It’s one thing for prominent draft analysts like Mel Kiper Jr. and Dane Brugler to give GM Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns their flowers for what, at least on paper, looks to be another top-tier NFL Draft class. The Browns displayed a firm grasp of the board, swinging six trades and leaving the weekend with 10 new prospects, half of whom could end up starting or playing a significant role from Week 1 this year.
It’s another thing entirely when major praise comes from the general manager of your most bitter rival.
Count Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta as a fan of the Browns’ 2026 draft haul, led by offensive tackle Spencer Fano and wide receiver KC Concepcion. In a recent interview on WBAL Radio, DeCosta shouted out Berry and the Browns’ overall process, specifically mentioning linebacker Carson Schwesinger and last year’s draft as well.
“The Browns I think they had a nice draft,” DeCosta said. “They do a good job. Andrew Berry, give him a lot of credit. I think he’s a good evaluator. He’s smart. His picks make sense, logical. There’s, I think, a thorough process involved. … Last year, in my opinion, (Carson) Schwesinger was one of the best players in the draft. They got him in the second round, Defensive Rookie of the Year. I think they do a hell of a job, and I thought they had a good draft this year. So with Todd Monken there calling plays and as the head coach, I think that’s a team that eventually will be a team to be reckoned with.”
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta had high praise for the Browns and GM Andrew Berry after the 2026 NFL draft.
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) April 30, 2026
“Andrew Berry, give him a lot of credit … with Todd Monken there, calling plays and as the head coach, I think that’s a team that eventually will be a team to be reckoned with.”… pic.twitter.com/UaAEI79BBl
Eric DeCosta just gave Browns fans hope that a long awaited turnaround is coming
The story here isn’t that the Browns had a great 2026 draft. That take has been shared and recycled over the past several days. It’s that a rival executive like DeCosta sounds like a man who’s about to take the Browns seriously for a change.
It’s certainly ironic that the Ravens of all teams is praising the Browns, as they only exist because the original Cleveland franchise moved to Baltimore in 1996. The Ravens have since tormented the Browns to the tune of a 39-15 overall record since their first meeting in 1999, when Cleveland was reinstated as an expansion franchise.
What DeCosta is saying is impossible to deny — at least on paper. The Browns just can’t escape drama at the quarterback position, and the latest reports out of Berea this week put a major damper on all the post-draft positivity. But the Browns’ infusion of young talent over the past two years is stuff NFL front offices dream of. It’s not a stretch to say that Cleveland could have seven or eight first- and second-year players in the starting lineup this season, with more likely contributing right away on special teams.
DeCosta is also the perfect source, as he not only knows the Browns well as an AFC North rival but had Monken as his team’s offensive coordinator from 2023-25. The Ravens ranked first in total EPA per play on offense in 2024, and Lamar Jackson won NFL’s MVP award in 2023 running Monken’s system.
No matter how much the Browns try to blowtorch it with what has become a frustrating quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, fans should just take DeCosta’s word for it — this team definitely appears to be on the upswing.
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