Browns could pull off a historic first-round draft twist in 2026

The 2026 NFL Draft will be huge for the Cleveland Browns, as they try to add more building blocks to a promising young core. Cleveland will start that process with two first-round picks, No. 6 and No. 24, giving the franchise the opportunity to leave the first round with two elite prospects.

Everyone assumes those prospects will be a wide receiver and a left tackle. It’s just a matter of which order the Browns select the positions. While that is the most likely outcome, a lot of other possibilities are on the table, including a history-making approach that would excite Cleveland’s fans. The Browns could leave the first round with two wide receivers — and not just any receivers; they could draft the top two wide receiver prospects in the class.

It would be the first time in NFL Draft history that one team selected two receivers in the first round.

Browns could explore using both first-round picks on wide receivers

While everyone has been drafting up the best combination of wide receiver and offensive tackle in the first round for Cleveland, PFF Fantasy explored the possibility of the Browns double-dipping at wideout in round one, and grabbing a tackle in the second round with pick No. 39. While no one knows how the draft will unfold, Cleveland may have the chance to land the top two pass catchers, based on recent projections.

Ohio State’s Carnell Tate and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson are two of the consensus top three receiver prospects. As the draft nears, Tate seems like a lock for the top 10, but Tyson has been projected to go anywhere from as early as the top 10 to as late as pick 24 to Cleveland. The reason why Tyson’s range is so wide is because of his injury history, but that could lead to the Browns doing something unprecedented.

If Tate makes it to Cleveland at No. 6, they should select the wide receiver. If other teams actually stay away from Tyson and he’s still on the board once the Browns are back on the clock, they’ll have to think about taking him. While actually taking both wideouts in the first round would neglect the need at left tackle, fans would be able to live with the decision.

For starters, Cleveland actually needs wide receiver help, so adding both guys would be a dream. Additionally, while the Browns need a long-term answer at left tackle, they could survive without taking a tackle in the first round — a first-round tackle is unlikely to be a day-one starter in 2026 for Cleveland anyway.

If the Browns actually pulled this off on draft night, it would be an NFL first. Teams have taken receivers in the first and second round, and have also used first-round picks from the same draft on the same position group, but it has never been done at wide receiver. Cleveland might consider changing that if they have the opportunity.