Cleveland Browns see a huge trade happen in latest 2026 NFL mock draft that could make or break the future
The Browns are going to have a big decision to make next April.
The Cleveland Browns are in a hole this season for the same reason they were last year: the offense is very bad, and the defense isn’t able to carry the load by itself. Cleveland is still searching for its franchise quarterback, and the offensive outlook may not change much until that happens.
The Browns drafted two quarterbacks in April, selecting one in the third round and another in the fifth. Dillon Gabriel has made the last five starts but has yet to show he’s the future, and it seems like only a matter of time before the Browns turn to Shedeur Sanders. With two first-round picks in next year’s draft, Cleveland is all but a lock to take another quarterback.
Browns land Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza thanks to a trade in latest mock
In the latest 2026 NFL mock draft at A to Z Sports, the Browns trade their two first-round picks (and more) to move up from No. 4 to the No. 1 selection currently held by the Tennessee Titans. With that pick, Cleveland takes the top quarterback in the class, Fernando Mendoza.
“The Tennessee Titans are falling apart and, regardless of their remaining schedule, likely end up with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. If that happens, then QB-needy teams like the Browns, Saints, Jets, and Raiders will be scrambling to get atop the 2026 NFL Draft board to select Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana). This class initially looked like it might be a good group at quarterback, but that’s definitely not the case now. This 2026 NFL Draft class is now essentially just Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson, and then everyone else far below them.” — Travis May, A to Z Sports
Mendoza has been a star for Indiana this season and has the Hoosiers sitting at No. 2 in the country. The California transfer has thrown 26 touchdowns to just five interceptions and can spray the ball all over the field. If Mendoza were in last year’s class, the general consensus is that he would have been ranked ahead of Cam Ward and gone No. 1 overall. The Browns would have to give up a lot to get him, but if you believe he’s your franchise quarterback —something Cleveland has struggled to find for years — you make that move every time.
After trading back to No. 4, the Titans selected Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., then added Ohio State WR Carnell Tate at pick No. 17, the selection the Browns traded (via the Jacksonville Jaguars). While those are two players Cleveland would benefit from adding, no position can compensate for not having a quarterback — and the Browns are living that reality right now. If this mock trade were to work out, the people in charge would be secure for a long time. If not, the Browns are right back where they’ve been for the better part of two decades: still searching for their franchise guy.
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