The Cleveland Browns have started training camp 2026. This year, there are plenty of new bodies in the coaching booth and on the roster. A total of 90 guys are in camp, with the final cutdown date being August 30, with waiver claims the following day.
The NFL is down to three preseason games after going to a 17-game season. After the league takes on an 18-game schedule (and it will), most likely the exhibition games will be pared down to just two contests.
RELATED: REALISTIC/UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
Preseason games are important. It works for the new guys who played under different systems the year before. And then there are the drafted rookies and the undrafted rookies that need the playing time to prove that they belong on the final roster. The Browns have zero issue with keeping undrafted rookies who stand out. Last year alone, Cleveland employed 12 guys who fit this description.
As this year’s training camp rolls along and the preseason games are checked off the schedule, it is this year’s draft class who will be watched and scrutinized the most. Some will start. Others will secure backup spots, while others will go up and down the depth chart as the calendar drops off completed games.
Plus, preseason games give the coaching staff of which players to cut.
Although it is rare, sometimes drafted rookies are cut after their first camp. In 2024, seventh-round pick DT Jowon Briggs was waived on the final cutdown, then signed to the practice squad.
Just because a guy was taken early in the draft doesn’t mean he will become the standout rookie in his first season. He could ultimately be labeled the franchise’s best draft pick.
For this upcoming season, when it’s all said and done, which player will be this year’s best rookie?
Here at Dawgs by Nature, we assembled some very knowledgeable folks with Browns affiliations. They cover the Browns and know their team.
Which Browns’ rookie will have the best year in 2026?
The 2026 Cleveland Browns draft class includes:
- Spencer Fano: OT, Utah – Round 1, Pick #9
- KC Concepcion: WR, Texas A&M – Round 1, Pick #24
- Denzel Boston: WR, Washington – Round 2, Pick #39
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren: S, Toledo – Round 2, Pick #58
- Austin Barber: OT, Florida – Round 3, Pick #86
- Parker Brailsford: C, Alabama – Round 5, Pick #146
- Justin Jefferson: LB, Alabama – Round 5, Pick #149
- Joe Royer: TE, Cincinnati – Round 5, Pick #170
- Taylen Green: QB, Arkansas – Round 6, Pick #182
- Carsen Ryan: TE, BYU – Round 7, Pick #248
Rod Bluhm
The Browns Blitz Podcast
LINK: THE BROWNS BLITZ PODCAST
WR Denzel Boston
The second wide receiver selected by the Browns in April, Denzel Boston, is a tough choice in a rookie class loaded with potential high-level contributors. Boston is my choice to have the best rookie season on the team.
The Browns have been hungry for a big-bodied receiver since the days of Josh Gordon. Boston has an outstanding skill set that goes far beyond his role as a consistent red-zone target. His speed and great hands were evident in spring camps, matching his play at the University of Washington. Boston will be much more than a situational receiver winning 50/50 balls. Boston will likely challenge for second in Browns’ targets.
Boston has the potential to lead the team in receiving yards and touchdown catches but will have a lot of competition. I expect him to put up impressive numbers in his rookie season. Look for 50 catches, 750 yards, and as many as 10 TDs. Anything close would be an outstanding season for a rookie receiver in Cleveland.
Kristy Acuti
Administrator: Browns Fans Only Facebook page
Co-Host: Ulterior Motives Sports Podcast Network
LINK: ULTERIOR MOTIVES SPORTS PODCAST
OT Spencer Fano
Spencer Fano will be the breakout Browns rookie this season, and here is why I think he will be. First, he was drafted #9 overall. He’s the younger brother of Logan, who the Browns picked up undrafted, so they’ll have the sibling thing pushing him.
Fano realizes that our offense has always needed work, and he’s shown in camp so far that he’s up for that challenge. Monken is singing his praises and has put him into the starting lineup for practices lately, and said he knows the challenge ahead of him. But he’s ready, and since OT Joe Thomas, I haven’t seen someone so dedicated to the offensive line.
He’s ready to bring the energy and be as much of a leader in his rookie Year l, that he can be, and he’s ready to follow the standard that Joe set as the LT. He’s used to the right side, but excited to take on this challenge and prove to Monken he made the right choice. He’s got some great guys to protect, and he knows what’s on the line.
“Kenny Mac” MacDonald
President: Ottawa Browns Backers
Co-Host: The Dawgs Podcast
LINK: OTTAWA BROWNS BACKERS FACEBOOK PAGE
S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
When the Browns selected safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren out of Toledo with the 58th overall pick, most of the conversation centered around where he would fit on the depth chart. With Grant Delpit securing a contract extension and Ronnie Hickman returning on his tender, many assumed the rookie would have to wait his turn.
It’s a different game now. Under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg, this is less about winning a traditional starting job and more about earning snaps in a defense built around versatility. Across the NFL, defenses are relying more than ever on three-safety personnel packages to disguise coverages, rotate responsibilities after the snap, and better defend today’s NFL offenses. McNeil-Warren doesn’t have to replace Delpit or Hickman to make an immediate impact—he simply has to prove he belongs on the field with them.
