The Cleveland Browns have an abundant class of rookies to choose from when it comes to predicting who the best will be this season. They made 10 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and each of those players has shown signs of their potential during minicamps and OTAs.
During those non-contact practices, it is easier for the skill-position players to make an impression. It is why wide receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston have drawn most of the high praise this spring.
That does not mean other players should be overlooked. Cleveland’s first pick, Spencer Fano at No. 9 overall, is expected to start at left tackle from Day One. Second-round safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren also made a good impression and could get significant playing time.
But asked to name just one, insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com is already dubbing Concepcion as the Browns’ best rookie in 2026.
“I think I’m going to go with KC Concepcion. I just feel like he’s going to have a really nice season. I think they are going to target him a ton. I think it’s easier to quantify how a receiver performs as opposed to your No. 9 overall left tackle. So I think I’m going to go with KC. I think he’s going to hit the ground running. I think he will be on the field in two wides, three wides, four wides, one wide. And so I just think that he has a very good chance of winning this one,” Cabot said.
That is somewhat of a surprise, as Cabot previously named Boston as the standout player of minicamp. Yet, he may not see as many targets as Concepcion is likely to, moving all around head coach Todd Monken’s offensive formations.
Throughout the pre-draft process and in the very early stages of his NFL career, Concepcion has been regularly compared to Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers. With Monken as his offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, Flowers made the Pro Bowl twice and last year posted 86 receptions for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns.
While Concepcion is unlikely to benefit from the type of quarterback play Flowers had in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson, he could become a preferred target for either Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland. The Texas A&M product may also be the Browns’ primary punt returner, which is a combination that could lead to enough volume and production to make Cabot’s prediction correct.
Concepcion will have plenty of competition for the honor, which should bode very well for the Browns to have a successful season, buoyed by their talented core of young up-and-coming players.
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