With the 86th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected OT Austin Barber (6-foot-7 and 318 pounds) from Florida. It was their only third round pick, but came after some back-and-forth after they traded away No. 74 to seem like they were done for the day, only to trade three draft picks to get back into the third round again.
Austin Barber Scouting Report
Here is a scouting report from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who had Barber
as the 11th-ranked offensive tackle prospect on his board in this year’s draft class:
A starter for three-and-a-half years at Florida, Barber lined up at left tackle in former offensive coordinator Russ Callaway’s balanced scheme. After battling injuries as a sophomore in 2023, he started all 25 games across his junior and senior seasons, earning All-SEC honors in 2025. He was inconsistent over his career, with high highs and low lows — and NFL teams are just as inconsistent in their evaluations of him.
Barber passes the eye test with his long frame and adequate muscle mass, and he has a basketball background as an athlete. However, he can be stressed by outside speed and gets walked backwards into the pocket by speed-to-power moves. His hands are erratic, in terms of punch tempo and placement, but he can displace bodies when he connects. Overall, Barber has NFL size, tools and demeanor but needs to polish his timing and technique to hold up against next-level competition. He is a developmental swing tackle prospect, who might be better suited for a move to guard.
How Barber fits the Cleveland Browns
The Browns already took OT Spencer Fano in the first round, and they have an abundance of offensive linemen now between free agency and the draft. That includes Tytus Howard and Dawand Jones. DBN’s Matt Wilson noted in our staff chat, as the pick was being made, that Barber was his favorite offensive tackle in the draft, and believes he should stick outside as opposed to moving inside. Either way, though, Cleveland has stacked the offensive line and has a lot of options to see who fits where the best.
React to the Barber pick
What do you think, Browns fans? Let us know in the comments section below.
