The Cleveland Browns should be heading into the 2026 NFL Draft intending to truly fix three positions: wide receiver, offensive tackle, and free safety.
Todd Monken knows that he can’t head into 2026 with a receiving core headlined by Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, and Isaiah Bond. Ohio State’s Carnell Tate is a legitimate option at No.6 if the team doesn’t take an offensive tackle that early, but there should also be some great options at pick 24 as well, such as Washington’s Denzel Boston or Indiana’s
Omar Cooper Jr.
If they decide to wait until No.39 or even No.70, Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields could be the best option for a team that’s lacking size and ball skills at “X”.
Name: Malachi Fields
Position: Wide Receiver
Height/Weight: 6’4.5”, 218 pounds
College: Notre Dame
2025 Stats: 12 games – 36 recs., 630 rec. yards, 17.5 Y/R, 5 TDs, 52.5 Y/G
Career Stats: 48 games – 165 recs., 2479 rec. yards, 15.0 Y/R, 16 TDs, 51.6 Y/G
Average “Big Board” Position as of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database: 70th overall, projected third round
The Draft Network’s Grade/Round Value: Round 2 – Winning Starter
What an expert is saying
Boundary “X” receiver who uses elite size and strength to bully defensive backs. Notre Dame’s run-heavy approach and quarterback play slowed Fields’ production somewhat but his tape was filled with impressive moments. He’s best suited for an offense that allows him to get from Point A to Point B while using his frame/ball skills to dominate the work space and win in the air. He can be a slow starter versus press and lives on contested targets, but he moves the chains on tight-window throws and consistently tilts 50/50 balls in his direction outside the numbers. Fields might never be a star, but his traits, playing style and ball skills should make him a productive WR2 in time.
What an expert is saying (bonus round):
Fields’s flashes are intoxicating; he’s a fluid, big-bodied receiver who adjusts beautifully to the ball downfield. His analytical profile, on the other hand, is frightening. Therein lies the debate with Fields. But unlike early-round “bust” comps being thrown out there—such as Keon Coleman, Jonathan Mingo, and Van Jefferson—Fields has outstanding agility for his frame and tempos his routes with savvy. While he may not be a true WR1 as an X receiver, he could quickly develop into an inside-out vertical weapon, similar to Tee Higgins.
Fit with the Browns
The fit is pretty obvious with Fields in Cleveland. He’s a hulking “X” receiver who can make plays downfield with high-point adjustability and physicality.
Fields isn’t a burner by any means, but he’s one of the very few pass-catchers in the draft that a quarterback can throw the ball up to and convert a classic 50-50 ball into more of a 70-30 in his favor. He may not develop into a full-time WR1 with the Browns, but he’d undoubtedly be a long-term WR2-type for Todd Monken and Co.
Browns Player Drafting Could Impact
Cedric Tillman. It’s pretty clear that Cleveland wants to find a big-bodied receiver, but the team hasn’t had much luck as of late. Tillman hasn’t been able to stay healthy since being drafted, and there’s a very good chance that Todd Monken and the new offensive regime will slowly fade him out in 2026 if they take someone like Fields in rounds two or three.
What are your thoughts on Malachi Fields? Should the Browns take a gamble on him? Let us know in the comments!
