 passer rating. He provides immediate insurance for Tyson Campbell, who struggled late last year despite his high PFF rating.
In the third round, Cleveland snags Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt. Fresh off a national championship season with the Hoosiers, Sarratt led the FBS with 15 touchdowns in 2025. He isn’t a burner, but he’s a contested-catch machine. For a quarterback like Sanders, who loves to take shots, Sarratt is a reliable safety valve in the red zone.
This draft class is about survival. The Browns are betting everything on a “year two” leap from Shedeur Sanders, but that leap is impossible if he’s running for his life. By potentially adding two first-round tackles, Cleveland is telling the rest of the league they are done being bullied in the trenches. The pressure is now squarely on Todd Monken to blend these new pieces with Myles Garrett’s historic production. If the O-line holds, Cleveland could jump from 5 wins to a Wild Card spot. If they miss on these picks, it’s back to the basement of the AFC North.
