The 2025 Cleveland Browns season will always be memorable for most fans of the team. Despite the 5-12 record, Shedeur Sanders' debut ignited a spark of excitement for a fanbase that has been beaten down over the years. While it remains to be seen whether Sanders will wind up being anything more than a flash in the pan, the Browns' outlook is undeniably brighter now than it was a year ago.
As many rooted for Sanders to disprove doubters and get a commanding grasp on the quarterback job for next season, a trend emerged that was impossible to miss. The Browns' offense is a lot like Swiss cheese — there are a lot of holes.
The starting offensive line, which was expected to be the strength of the team, showed its age as Jack Conklin, Wyatt Teller, and Ethan Pocic all missed time with injuries. (There will be no Joel Bitonio erasure on this site; Cleveland's franchise treasure played 99.7 percent of the team's offensive snaps at age 34.) The replacements struggled mightily, and Sanders was pressured at historic rates.
Making matters worse, Bitonio, Teller, Jack Conklin, Pocic, midseason trade acquisition Cam Robinson, and free-agent addition Teven Jenkins all have expiring contracts. The Browns may realistically have an entirely new starting five next season.
Then there's the pesky receiving corps. Jerry Jeudy is the only experienced NFL wideout who entered the campaign, and it showed. He was the team's only wide receiver to break 600 yards on the season, finishing with his lowest receiving total (602) since his second year in the league, when he missed seven games. His frustration was evident on multiple occasions.
While many will point to the most important position on the field, the draft order broke in a way that makes it incredibly hard — if not impossible — for the Browns to nab a franchise quarterback this year. Picking sixth overall, the top two QB prospects — Fernando Mendoza of Indiana and Dante Moore of Oregon — are expected to be long gone by the time the Browns are on the clock.
With that in mind, Jordan Reid's latest ESPN mock draft makes a lot of sense and should provide a dose of excitement for Browns fans looking forward to draft season.
Cleveland Browns double-up on offense in latest 2026 mock draft
Round 1, Pick 6: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
With their first choice, the Browns go the skill-position route, and Jordyn Tyson fits the bill. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Sun Devil has flashed elite stuff at the collegiate level. In 2024, he was the focal point — along with now-New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo — of an Arizona State offense that made the College Football Playoff and nearly stunned Texas, ultimately falling in a double-OT heartbreaker.
That season, he racked up 75 grabs for 1,101 yards (14.7 average) and 10 touchdowns in 12 games. In 2025, he and the rest of the Sun Devils' offense were snakebitten by the injury bug. Tyson still managed to haul in 61 balls for 711 yards (11.7 average) and eight TDs. His 82.9 grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 38th out of 1,072 qualifiers.
Scouts describe him as an outside X-receiver with a player comp that will surely make Browns fans salivate: Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Yes — the former Buckeye who led the entire NFL this season with an ungodly 1,793 receiving yards. The Browns could only hope to be so lucky.
Round 1, Pick 28 (projected): OG Olaivavega "Vega" Ioane, Penn State
With their second pick of the first round, via the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Browns make a desperately needed addition to the offensive line. Vega Ioane is a massive human being, measuring 6-foot-3 and tipping the scales at 328 pounds.
Scouts view Ioane as an NFL-ready prospect. The hulking Nittany Lion didn't allow a sack in 2025 and gave up only two pressures. He's considered a physical run blocker, as well. Pro Football Focus gave him a 79.9 grade for the season, which ranks 15th out of 670 qualifiers at the position.
Immediately after submitting the draft card, the Browns would be able to pencil him in as a starter at one of their guard spots. As far as player comparisons go, scouts see a similar profile to 2024 Cowboys first-round pick Tyler Booker. Booker's rookie campaign saw PFF rank him 16th out of 81 NFL guards; it's safe to say Browns fans would take that in a heartbeat.
This draft haul would be music to Shedeur Sanders' ears — as well as those of his many supporters. If the Browns decide to hold back at the quarterback position, it is imperative that they start building the foundation of an actual NFL-caliber offense. In 2025, the Browns' offense ranked 31st in points per game and 30th in yards per game.
These two blue-chip prospects would be a step in the right direction toward getting the offense back on track.