Cleveland Browns Offensive Line and the 2026 Draft

Guard Prospects

• Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State, 6-4, 330 lbs):
  I consider Vega the top offensive line prospect in this class. Explosive and powerful with upper-level movement skills, Ioane should be at the top of the board when it comes to value at the position.
• Chase Bisontis (Texas A&M):
  Bisontis is a sledder at guard and has the ability to battle with players who have better size or athleticism. He represents one of the safer picks in this draft class.
  Full Scouting Report
• Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon)
  Pregnon is a skilled blocker but may be closer to his ceiling than some other options in this class. He likely can contribute early in his career and has a skillset that will help him stick in the league for a multi-contract career.
  Full Scouting Report
• Keylan Rutledge (Georgia Tech, 6-4, 320 lbs):
  Rutledge has a solid frame with some strength to contribute to the ground game, but will need to improve his pass protection. Teams should be comfortable with selecting him starting late in the second round.

Center Prospects

• Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State, 6-4, 330 lbs):
  Ioane can play center as a professional and should be considered the top option at the position in this class.
• Keylan Rutledge (Georgia Tech, 6-4, 320 lbs):
  Rutledge, like Ioane, can play center and would rank possibly as the #2 option in this class. Unlike Vega, making the move to center may be Keylan’s best path in the NFL.
• Sam Hecht (Kansas State, 6-4, 300 lbs):
  Although Sam likely doesn’t off the board before the middle of round 3 at the earliest, he makes the list as he represents the best pure center in this class.

Strategy Options: Doubling Up, Trading Up, or Trading Down?

Doubling, Tripling, Quadrupling Up?

Just how many players should the Browns select on the line in this draft? It’s obviously dependent on available talent when they go on the clock. A reasonable target could be a set of three players for the OL within the first six picks of the draft. The obvious change would be if there are moves in free agency that negate some of the need. If Cleveland were to select nothing but offensive line with the first four picks, it would be hard-pressed to argue.  That is, unless the value simply isn’t there, and the pick(s) would represent too much of a reach.

With Quinshon Judkins showing bell-cow ability and an obvious bit of work to be done at passer, going all in on the offensive line in this draft makes too much sense to ignore. So, yeah, go ahead and double, triple, or quadruple down, so long as it represents solid value when the Browns are up to select.

Trade Up?

That second first-round pick represents an interesting conundrum when it comes to potentially moving up in the first. What if a player like Spencer Fano or Kadyn Proctor slid down the board into the low teens? Highly unlikely? Agreed, but the draft is full of head-shaking details every year. This could be the time to utilize one of the picks just traded for if the value is too great to pass on.

However, the better scenario would be if a player like Blake Miller or Monroe Freeling were somehow still on the board at the bottom of that opening round. Regardless of if the selections were OL with both of the picks in the first, there still should be consideration for trading up out of the top of the second and going after either of these options. Yes, this would be three 1st round offensive linemen selected, with all three available to have fifth-year options.

If all three were to hit, Cleveland would have the kind of foundation up front that would be the envy of the league…

Trade-Down?

The trade-down option from #6 is the one that everyone is going to be watching, and for good reason. The Browns are going to have some potential suitors for that pick, and if they can generate a solid market for it, the haul they get would likely be beneficial for 2027.

Trading down from #24 is going to be a lot more dependent on available talent than return, and I am more in line with thinking that they likely stand there and select.

Going back to that first pick—what kind of return could Cleveland get? I’ll go into that in more detail as we get a better view of free agency and how it impacts the rosters just below that pick, but I don’t think a future first and other considerations would be out of the question.

Making Decisions

If I’m stepping into Andrew’s shoes and calling the shots for this draft, the first thing I’m trying to do is alleviate some of the obvious needs. This can be achieved by signing a free-agent tackle, specifically. It doesn’t need to be a flashy signing for big cash, just a capable player. It would preferably be on the younger side, with a three-year or more deal. Locking in on someone who can start now and become a swing tackle or role player while upgrading at the position over the next couple of seasons would work. If this signing turns out to be the long-term answer, that’s an obvious win, but having a somewhat affordable option that can start now while the rest of the line is being worked out provides flexibility on draft day.

The top target? I keep coming back to Jamaree Salyer…

For the draft, the first move is to try to trade down from six. This could potentially stack additional draft capital for 2027 while getting an additional pick in the third (possibly second). There is enough talent available to justify moving around on the board some, with the move back something that a team like the Chiefs may be highly interested in (potential trade up for Love). 

Having the ability to rebuild the line from scratch can become a positive for the Browns this offseason. Targeting the players that fit within the new scheme while locking in the entire front on rookie deals offers more leverage. This will be even more essential when the albatross that is Deshaun Watson’s contract comes off the books.

Specifics

To get down to some specifics—if the opportunity presents itself to trade down from #6 to a range between #9-12, I’m taking it. If the possibility exists to add picks in this draft and in 2027 for that move down, it’s likely the best allocation of resources. There’s a possibility that all three of the top-rated tackle prospects may make their living at guard. So, if presented with the potential of selecting a future guard, it’s better to take the best one. I’m extremely comfortable with a move down for selecting Vega Ioane, the player that I believe to be the safest bet at being a long-term starting solution for an offensive line in this draft class.

At #24, the hope is that Blake Miller or Monroe Freeling would still be available. If not, then simply go for BPA and look towards adding another offensive lineman at the top of the second. With the additional pick acquired in either the second or third round of the initial trade down, the table is set to come away with another selection on the line.

Basically, with the talent available in the top three rounds of this draft at a major source of need, there is nothing preventing the Browns from coming away with three selections for the line within their first five or six picks.