We've seen examples where quarterbacks — Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels, and Cam Ward, to name a few — have ascended from a mid-round projection before their final season to eventually go first (or second) overall. Following a down year, there are a number of quarterbacks who should hear their name called early in the draft. In addition, Allar would have likely been a top-10 pick had he declared in this past draft cycle as some teams were encouraging him to do, according to reports.

Perhaps a perfect fit to play in Cleveland and the rough-and-tumble AFC North, Allar has prototypical size and the arm strength to make all the throws anywhere on the field. Continued development by the former five-star recruit from Medina (OH) could catapult him to the top of the draft board and under center for his hometown team.

Could we call this a mock draft without including an Ohio State wide receiver? Of course, Jeremiah Smith gets the bulk of the attention and would be the slam-dunk WR1 if he were eligible in 2026, but Tate is currently my bet to be the WR1 in the 2026 draft class. The lanky wideout's route-running ability, catch radius and strong hands would be a welcome addition to Cleveland's below-average wide receiving corps.

Allar is an unrefined product, but he has a lot of the traits that will appeal to NFL teams. The Ohio native grew up wanting to play for Cleveland. The Browns are clearly stockpiling picks to either take their quarterback of choice or move around to get that player. The third-round selection of Dillon Gabriel and fifth-round selection of Shedeur Sanders is not going to change that fact.

The Browns secured a second first-round pick as a part of trading back from No. 2 to No. 5 in the 2025 NFL Draft so that the Jaguars could move up to select WR/CB Travis Hunter. With that, Cleveland selects the Utah offensive lineman. Fano is an incredibly athletic right tackle who would benefit by adding more mass. The idea would be Cleveland flipping him to the left side; a strategy that did not exactly work out with former first-round pick Jedrick Wills.

Best Pick: Second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger is a good pick. They need help there and he is a playmaker. Browns fans will come to love him.

Worst Pick: Trading away the No. 2 pick to Jacksonville will be a decision that is dissected for years. They passed on a chance to take Travis Hunter, the best player in the draft, to move down. They did add a first-round pick next year, which means they have the arsenal to get a quarterback next year if either of the two they picked this year don't work out.

The Skinny: They clearly have an eye on the 2026 draft with the trade they made. They can get their quarterback then, even if they took Dillon Gabriel in the third and Sheduer Sanders in the fifth this year. First-round pick Mason Graham is a good player who will be an immediate starter. Fourth-round running back Dylan Sampson has a chance to be a good runner and compete with second-round back Quinshon Judkins. The focus will be on Sanders, but it shouldn't be.

Top needs entering the draft: Quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher and running back

The Browns made a splash return to the first round after sitting out Day 1 for three straight years. That, of course, aligns with the Deshaun Watson era. The Browns traded their 2022, 2023 and 2024 first-rounders to Houston in March 2022 to sign Watson to an enormous $230 million fully guaranteed deal and subsequently got 19 touchdown passes out of him over 19 games. Watson is currently injured, too, after retearing his Achilles. So all eyes were on Cleveland at No. 2. Everyone expected Travis Hunter to be the pick.

Instead, we got a shocker. Cleveland traded back to No. 5 in a deal with the Jaguars. Hunter is the clear best player in the class in my eyes, but defensive tackle Mason Graham was third on my board. He's strong and moves really well, and he will rush the passer from the interior. Maliek Collins, Shelby Harris and Graham form a good defensive tackle rotation. But the Browns also added a lot of draft capital here, including a 2026 first-rounder. This is a massive part of why they earned my top grade. Jacksonville isn't exactly a playoff lock, so that could be a high pick next April.

The other main reason I gave the Browns an A+ shouldn't be a surprise. They got quarterback Shedeur Sanders at No. 144 to finish their seven-pick draft. He was my No. 5 overall prospect in the class and clear QB1. He brings excellent accuracy, completing 74% of his throws last season. He brings toughness in the pocket. I think he will be an outstanding pro QB, and I believe we will look back on this pick in a few years and question what the rest of the NFL was doing.

Cleveland also took Dillon Gabriel, though. I like him as a sleeper, though I was skeptical when the Browns made the pick. Going with 40-year-old Joe Flacco, twice-traded Kenny Pickett and Gabriel isn't in anyone's best interest. But pairing Sanders and Gabriel gives the Browns options as they try to sort through the post-Watson era. Gabriel throws with terrific ball placement and makes quick, smart decisions with the football.

Beyond the quarterback dealings, the Browns added some really good players. One of the other picks coming to Cleveland in the Jaguars trade was No. 36, which meant it kicked off Day 2 with a pair of quick selections. Carson Schwesinger was getting legitimate Round 1 buzz, and he will factor into the pass coverage, run defense and even the pass rush. He had 115 tackles, two interceptions and four sacks last season. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is dealing with a neck injury, so Schwesinger was a smart addition after Cleveland also signed Jordan Hicks and re-signed Devin Bush.

Then, Quinshon Judkins -- who stays in-state from Ohio State -- will power the Browns' ground game to another level. He has a nose for the end zone with 50 scrimmage TDs since 2022. They got Dylan Sampson in Round 4, too. When he finds daylight, he's gone. The Browns averaged 94.6 rush yards per game last season (fourth fewest in the NFL), so they had to address this. They got two good running backs. Tight end/H-back Harold Fannin Jr. was the other Cleveland pick -- he led the nation with 117 catches last season, and the pairing of Fannin and David Njoku is intriguing.