What makes McNeil-Warren my choice isn’t just his athletic ability; it’s how naturally his game aligns with Rutenberg’s defensive philosophy. Since arriving in Cleveland, Rutenberg has emphasized one message above all else: attack the football. His mantra has been, “When the ball is in the air, breathe it in.” McNeil-Warren already plays with that mentality. He attacks passes with confidence, trusts his instincts, and finishes plays.
Just as importantly, he creates takeaways in multiple ways. He can “breathe it in” by coming down with an interception, but he also has the physicality and awareness to punch the football free after the catch. Those are game-changing plays, and coordinators always find room on the field for defenders who consistently create extra possessions.
The Browns have also embraced the organization’s new defensive identity: Heart. Mind. Fist. McNeil-Warren embodies all three. The heart shows up in his relentless effort and willingness to play a physical brand of football. The mind is evident in his route recognition, communication, and ability to diagnose plays before they fully develop. The fist is what separates him from many young defensive backs. He doesn’t settle for making tackles—he attacks the football. Whether he’s ripping the ball free from a runner or high-pointing an interception, his first instinct is to create turnovers rather than simply end the play.
Stylistically, McNeil-Warren reminds me of the type of player Xavier Watts became entering the NFL. This isn’t a comparison of résumés—Watts left Notre Dame as one of the nation’s most decorated defensive players—but rather a comparison of playing style. Both players built their reputations on instincts instead of elite testing numbers. They diagnose plays quickly, anticipate routes, and seem to have a natural feel for where the football is going. They’re ballhawks first and foremost, and in today’s NFL, that trait is invaluable.
McNeil-Warren has the same turnover-producing DNA that made Watts such an intriguing prospect, and that type of instinctive playmaker fits exactly what Rutenberg wants in the back end of his defense. The biggest misconception surrounding McNeil-Warren is that he has to “beat out” Delpit or Hickman to justify his draft status. That simply isn’t how modern NFL defenses operate. The Browns can have all three safeties on the field together, allowing Rutenberg to disguise coverages, match personnel against athletic tight ends and slot receivers, and rotate responsibilities without tipping his hand before the snap.
If McNeil-Warren proves he can consistently create turnovers, his snap count will grow naturally because defensive coordinators don’t keep playmakers on the bench.
The Browns didn’t draft Emmanuel McNeil-Warren simply to back up Grant Delpit or Ronnie Hickman. They drafted him because Mike Rutenberg values interchangeable defensive backs who can disguise coverages, create confusion before the snap, and, most importantly, take the football away. If McNeil-Warren proves he can consistently “breathe in the football,” whether through interceptions or forced fumbles, he’ll earn more than a role; he’ll earn the trust of a coordinator whose entire defensive philosophy is built around creating turnovers. That’s why I believe he’ll finish the season as Cleveland’s most impactful rookie.
Jacob Amstel
President: Browns Backers with a Twist – Cleveland
Staff writer: S.I. BigPlay Cleveland
LINK: BROWNS BACKERS WITH A TWIST FACEBOOK PAGE
WR Denzel Boston
The Browns added a lot of value and talent in the 2026 draft, on paper. The rookie class will contribute to all phases of the game in the upcoming season. While the #9 overall pick, Spencer Fano, should see every snap this season on the offensive line, while healthy, the best-case scenario for him is that we do not notice him. Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was considered the “steal” of the draft and should see plenty of playing time. However, it is undetermined how aggressive first-time defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg will use him.
First-round wide receiver KC Conception will get plenty of touches, but due to his size, it is unclear the exact role he will be used in the offense. The stand-out rookie in this class will be the second round, #39 overall pick, wide receiver, Denzel Boston. Boston measures at 6’-4” and will be a big-play target for whichever quarterback is under center.
New head coach Todd Monken was offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016-2018 that employed a young, 6’-5” receiver named Mike Evans. Two out of Monken’s three seasons in Tampa Bay led to Evans’ best seasons. In 2016, Evans had 1,321 yards and 12 touchdowns, and in 2018 he had 1,524 yards with eight touchdowns, averaging between 13.8 and 17.7 yards per reception in those three seasons. Denzel Boston averaged 13.2 and 14.2 yards per reception in his two best years in college.
Monken should develop and use Boston the same way he did with Evans in Tampa Bay. Evans’ quarterback in Tampa Bay while putting up his best numbers was none other than Cleveland favorite, Jameis Winston. He was a quarterback that pushed the ball down the field, ball safety be damned. The Browns have a similar quarterback on the roster, Shedeur Sanders. While Deshaun Watson may start the season, Sanders will and should get most of the snaps under center. Boston may not be noticed at first if Watson starts, but once Sanders starts heaving the ball downfield, Boston will be the intended target.
Although Evans has 20 pounds on Boston, Boston has just as strong hands and body position to be used as a downfield and red zone target. For his rookie season, Boston will be around 700-900 yards and five to seven touchdowns with around 12-14 yards per reception, numbers pending on how much playing time Sanders earns. The Browns rookie class will be used heavily and often. Look for Denzel Boston leading the way to what should be a more entertaining and offensively capable season.
There will be a Part 2 with more predictions coming in from other experts.
Who do you think will be the best Browns rookie this year?
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