The Cleveland Browns still aren’t going to show up near the top of most preseason NFL lists, and that part won’t surprise anybody. What is getting harder to ignore is how much young talent is starting to pile up in Cleveland.
ESPN’s annual poll of NFL scouts, executives and coaches - the one compiled by insider Jeremy Fowler - offered a pretty clear snapshot this week. The Browns had only two players land in the top 10 at their positions: linebacker Carson Schwesinger and cornerback Denzel Ward. But the bigger takeaway was how many Browns showed up as rising names, honorable mentions, or players who got votes at all.
Among the players drawing attention were tight end Harold Fannin and pass rusher Jared Verse, both of whom have a strong case to be top-10 at their positions right now, plus running back Quinshon Judkins, who could get there soon. Veteran center Elgton Jenkins, safety Grant Delpit and cornerback Tyson Campbell also earned recognition in the poll.
Fowler summed up the takeaway on X after the results were released:
“This exercise was a reminder the Browns have a strong young core - LB3, RB13, TE15 all from the 25 draft class (those last two will be higher next year). Verse 25 years old, Delpit 27.”
The Browns had two players (Ward, Schwesinger) voted in the top-10 of their positions. Five players (Judkins, Fannin, Verse, Elgton Jenkins, Delpit) were listed in honorable mention. Tyson Campbell also received votes. https://t.co/8hSbgkEkQA
- Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) July 16, 2026
That’s the part rival fans can’t really brush off anymore: these votes came from actual NFL talent evaluators, not fans or media members. And even then, ESPN’s exercise still didn’t capture everyone in Cleveland’s pipeline.
For a team heading into 2026, the Browns are still in the middle of a long build. They’re probably another draft away from finding their quarterback of the future, and they’ve already traded away the best singular defensive player of an entire generation in Myles Garrett.
More than half of their 90-man training camp roster is made up of players 25 and under. That doesn’t scream immediate AFC North contender.
But it does point to a team that’s moving somewhere.
The best comparison might be what the New Orleans Saints just did in 2025. They brought in a new head coach in Kellen Moore and entered camp with uncertainty at quarterback.
The season opened rough, with a 1-8 start, but they steadied themselves and went 5-3 over the second half. Now they’re being talked about as a possible NFC South winner in 2026.
Cleveland’s schedule gives it a similar chance to grow into the year. The Browns open at Jacksonville and Tampa Bay, then face four road games in a five-game stretch from Weeks 6 through 9.
A Week 10 home game against the Texans looks tough too. But after that, the slate softens, and Cleveland gets four straight home games following that Texans matchup and its Week 11 bye.
That kind of setup could matter if the Browns start to find traction late in the year. It would also change the conversation heading into the 2027 offseason.
There are more names beyond the ESPN poll, too. The Browns’ 2026 rookie class has already been ranked among the best in football this year, and several established players made progress during what was essentially a lost season.
Pass rusher Alex Wright could be ready for a bigger role now that Garrett is gone. No. 5 overall pick Mason Graham started all 17 games as a rookie in the middle of the defensive line last year.
Safety Ronnie Hickman, an undrafted rookie turned 24-year-old, earned a vote-worthy case as one of the league’s better free safeties. Veteran defensive lineman Maliek Collins is coming off a career year and should be healthy for Week 1.
Verse’s observations from spring OTAs also suggested the Browns are getting real buy-in from their young core, and that they’re already practicing like a team with a plan.
That doesn’t mean 2026 is about to turn into a double-digit win season. Too many new pieces still need to fit together for that. But it does mean the Browns look like a team whose upside is starting to show through, not just on paper but in the eyes of people around the league.
And if that continues into the season, this could be one of the last offseasons where Cleveland is treated like a franchise with nowhere to go.
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Cecil Shorts III is among the former players who have helped fuel that buzz, and the praise around Monken has centered on his authenticity and his ability to connect with players. For a Browns offense that is being asked to reset its standards, that matters because the debate is no longer only about scheme. It is about whether Monken can establish accountability and a tougher edge, and whether that approach can take hold quickly enough to change the culture around the unit. [Read more 🡒]