The Cleveland Browns hosted former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate for top-30 pre-draft visits this week, flagging two pressing roster needs ahead of the 2026 draft. Cleveland holds the sixth and 24th overall selections, giving the front office rare dual first-round capital to address both positions.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero confirmed Simpson’s visit, placing the Alabama signal-caller inside the Browns’ facility as part of Cleveland’s pre-draft evaluation process. The visits arrive as the franchise faces a roster construction crossroads: prioritize a quarterback of the future or lock in a receiver who may not last past the top ten.
Cleveland Browns’ 2026 Draft Position
The Browns enter the draft holding two premium first-round picks — sixth and 24th overall. That dual-pick structure gives the front office room to address multiple deficiencies in a single class. Few AFC rivals carry comparable capital at the top of the board this cycle.
Pick No. 6 places Cleveland in direct range for the top non-quarterback prospect on most consensus boards. Pick No. 24 offers a secondary shot at a starter-caliber player who slides past other teams’ needs. Together, the two selections represent one of the most valuable back-to-back first-round pairings the Browns have held in recent memory.
Fernando Mendoza is projected to go first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, according to Sporting News. That projection removes Mendoza from Cleveland’s realistic range entirely, reshaping which quarterbacks the Browns evaluate at No. 6.
Ty Simpson is a quarterback out of Alabama who ranks among the top signal-callers available once Mendoza is set aside. His draft range offers Cleveland flexibility. The Browns could select him at No. 6, wait until No. 24, or find him in the second round depending on how the board falls. That range of outcomes matters enormously for a front office managing two first-round picks.
Carnell Tate is a wide receiver from Ohio State projected to come off the board early in Round 1, making him a realistic target only at the sixth pick for Cleveland. His route-running precision and separation ability draw the kind of evaluator interest that commands top-ten value on most boards. The Browns cannot afford patience with Tate the way they can with Simpson.
The contrast sharpens through a roster-construction lens. Simpson’s projection spans multiple rounds. Tate’s does not. Cleveland must commit at No. 6 or walk away from the Ohio State receiver, unless the organization trades up by packaging the 24th selection — a move that costs additional capital.
Key Facts From Cleveland’s Pre-Draft Visit Week
Pelissero confirmed via sources that Simpson visited the Browns’ facility this week.
Tate, the Ohio State wide receiver, took a top-30 visit with Cleveland during the same stretch.
Mendoza is projected to go first overall to Las Vegas, removing him from Cleveland’s quarterback options at No. 6.
The Browns hold picks No. 6 and No. 24 in the 2026 draft, two first-round slots to address roster gaps.
Tate’s early first-round projection means Cleveland selects him at No. 6 or executes a trade using No. 24 to move up.
What Cleveland’s Draft Strategy Reveals About Roster Priorities
Hosting both a top quarterback and a top wide receiver in the same visit week signals genuine organizational uncertainty about which need ranks higher. The Browns are not telegraphing a preference. They are running parallel evaluations that preserve options through draft night.
The salary cap math behind a rookie quarterback contract is hard to ignore. A first-round signal-caller on a four-year deal with a fifth-year option gives Cleveland cost-controlled production at the most expensive position on any NFL roster. Quarterback market inflation has pushed veteran deals past $50 million annually in recent contract cycles, making rookie contracts the preferred tool for teams rebuilding at the spot. Simpson’s visit fits that cost-control logic precisely.
Tate’s visit addresses a separate but equally urgent gap. A receiver of his caliber — projected as a top-ten pick — would immediately alter Cleveland’s target distribution and expand the route tree for whoever lines up under center. The counterargument is direct: drafting a wideout before locking in a franchise quarterback inverts the proper order of building a roster. Without a stable passer, even an elite receiver’s separation metrics produce diminished returns in team win probability.
One more variable shapes the calculus. Simpson’s evaluation as the next-best quarterback in the class does not automatically translate to franchise-level upside. The Browns’ coaching staff must weigh whether selecting Simpson at No. 6 represents genuine value or a positional reach driven by scarcity at the spot.
Cleveland’s Path Forward With Picks No. 6 and No. 24
Cleveland’s dual first-round picks create a draft structure few AFC rivals can replicate. The Browns can take Tate at No. 6, then select a quarterback — Simpson or another prospect — at No. 24 if the board cooperates. Alternatively, the front office could flip the sequence: draft Simpson early and deploy the 24th pick on a different positional need or package it in a trade.
The depth chart at wide receiver and quarterback will shape every free-agency decision Cleveland makes between now and draft weekend. Teams that identify first-round targets early tend to calibrate their spending accordingly, avoiding redundant investments at positions already covered by the draft. The Browns’ visit activity suggests both spots remain genuinely open.
Simpson’s availability at No. 24 — or potentially in Round 2 — gives Cleveland a credible path to addressing quarterback without burning the sixth pick on a signal-caller. That flexibility defines Cleveland’s offseason positioning, and how the front office resolves it will shape the franchise’s direction for the next several seasons.
The Browns have not publicly committed to a singular direction. What the visit week confirms is that Cleveland’s front office is conducting thorough due diligence at two of the most scrutinized positions in professional football, backed by the rare luxury of two premium first-round picks to act on whatever conclusion they reach.
Who did the Cleveland Browns host for top-30 draft visits in 2026?
The Cleveland Browns hosted former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate for top-30 pre-draft visits this week, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Both players are projected as first-round selections in the 2026 draft class.
What picks do the Cleveland Browns hold in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Cleveland Browns hold the sixth and 24th overall picks in the 2026 draft. Those two first-round selections give Cleveland the capital to address multiple roster needs — including quarterback and wide receiver — within a single class.
Where is Fernando Mendoza projected to be drafted in 2026?
Fernando Mendoza is projected to go first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, according to Sporting News. That projection places Mendoza outside Cleveland’s realistic range, making Ty Simpson the top quarterback option the Browns are evaluating at their picks.
Can the Cleveland Browns draft Carnell Tate at the 24th pick?
Based on current draft projections, Tate is expected to come off the board early in Round 1, meaning Cleveland would need to select him at No. 6. To acquire Tate at a later slot, the Browns would need to trade up using the 24th pick, which requires additional draft capital.
Marcus Cole is a former college quarterback who has spent over 12 years covering the NFL as a sportswriter. After playing four seasons at the collegiate level, he transitioned to journalism and quickly earned a reputation for breaking down complex play designs in plain English. His work has been featured in regional sports publications across the South, and he has covered six Super Bowls from the press box. Marcus specializes in offensive scheme analysis, quarterback evaluations, and draft coverage.
