University of Kwazulu-Natal

Mock Draft Browns Find A Franchise Quarterback At The End Of The First

Bonisiwe Shabane
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mock draft browns find a franchise quarterback at the end of the first

The 2026 NFL draft is slowly approaching. The Cleveland Browns are projected to be drafting within the top five. The team is only separated by one win for the top pick. However, they could play themselves out of a top-five pick as they enter the easy part of their schedule. The team has a lot of talent to win games. The Browns’ quarterback switch could be the catalyst the team needed to make a push for the playoffs.

To celebrate the start of October, I have devised a spooky mock draft that could show Browns fans their future if they miss on a top quarterback prospect. The team will likely need a top quarterback prospect regardless of how well the rookie quarterbacks play. But what could the Browns do if they find themselves out of the range for Fernando Mendoza, LaNorris Sellers, and Dante Moore, assuming those quarterbacks declare? In this mock draft, we find out what the non-top options at quarterback look like. Francis Mauigoa is one of the best offensive linemen in the country. Mauigoa is a true junior from the Miami Hurricanes.

The right tackle is a cumbersome 6-foot-6, 335-pounder. Maugua made a name for himself last year by keeping top draft pick Cam Ward upright all season. This year, Mauigoa is keeping quarterback Carson Beck safe. The Hurricanes are one of the best teams in college football. Mauigoa plays a crucial role in keeping their trenches clear. Mauigoa is a powerful lineman.

He’s a great linear athlete with a squatty frame. He packs a powerful punch and a quick first step. He’s a bulldozer. A bully who loves to finish plays with a bang. Mauigoa is usually pancaking opponents during the echo of the whistle. Mauigoa is a determined run blocker who can create lanes for his running backs.

As a pass blocker, Mauigoa isn’t as skilled. He struggles with pacing and timing his blocks when moving backwards. Mauigoa relies on his strong grip to stonewall pass rushers. Mauigoa must improve his footwork to succeed at the next level. There are concerns about his agility when protecting the edge of the pocket. Many draft evaluators view Mauigoa as a candidate to move inside to guard.

However, Mauigoa is playing some of his best football right now. He’ll have his biggest test of the season on Saturday when the Hurricanes take on their archrivals, the Florida State Seminoles. The Seminoles have a tremendous defensive line group led by defensive tackle draft prospect Darrell Jackson Jr. Scouts will have a great chance to observe how Mauigoa protects the pocket in the biggest game of his career. As the Cleveland Browns' season ends in a series of fires, the college football season is looking to finish hot. The Browns' embarrassing beatdown at the hands of the Chicago Bears pushed the team closer to the top of the draft.

Losing games always sucks and is never easy, but it beats feeling buyer’s remorse in the Spring. The Browns have a very tough schedule to end the season. If they go winless, they’ll lock up a top-three pick with a good shot at the top pick. In this 2026 NFL mock draft, we’ll be choosing from where they’re currently at in the draft order, fourth. This draft will feature the best players from the college football playoffs. The first round of the playoffs kicks off on Friday night.

The teams are among the best in college football. Looking at these contenders’ draft prospects, the trenches stick out the most. The best teams in college football are overwhelming on the line of scrimmage, both on offense and on defense. It illustrates how important the line of scrimmage is at all levels of football. The Browns are bereft of talent on their offensive line. The team will need to invest many picks in rebuilding their line.

The draft will be weak at offensive tackle but very deep at interior positions. The Browns will need to address that group, as the trio of starters, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, and Wyatt Teller, all have massive questions surrounding their future with the team. In this seven-round draft, I wanted to focus on rebuilding the offensive line while refreshing the defensive backfield with talent. Dante Moore is the most gifted quarterback in the class. The true junior from Oregon has resisted the urge to jump into the NFL draft. However, with a solid playoff performance or two, the NFL will be begging him to declare.

Moore is a natural thrower. He just slings the ball to all areas of the field with ease. He has excellent control over his arm. He can layer a ball over a second-level defender or fire a rocket to open a closed throwing window. Moore has all the tools to become a star in the NFL. He has NFL size at 6-foot-2, and he’s a great athlete.

He can find answers outside of structure. He’s made strides in learning to operate the offense from the pocket. Moore was a surgeon at Oregon. He completed 227 out of 313 passes for 2,733 yards and 24 touchdowns, while throwing six interceptions. Moore had Oregon’s offense humming. His talent and youth will make him a popular choice for the first pick in the draft.

If he has a strong playoff run, the quarterback could beat out the Heisman winner on draft day. Moore has the tools to be a top quarterback in the NFL. He looks the part when he’s ripping the ball across the field. However, he is incredibly inexperienced. There will be more growing pains with Moore than with Fernando Mendoza. It’s no secret that the Cleveland Browns need an answer at quarterback.

The Browns have been searching for that answer since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999. While current starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders professed his belief that he could be the guy that stops Cleveland’s search, a top NFL Draft analyst doesn’t quite believe. In his latest mock draft, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler projects that the Browns will trade up to the No. 1 overall selection and select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. For this scenario to play out, Brugler mocks the Browns trading their extra first-round selection from the Jacksonville Jaguars plus their own first-round pick in order to land the top choice in the draft. If the NFL Draft were to be held ahead of Week 14, the Browns would have the No.

5 overall pick. That slot might be too far down the draft board to secure the services of Mendoza, as quarterback-needy teams including the New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders are both in front of the... Fernando Mendoza and top-seeded Indiana will take on Alabama in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Michael Reaves / Getty Images The race for the NFL’s worst record has a firm leader heading into the final lap. At 2-14 with one game left (versus the Chiefs), the Raiders are the current favorites to land the No.

1 pick for the 2026 NFL Draft. Four three-win teams remain right behind Las Vegas: the Giants (versus Dallas in Week 18), Jets (at Buffalo), Titans (at Jacksonville) and Cardinals (at Rams). While we wait for the final non-playoff teams to settle into place, here’s a look at how the first 18 picks of this year’s draft — everything up until the postseason cutline — could... Once again, the Raiders need an awful lot, but they’ve kicked the QB can down the road long enough. The Cleveland Browns have the fifth pick in the NFL draft heading into Championship Weekend. Last week's Rivalry Week was everything it was billed to be.

It was an enjoyable hate weekend, which saw some minor shakeups in the playoff rankings. College Saturday was a good reminder that there's good football still being played in Ohio. The Browns' loss to the San Francisco 49ers was embarrassing. It sent the Browns back to the top of the draft order. It also showed the areas the Browns need to improve if they want to compete against Super Bowl contenders.The Browns need an infusion of offensive talent. The team cannot generate points, and they're constantly putting the defense on its heels.

The Browns will need to overhaul their entire offense this offseason. All while managing the Deshaun Watson playing and cap situations. If the Browns are serious about tanking, they should play Watson to end the season. He's been a horrible quarterback since he got here. There's no way he has the running ability, his only strength in Cleveland, after tearing his Achilles twice in three months. The Browns need a cleanse at the quarterback position.

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