Through four weeks, the Cleveland Browns’ 2026 NFL Draft class is looking every bit like the group people were hyping in the spring.
That’s not a small thing. This was a 10-player haul that already had folks tossing around phrases like “a potential home-run class,” and the early returns have backed up the noise.
Four rookies are already starting on offense - left tackle Spencer Fano, right guard Austin Barber, wide receiver Denzel Boston and wide receiver KC Concepcion - and all four have been playing well. The fifth member of Cleveland’s top five picks, safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, flashed with a breakout game in Week 4.
It’s no surprise, then, that those five showed up on Dane Brugler’s NFL All-Rookie Team through the first month of the season.
Boston landed on the first team, and Brugler made it clear why he’s sitting at the top of the rookie receiver class. He wrote:
I don’t think there is much debate over the top rookie receivers through four games. And Boston is at the top of the list. The second-rounder leads all rookies with 284 receiving yards, and he and Zay Flowers are the only NFL players with multiple catches of 50-plus yards in 2026.
Boston is one of the best move-the-chain players in the league - 76.9 percent of his catches have resulted in a first down or touchdown, which ranks fifth in the league
Concepcion also made the first team, giving Cleveland two rookie wideouts on Brugler’s top unit.
The Browns’ offensive line additions were just as well represented. Fano earned first-team honors despite pre-draft concerns about his length. Brugler pointed to the same thing many scouts worried about, but also highlighted how Fano’s movement skills have helped him survive and thrive:
Before the draft, much was made of Fano’s lack of length, which can show when he attempts to sit down against power (see his NFL debut vs. the Jaguars). But his fluid athleticism allows him to recover and stay out of compromised positions. The Browns’ left tackle played at a high level in Week 4.
Barber, meanwhile, also made the first team after moving inside. Brugler noted that Barber came into the league as a college tackle, but the switch has helped hide some of the issues that showed up when he had to operate in space:
The last line of my scouting report on Barber suggested that he “might be better suited for a move to guard.” So far, so good.
Barber was a college tackle, but playing inside has helped mask some of his timing issues that showed out in space. His run-blocking tape against the Steelers was outstanding.
McNeil-Warren was the Browns’ lone defensive rookie on the list and came in on the second team, though Brugler said he “had a case for the first team.” His role has grown every week, and his pass breakup against DK Metcalf last Thursday stood out. He also has not missed a tackle in run support.
That’s five rookie starters or impact players already coming out of one draft class, which is a strong place to be in any season.
The next question is whether the Browns can get meaningful production from their Day 3 rookies: center Parker Brailsford, linebacker Justin Jefferson, tight end Joe Royer, quarterback Taylen Green and tight end Carsey Ryan. So far, only Ryan has seen the field in the regular season, logging two offensive snaps and 60 on special teams.
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