The Cleveland Browns took swings on four quarterbacks this offseason, though that doesn't mean they won't go back to one of several wells -- the NFL draft, free agency and/or the trade market -- to find a longterm starter at the position next spring.
Sayre Bedinger of Fansided's NFL Spin Zone authored a 2026 first-round mock draft on Sunday, July 6, in which he predicted the Browns will earn the No. 2 overall pick and select quarterback Garrett Nussmeier of LSU in that spot -- one slot after the New Orleans Saints acquire Clemson's Cade Klubnik.
"[The Browns] have one of the most uninspiring quarterback battles currently taking place in the NFL with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders," Bedinger wrote. "And they have a lot more needs than just the QB position. This is a pivotal year for the Browns to discover core players on their roster going forward."
Cleveland is likely to get both Gabriel and Sanders -- third-round and fifth-round picks in 2025, respectively -- real run under center during the regular upcoming season. Should one excel, he might begin the 2026 campaign as the starter. In that scenario, the Browns could move on from the other player, as the team prepares for a draft in which it owns the rights to both its own first-round pick and that of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Regardless of success in Cleveland or Jacksonville, two first-rounders should position the Browns to go after a quarterback early in Round 1 next April. It is possible that Arch Manning of Texas could also be in the mix, as he will be eligible to declare for the draft after his third collegiate season concludes.
If Manning decides not to go pro, Nussmeier figures to be one of the top two quarterbacks available in the class. He finished last season with 4,052 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
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