Through five weeks of the 2026 NFL season, the Browns have more than one rookie making a real push for attention - and the surprise name sitting at the top of PFF’s rookie grades is Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
The safety has put together the highest overall PFF grade of any rookie so far this season, and that mark also makes him the top-graded safety in the entire NFL among 96 players at the position. For a player who slipped to pick 58 in April, that’s a steep climb into the spotlight.
McNeil-Warren’s production backs up the grade. In five games, he has 22 total tackles, has been targeted just four times, and has done it across 109 total snaps. His average passer rating allowed per game sits at 27.6.
The numbers tell part of the story, but the tape has been just as loud. McNeil-Warren already looks comfortable jumping routes, diagnosing plays, and closing on the ball like a veteran. From the outside, nothing about his play suggests a rookie still early in his pro career.
Right now, he’s splitting snaps with Ronnie Hickman, but that could change down the line if the Browns eventually decide to move on from Hickman and open up even more work for McNeil-Warren.
And while McNeil-Warren might be the headline-grabber, he’s not the only Browns rookie turning heads in the PFF rankings. Denzel Boston has been just as impressive in his own way.
The second-round pick out of Washington has 16 catches through five games, and three of them have gone for touchdowns. He also leads all rookies with 330 receiving yards.
That kind of production makes the Browns’ 2026 draft haul look even stronger. Beyond McNeil-Warren and Boston, Cleveland has also gotten strong results from KC Concepcion, Austin Barber, and Spencer Fano.
In Other News...
Browns Suddenly Have A Ravens Week Question Fans Desperately Wanted
Friday brought a welcome shift at Browns practice, with several injured players getting back on the field after limited or no work earlier in the week. Defensive tackle Mason Graham, running back Quinshon Judkins, linebacker Carson Schwesinger and edge defender Derek Barnett all participated, giving Cleveland a healthier look as it moves through a key stretch of preparation for Baltimore.
Grahams return is especially notable after he missed 15 days with a sprained MCL and ankle, and the Browns are still sorting through where their running back group stands heading into Ravens week. With practice availability trending in a better direction, the main question now is which of these returning pieces can actually be counted on when the matchup gets here. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Have A Backfield Problem Before Ravens Showdown
Quinshon Judkins missed practice drills for a second straight day, and that alone has put the Browns in an awkward spot heading into a critical game against the Ravens. With a matchup this important, Cleveland had little margin for error already, and the running back situation only looks thinner as the week goes on. Dylan Sampson was on the field in a limited capacity while working back from a knee injury, but the overall picture is still unsettled.
The concern extends beyond one position group, too, because the Browns are dealing with injuries elsewhere as they try to get ready for Baltimore. When a team is bracing for a big divisional test and one of its top backfield options is trending the wrong way, every practice rep matters. Cleveland still has time to sort it out, but right now the backfield is the kind of problem that can change how the rest of the week feels. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Offseason Bets Are Already Exposing One Costly Problem
The Browns went into the offseason trying to cover a lot of ground with very little cap room, and the early returns on those bets have been mixed. Some of the moves have already helped stabilize spots that needed attention, with Denzel Boston adding value at receiver, Elgton Jenkins settling in at center, and Quincy Williams giving the defense a useful lift.
Zion Johnson and Tytus Howard, though, have not given Cleveland the same kind of payoff, and that gap matters because the Browns did not have much margin for error in the first place. When a team is shopping carefully and trying to patch multiple holes at once, a couple of underwhelming additions can quickly turn from inconvenient to costly, especially if the early optimism around the roster starts to fade. [Read more 🡒]