The Cleveland Browns have two first-round picks heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, and fans and analysts alike have been trying to figure out what direction they’ll head. Despite being uncharacteristically active during the beginning stages of the offseason, the Browns still have plenty of work to do and plenty of players to add.
The draft presents an opportunity for them to go after some of the best incoming young talent, not only adding players who can impact their long-term outlook, but also their short-term productivity. The No. 6 overall pick has garnered a lot of attention and media time lately, as there are so many different ways the Browns could go with it.
Analyst Nick Shook talked about this on the BIGPLAY Cleveland Show recently, indicating that the Browns’ decision should be as cut-and-dry as it gets.
“Carnell Tate at No. 6 to the Browns. It’s got to be your pick because you desperately need another receiving option. He is the best contested catch receiver coming out of college football this year,” Shook said.
Should the Browns draft Carnell Tate to finally start to fix the WR room?
“That’s where you go at #6.”
– @TheNickShook pic.twitter.com/26Z6Gp94N2
— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) April 2, 2026
As Shook noted, the Browns need another option in the passing game, especially at the wide receiver position. Jerry Jeudy can’t do it himself, and as fans saw in 2025, there wasn’t a second option to draw attention away from him, which hurt his overall ceiling.
Tate seems to be pro-ready, and if he can make a similar impact on the Browns’ offense that he did at Ohio State, this team would instantly get that much better on offense. Harold Fannin Jr. had a spectacular rookie season as a tight end, and while he’s slated to be involved again as a pass-catcher, the Browns need more wide receiver depth.
While they still don’t have a definite answer as to who is going to play quarterback, it might be in their best interest to snag a top-tier wideout anyway and figure out the other logistics later. Players like Tate don’t come around that often, and the Browns aren’t typically a team that makes moves like this in the draft.
As they’ve shown over the past few weeks, this new-look Browns organization isn’t afraid to take chances or pursue high-end talent, so there’s no telling what they’re thinking heading into the draft.
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