What Will the Cleveland Browns Do with Their 2026 Sixth-Round Draft Choice?
With the 182nd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns bet on the athletic abilities of former Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green with their only sixth-round selection. Many analysts pondered whether the Browns would even add a quarterback in the draft, as they did not sign a single signal-caller throughout free agency. Towards the end of the final day of the draft, Cleveland held out and selected Green, who absolutely amazed those in attendance at this year's NFL Combine with his absolutely insane athletic intangibles. The 23-year-old may not be ready to start at the professional level, but the athleticism and physical traits of Green give the Browns so many options on what they can do with him this season.
The Texas native started his career with the Boise State Broncos in 2021 but played only two games. 2022 was Green's proper introduction to the college football world, as he started 10 games and ultimately led the Broncos to a Frisco Bowl win over North Texas. In his redshirt freshman year, Green put up three games with at least 100 rushing yards, which included a pair of games against the Mean Green and Oregon State Beavers in which he also threw for at least 135 air yards. During his sophomore campaign in 2023, Green split playing time with Maddux Madsen at the position, but still put up 1,752 passing yards and 436 rushing yards. Looking to bolster his status as a starting quarterback, Green transferred to Arkansas in 2024 and led the Razorbacks to a very solid season. The junior quarterback led his team to a 7-6 record, including wins against the seventh-ranked Tennessee Volunteers and the Texas Tech Red Raiders in a year in which Green threw for over 3,000 passing yards and rushed for just over 600 rushing yards. Green and the Razorbacks entered the 2025 season with expectations, but they came crashing down and finished 2-10, which ultimately hampered Green's draft stock.
Another factor that kept Green from going higher in this year's draft was his propensity to turn the ball over, as he threw 35 interceptions across his five-year career. However, what made him so hard to pass was Green's tremendous combine performance. In the 40-yard dash, Green clocked a time of 4.36 seconds, before he went on to record a 43.5-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-two inch broad jump. This insane athleticism stems from Green's time in high school, as he was a renowned track and field athlete at Lewisville High School in Texas.
The mechanics and decision-making skills will need improvement before Green can replicate his collegiate success as a quarterback in the NFL, but that does not mean he has to sit on the sidelines for the entirety of his rookie season. Head coach Todd Monken is coming over from Baltimore, where he consistently utilized quarterback Lamar Jackson's mobility and athleticism during his time as the Ravens' offensive coordinator. Cleveland's current quarterback room of Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel does not give Monken and the Browns much mobility or athleticism, especially with Watson coming off multiple Achilles injuries. However, subbing Green in for option packages or heavy personnel gives Cleveland lots of opportunities to sophisticate their budding run game. Cleveland committed to protecting by drafting tackle Spencer Fano with the ninth pick in the draft, so the Browns might as well try everything they can and include Green in the mix.
In addition to using Green for his gifted running ability, there's so much more that Cleveland can do this season with their sixth-round draft pick. Green has already said that he does not want to switch positions, but that does not necessarily mean he will not play multiple positions. Browns fans will remember Terrelle Pryor, who played quarterback, receiver, and safety during his time in Cleveland. There's also Taysom Hill, who was the New Orleans Saints' Swiss Army Knife during his nine-year tenure in the league. Hill saw starts at quarterback and tight end and was routinely making huge plays on special teams. It will be a huge learning process, but with his athleticism, there's no reason Green can't be the same thing for the Browns in 2026. Whether it be at quarterback, lining up in the wildcat formation, or catching passes, general manager Andrew Berry might have just struck gold by drafting Green in the sixth round.
