The 2026 NFL Draft begins in a matter of a few hours, with 32 franchises vying to pick the most eligible players for their teams. Round 1 begins on 23 April at 8 PM ET, and the Cleveland Browns have the sixth overall pick. 

All teams will operate within a certain set of rules, hoping to return from Pittsburgh with their slots utilized optimally. 

Trade Rules and Pick Movements

Teams can negotiate a trade among themselves even before the draft begins. When both franchises reach an agreement, they can approach the VP of Player Personnel, Ken Fiore, and his staff’s phone lines.

Eventually, the parties must convey identical information to the league for their deal to be approved officially.

The Cleveland Browns' most noteworthy trade in recent history has been the one with Deshaun Watson.

In 2022, the Browns brought in Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick from the Houston Texans in exchange for three first-round picks (2022, 2023, 2024), a 2023 third-round pick, and 2022 and 2024 fourth-round picks.

Every franchise receives one pick per round. Non-playoff teams receive slots from 1 through 20, and teams that made it to the playoffs get slots from 21 to 32. Since Cleveland finished 5-12 last season, they have the sixth overall pick.

Draft Schedule and Selection Process

This year, Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, is hosting the event.

• Thursday, April 23 — Round 1, 8 p.m. ET
• Friday, April 24 — Rounds 2–3, 7 p.m. ET
• Saturday, April 25 — Rounds 4–7, Noon ET

Since the order of selection for teams is determined by the reverse order of finish, the Browns have nine picks this upcoming draft. Whenever it is the Browns' turn, the franchise’s front office representative should submit a card. 

This card should have the prospect’s name, position, and college, and should be submitted within the strict time frame. While exceeding the time limit doesn’t void the pick, the Browns would be at risk of falling behind another team.

• 10 minutes in Round 1
• Seven in Round 2
• Five in Rounds 3 to 6
• Four in Round 7

Eligibility Requirements

Any prospect who has declared for the NFL Draft must tick off the following boxes:

• Graduated from high school at least three years prior to the draft
• Exhausted college eligibility before the upcoming NCAA season, or applied for early entry
• Passed thorough background checks by the NFL Player Personnel staff

The Browns’ front office uses the above points to evaluate their plausible picks.

Viewers chose between NFL Network, NFL+, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes for live telecasts.

With a handful of picks this draft, the Cleveland Browns are planning to utilize these picks and bolster their roster for the upcoming season.

Read more at the Cleveland Browns Community!

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Rishab Nandi