An insider reveals a harsh truth about the Cleveland Browns' likely quarterback future, as Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel gear up for an interesting QB competition in 2026
The Cleveland Browns are about to embark on an unpredictable quarterback competition as they open up their offseason program this week.
Duking it out for the starting job is a unique cast of characters, which includes embattled veteran Deshaun Watson – back from rupturing his Achilles twice and missing the entire 2025 campaign – and 2025 mid-round picks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
New head coach Todd Monken will spend the months ahead trying to determine which of those three gives his team the best chance to win games this fall. However, the truth, according to one insider, is that the Browns real future at QB is in college right now.
Jake Trotter of ESPN, who was formerly on the Browns beat before becoming the network's senior college football writer, dropped what he believes is a hard truth about the team's future at QB.
"This is what everybody has to realize, or come to the realization at some point soon. The future QB of the Cleveland Browns is in college right now," Trotter told ESPN Cleveland.
He went on to add that even if the Browns win too many games to be out of the top five picks in next years draft, the 2027 QB class hypothetically could have a handful of viable options.
Those comments came on the heels of Trotter revealing that in league circles, there is talk about next year's QB class being "one of the 3-to-4 best of our lifetimes."
It's a bold statement by Trotter, but isn't totally unfounded. Headlined by Arch Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, there is a general sense of overall hype for the 27 QB class to produce the next crop of franchise quarterbacks.
Other top names include Dante Moore, who opted to return to Oregon after a productive 2025 campaign. LeNorris Sellers of South Carolina, Heisman finalist Julian Sayin of Ohio State and C.J. Carr of Notre Dame, among others.
Time will tell if that proclamation comes to fruition, of course. Last year, the 2026 QB was discussed in a similar light, but wound up not being quite as star-studded as anyone had hoped, with Fernando Mendoza being the lone grand prize later this month.
While the Browns wait to find out what next year holds, they'll attempt to get through the 2026 season with what they have, and perhaps add another name to the group in the coming weeks.
It's a chance for Watson to attempt to save his career. A chance for Sanders to prove he can be a franchise QB. And a chance for Gabriel to prove he belongs in the pros.
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