Everyone agrees the Cleveland Browns had a great 2026 NFL Draft. But who came out as the biggest winners from a successful weekend in Pittsburgh?
There's been a general consensus around the league the Cleveland Browns left the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh with one of the best overall classes.
In total, the Browns added 10 players, including eight on offense, over the course of the weekend. Filling key needs at left tackle and wide receiver along the way with picks such as Spencer Fano out of Utah, KC Concepcion out of Texas A&M and Denzel Boston out of Washington.
General manager Andrew Berry seemed to find some incredible value on a handful of players who could make an immediate impact for Cleveland in 2026. And while the newest Browns are the true winners from draft weekend, they aren't the only ones who walk away winners.
Here are the three biggest Browns winners following draft weekend:
1) The Current QBs
Maybe nobody benefited more from this haul of picks Cleveland made last weekend than the Browns current group of quarterbacks. Fano is slated to be the starting left tackle and put the finishing touches on an o-line rebuild Berry executed this offseason. Concpcion and Boston add two youthful new weapons to that breaths some life into an offense that ranked 31st in points per game last season.
Whoever wins the starting quarterback job between Deshaun Watson (who reportedly has the inside track for the job), Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel will actually have the semblance of a functioning offense around them this year.
That's the main reason the Browns current QBs are the biggest winners from the weekend, but it also didn't hurt that drafting a QB early didn't end up being part of Cleveland's plan this year either. Berry ultimately did add one in the sixth round, selecting Arkansas' freak athlete, Taylen Green. He isn't a real threat to compete for the starting job, though.
2) Andrew Berry
Of course, Berry has to make the list. His draft has received rave reviews from NFL pundits, and rightfully so. Through the first two rounds he had drafted four players in Fano, Concepcion, Boston and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who, at some point in the pre-draft process, were all considered first-round worthy players.
He used the other six picks to bolster the offensive line depth with players like Austin Barber and Parker Braislford, deepen the linebacker room with the addition of Alabama LB Justin Jefferson, added a developmental QB and two versatile tight ends.
The Browns needed to inject some young talent into the roster these last two years, and it looks like Berry delivered, again.
3) Quinshon Judkins
Last year, Judkins was near the top of the league in terms of yards after contact per carry, averaging a little over three yards after getting touched. At the same time, he averaged just .40 yards before contact.
It's a testament to just how poorly the offensive line played last season. He was constantly under duress in the backfield, and most of his productive plays came from him making something out of nothing. With a new offensive line, completed with Fano, he should find more success running the football in general.
Meanwhile, additions like Concepcion, Boston, and even a guy like fifth-round pick, TE Joe Royer add more weapons for a defense to think about, thinning out some of the loaded boxes Judkins saw most of last season. Draft weekend brought only good news for Judkins.
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