Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry started on the offseason rebuilding of the offensive line this week with a trade for veteran tackle Tytus Howard.
It was a good first start, but with the potential for having to fill four more starting spots on the line, plus build up some respectable depth, Berry’s work is far from done.
Free agency, which begins on Monday when teams can officially start to negotiate with players, will likely bring in one or two new faces. They may not be big-ticket names
like center Tyler Linderbaum or offensive tackle Rasheed Walker, but Berry can make some moves if the price is right, thanks to the recent restructuring of the contracts for both Deshaun Watson and Denzel Ward.
The most impactful moves are still to come in the 2026 NFL Draft, where the Browns hold nine selections, including four in the first three rounds.
While the Browns have picked a bad year to draft a quarterback in the first round, it is a good year to need offensive linemen, especially at the tackle position.
So with that in mind, let’s run through Dane Brugler’s recent two-round mock draft at The Athletic to see what he believes Berry will do when the Browns are on the clock.
Round 1 (No. 6 overall): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
With Miami’s Francis Mauigoa off the board to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3, and the New York Giants taking Ohio State’s Sonny Styles at No. 5, thereby ruining the pleasant fantasy of pairing Styles with Carson Schwesinger, the Browns make the smart play with the selection of Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano:
“Easily the best O-line workout this year.”
The feedback from others matched that praise from a team source and was universally glowing about Fano’s combine performance. (“He confirmed the big grade I put on him,” was another good reply from a team scout.)
His shorter arms (32 1/8 inches) will be interpreted differently by each team, but Fano is too well-liked across the league for him to fall down boards.
Make what you will of Fano’s arm length, but he is an athletic lineman who should be able to find a spot somewhere on Cleveland’s line, as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein highlights in his draft profile of Fano:
Fano lacks an ideal proportional build but compensates with loose hips, quick feet, and high-end athleticism. He has the tools to mirror speed rushers, wall off the top of the pocket, and find a late anchor when taking the worst of a bull rush. He needs to stay square longer to prevent inside moves and refine his punch approach/timing. His athletic profile is designed for move-based blocking schemes where he can pull, reach, and climb while beating opponents to the spot with quickness/feel for hitting landmarks on time. He gives good effort as a downhill blocker, but issues with pad level and core strength lead to him being overtaken as the rep progresses. Fano’s level of NFL success might be tied to scheme fit and individual matchups.
There is some talk that Fano may be better suited to playing guard, which the Browns need as well, so that’s good. But if that does not appeal to the coaches, Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling would be a perfectly acceptable fallback option.
Round 1 (No. 24 overall): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
As much as Berry needs to fix the offensive line, he can’t ignore the wide receiver room, which was among the league’s worst in 2025, even when taking into consideration that the quarterback play was historically bad.
With their second first-round pick, Berry adds a talented playmaker to the roster in Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson:
Without any concerns about durability, Tyson likely would be a top-10 pick. However, a lingering hamstring issue might create doubt in the minds of some decision-makers, which could, in turn, lead a team such as Cleveland to find awesome value in the back half of Round 1.
If the Browns are comfortable with the quality of Tyson’s hamstrings, then he sounds like the exact type of wide receiver they need, as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein highlights in his draft profile of Tyson:
Learning from Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward helped unlock Tyson’s production and elevated his draft stock. He’s added size and improved his route running over the last two years, showing he can align at all three receiver spots. He occasionally rushes the route but has the short-area quickness and contested-catch toughness to find chain-moving grabs in high-leverage moments. He’s not a blazer but has enough speed to work down the field. Also, he has the ball skills and body control to win above the rim with timing on 50/50 throws. Scouts say he puts in the time to absorb knowledge and hone his craft. A history of injuries might explain inconsistent competitiveness as a run blocker in 2025. The wiring, versatility, and finishing talent point to a WR1 ceiling.
Any doubts, as Berry could opt for Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston, double-dip on Utah lineman with offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, or (gasp!) take a shot on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
Round 2 (No. 39 overall): D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
Selecting a cornerback this high feels like a luxury, but if the Browns are not comfortable with Martin Emerson coming off a torn Achilles injury as the third cornerback, they could look at the 5-foot-9 and 182-pound D’Angelo Ponds to fill the role:
Drop him at the nickel, and Ponds would make an already stout defense even better. His size isn’t ideal, but Ponds would be in the CB1 conversation if he were two inches taller.
There is nothing that Ponds can do about his size, but what he can control is what he does on the field, which is being a productive player, as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein highlights in his draft profile on Ponds:
Ponds is a productive perimeter cornerback trapped in a smaller body, but he’s not lacking in confidence or coverage tenacity. He’s tremendously competitive, and winning seems to follow him at each stop. He matches press releases with good slide quickness and has the speed to stay in-phase as routes travel vertically. Eye discipline, instincts, and trigger quickness fuel his zone work and catch disruption. Size limitations will likely push him to nickelback, where mismatches against bigger bodies and physical challenges from run games will test his playmaking/durability. Ponds is a likely Day 2 pick who will be an above-average starting nickelback in the NFL.
If Berry is not ready to use a selection on a defensive player at this point, a few names to watch that are still on the board in this mock include Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II, Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon, Iowa guard Gennings Dunker, or Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields.
What do you think, Browns fans? Does this mock draft get you fired up, or would you have Cleveland go in a different direction? Share your thoughts in the comments.
