There are less than two weeks until the NFL draft, and for this week’s roundup analysts remain somewhat all over the place.
There are a couple of surprises where the name of a Strongsville native pops up for the Cleveland Browns with one of their first-round selections. That at least makes things interesting.
Fox Sports analyst Rob Rang has the Browns looking to Miami for OT
Rob Rang of Fox Sports has the Browns taking Miami Hurricanes tackle Francis Mauigoa at No. 6 given Dawand Jones’ injury situation.
“Some think Mauigoa’s best position in the NFL will be at guard. I think in Todd Monken’s offense, he’d stay at left tackle and be a star, with the Browns uniquely suited to maximizing his ceiling with the daily tutoring sessions he’ll be receiving from Myles Garrett in practice,” he writes.
Yup, there’s nothing like on-the-job training in the NFL in front of a wins-starved fanbase.
And, for an encore, Rang finds a bookend for Mauigoa in Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano?!?!?!?!? That’s something completely different.
“The Browns have rebuilt their offensive line this offseason, bringing in three veterans in Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins and Tytus Howard,” Rang writes. “But left tackle remains a concern as Dawand Jones has struggled with durability to this point in his career. One of the most athletic blockers of this class, Fano shouldn’t be available this late, but questions about his best fit in the NFL could push him down the board.”
Josh Edwards of CBSsports.com has Browns trading down in the draft with the Cowboys
Josh Edwards of cbssports.com has the Browns dealing with Dallas and moving down to No. 12 and taking Georgia Bulldogs left tackle Monroe Freeling.
“Cleveland trades back, picks up additional draft capital and still lands a raw, but extremely talented left tackle,” he writes. “Monroe Freeling was playing his best football at the end of the season, but no one has to tell Browns coach Todd Monken about his potential; Monken helped recruit him to Athens as Georgia’s offensive coordinator.”
With that 24 pick? He has them addressing that wide receiver issue with Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson.
“Jordyn Tyson would not be available if it were not for a history of injuries and having not worked out this pre-draft process is concerning,” he writes.
PFF Bradley Locker has a surprise pick at offensive tackle for the Browns
Bradley Locker PFF sees the Browns picking Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 6.
“With two first-round picks in tow, the Browns are expected to select a receiver and a tackle. The question becomes in what order, and I’d lean receiver ever so slightly, given Cleveland’s existing trench work,” he writes. “[Carnell] Tate’s sure-handedness and efficient game (91.5-plus PFF receiving grade in the short, intermediate and deep areas in 2025) would be a major boost for a team with the second-worst receiving corps by receiving grade in 2025.”
As for that No. 24 pick? He likes Clemson’s Blake Miller, a Strongsville native.
Three tackles in a row? It could happen with the needs of the three teams currently picking here. After already securing a star receiver in Tate, the Browns add Miller’s 83.5 PFF pass-blocking mark next to offensive line additions Tytus Howard, Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today likes Ohio State football’s Carnell Tate for Browns
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz likes Ohio State’s Tate for the Browns, writing:
“If Cleveland forgoes a left tackle here, it risks all the capable potential starters being scooped up by the time it selects next at No. 24. Nevertheless, a team with as many holes as the Browns can’t afford to turn down the best available talent at another area of need. Tate could give the 2026 edition of Cleveland’s offense the chance to at least keep drives rolling and eventually serve as a go-to target when the team picks a direction for a long-term answer at quarterback.”
He’s in agreement with PFF’s Locker about Miller.
“When it comes to evaluating offensive tackles, general manager Andrew Berry has an avowed openness regarding players’ experience on the left or right side. If he doesn’t address his line with his first pick at No. 6, he might need to get creative to fill the last remaining hole along his front,” he writes. “Beyond some spot work as a blindside protector, Miller spent the overwhelming majority of his four years as a starter at right tackle. Still, the Strongsville, Ohio, native has the frame and athleticism to be a fixture of whatever front he joins.”
A surprise from the Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer with a unique Ohio State football player for the Browns
Gotta love the gangster attitude from Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer who has the Browns going rogue by picking Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
“The Browns would be down with taking Downs to add to their defensive playmaking juice at every level behind [Defensive Player of the Year] Myles Garrett and [Defensive Rookie of the Year] Carson Schwesinger,” he writes. “He can be active in the Kyle Hamilton sense that new coach Todd Monken just saw in Baltimore.”
With the No. 24 pick, Iyer has the Browns taking Utah tackle Caleb Lomu.
“The Browns need to stay put and grab the next best available offensive lineman on the board to address their rebuild up front,” he writes. “Lomu, if not taking a key outside spot, would be a strong candidate to star at guard to help replace Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller.”
George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Will Strongsville native Blake Miller land with Browns in 2026 NFL draft?
Reporting by George M. Thomas, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
