Browns NFL Draft positioning: Jets give Cleveland a little boost

The Cleveland Browns and their fanbase, sitting at 3-9 on the season after a loss to the San Francisco 49ers, are once again looking ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft.

They hit on a flurry of picks this past April, from defensive tackle Mason Graham and linebacker Carson Schwesinger, to running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. With two first round picks thanks to a draft-day trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Browns have the potential to knock out some more team needs this upcoming April.

So, where do things stand in terms of their placement in the 2026 NFL Draft order?

Here is what the current first round of the 2026 NFL Draft looks like. It's worth mentioning that the playoff cutoff happens between picks 18 and 19. Teams with worse records are going to be picking deeper into the draft due to the current playoff picture.

Take a look!

Where the Browns sit in 2026 NFL Draft order

1. Tennessee Titans (1-11)

2. New Orleans Saints (2-10)

3. New York Giants (2-10)

4. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)

5. Cleveland Browns (3-9)

6. Washington Commanders (3-9)

7. New York Jets (3-9)

8. Arizona Cardinals (3-9)

9. Los Angeles Rams (via 4-8 ATL)

10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)

11. Minnesota Vikings (4-8)

12. Miami Dolphins (5-7)

13. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6)

15. Carolina Panthers (7-6)

16. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)

17. Detroit Lions (7-5)

18. Houston Texans (7-5)

19. Baltimore Ravens (6-6)

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)

21. Buffalo Bills (8-4)

22. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)

23. New York Jets (via 8-4 IND)

24. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)

25. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)

26. Cleveland Browns (via 8-4 JAX)

27. Dallas Cowboys (via 8-3-1 GB)

28. Seattle Seahawks (9-3)

29. Los Angeles Rams (9-3)

30. New England Patriots (10-2)

31. Chicago Bears (9-3)

32. Denver Broncos (10-2)

What this means for the Browns

The Browns currently hold three top-40 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. The dream would have been for the New Orleans Saints to pull out a win over the Miami Dolphins this past weekend, but that did not happen. The Browns will need the Jaguars to start losing so they can get a higher pick from the Travis Hunter trade.

The Jaguars do play the 8-4 Colts twice, and the 10-2 Denver Broncos still. There is a chance that pick could get bumped down, but it looks unlikely that it will be a top-20 pick in the draft at this point.

For the Browns, they still play the 1-11 Tennessee Titans, the 9-3 Chicago Bears, the 8-4 Buffalo Bills, the 6-6 Pittsburgh Steelers, and the 4-8 Cincinnati Bengals. There might be one or two more wins on their schedule, depending on whether they can beat the Titans this weekend and if the Steelers continue to implode.

It looks like a top-five pick is well within their reach yet again.

This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns NFL Draft positioning: Jets give Cleveland a little boost