The Cleveland Browns have officially traded defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, and even with a full season yet to be played, there is undoubtedly one eye on the 2027 NFL Draft.
Trading away Myles Garrett means the Browns are aware that they are not in a championship window at the present moment, but they have to believe they can get there quickly with the right quarterback under center.
After the trade, the Browns are now one of just two teams in the NFL (Jets) with multiple first-round picks in the highly-anticipated 2027 NFL Draft class. This incoming crop of prospects is not just highly regarded for the quarterback position, but it's loaded at that particular position, which is music to the ears of everyone in the Browns' fan base.
How could the Browns use their picks now that they have multiple in the top 32 overall? We're going to take a way-too-early look at what strategy the Browns might have in filling their biggest roster question mark at quarterback, as well as using that premium NFL Draft real estate to add even more building blocks to this roster.
Cleveland Browns land fast-rising QB prospect Drew Mestemaker in brand new 3-round 2027 mock draft
1. First round (4th overall): Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
If there is a "Fernando Mendoza" in the class of 2027, it would have to be Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker. Last year at this time, Mendoza was an intriguing transfer addition for Indiana who had shown NFL-level stuff at Cal, but the buzz was relatively quiet compared to other high-profile quarterbacks at the college level.
Mestemaker was a walk-on at North Texas who never even started at quarterback in high school. Now, he might be one of the best quarterbacks in the entire country. This will be his first season at Oklahoma State with head coach Eric Morris, who was his coach at North Texas.
To say this guy can sling the rock would be an understatement. He completed nearly 69 percent of his passes last season for 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns, and just 9 interceptions. Listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Mestemaker has great size for the position, and his arm talent is off the charts.
He put up outrageous numbers with his receivers consistently letting him down, so the idea of playing with and against better competition has everyone excited about how fast he can rise up NFL Draft boards.
2. First round (32nd overall): OJ Frederique, CB, Miami
Premium NFL Draft real estate should typically be used on premium positions. That's not a rule to live by 100 percent of the time, but if you can find players worth taking in the top 32 picks at QB, WR, CB, OT, or off the edge, you're doing well.
The Browns, once upon a time, had one of the most enviable groups of cornerbacks in the league with Denzel Ward at the top of the depth chart, Martin Emerson on the outside, and Greg Newsome in the slot. Those days are now gone, and the team has Tyson Campbell and Myles Harden alongside Denzel Ward.
If the Browns want to upgrade cornerback in the 2027 NFL Draft, one name on the watch list very early on is Miami's OJ Frederique. The Miami defense was sensational last season, and Frederique did some of his best work against Miami's top competition. He had great reps against Carnell Tate, Jeremiah Smith, and other top-tier receiver prospects.
He'll be on the first-round radar this coming season.
3. Second round (36th overall): John Henry Daley, EDGE, Michigan
John Henry Daley played at Utah last year where he enjoyed an exciting breakout season. He racked up 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles on the Utes' defense, and has now transferred to Michigan for the 2026 season.
This is a player to keep an eye on as one of the most underrated all-around pass rush threats in college football. His pressure rate of 18.3 percent was among the best in the country, and he's followed head coach Kyle Whittingham from Utah to Michigan to hopefully improve his draft stock.
The production is definitely there, but we'll have to see if the traits and NFL projectability are also there. Regardless if it's John Henry Daley or someone else, the Browns could be in the market for more pass rush help with one of their top 3 picks.
4. Third round (68th overall): Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville
We'll see how the entire stable of running backs does in Cleveland with an upgraded offensive line. The duo of Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson had 1.4 and 1.2 yards before contact per rushing attempt, respectively.
That means you can't fairly evaluate these guys based on last year, because they were getting hit so close to the line of scrimmage every time they got the ball. With that in mind, however, adding another explosive talent to the stable of running backs has to be on the table once you get to this range of the NFL Draft, and this is a class full of intriguing players at the position.
And Isaac Brown stands out in the crowd.
On 266 total rushing attempts in his first two college seasons, Brown is averaging a staggering 7.7 yards per carry. It will be good to see more involvement from him in the passing game, but averaging 8.8 yards per carry last season is undeniably impressive. He could complement Quinshon Judkins really well.
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