Another draft day for the NFL, another offensive lineman selected by the Browns.
After drafting left tackle Spencer Fano from the University of Utah with the ninth pick in the first round April 23 and tackle Austin Barker of Florida in the third round April 24, the Browns used their first selection April 25, pick 146 overall (fifth round), on 289-pound center Parker Brailsford from Alabama.
The Browns had pick 148 and traded it to the Seahawks for a 2027 fourth-round pick. They had pick 149 and used it on linebacker Justin Jefferson , also from Alabama.
The next pick for the Browns was 170 overall. They used it to take 6-foot-5, 247-pound tight end Joe Royer from Cincinnati .
General Manager Andrew Berry went into the draft determined to add a quarterback. He accomplished that goal when he selected 6-foot-6, 227-pound Taylen Green from Arkansas with the first pick in the sixth round — pick 182 overall.
Green, who played three seasons at Boise State before transferring to Arkansas in 2024, threw 34 touchdown passes for the Razorbacks and threw 20 interceptions the last two seasons. He also rushed for 295 yards, 16 touchdowns and lost 17 fumbles.
"Taylor is a very mature young man, really strong makeup, and he has rare physical gifts," Berry said after picking Green. "He has elite speed. He has a big arm. He's going to need some polish with his game, but he has the work ethic and he has the acumen to do so.
"We're looking forward to adding him to the roster and adding him to the (quarterback) mix in terms of competition. There are absolutely areas of his game that he has to clean up, but we're looking forward to working with him and potentially developing him because he does have a really strong makeup, rare physical gifts, and he really wants to improve."
Green joins a quarterback room with Shedeur Sanders , Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel . He might be in a battle with Gabriel for the third quarterback spot.
The Browns ended up selecting 10 players in the draft this year. They used their final pick, pick 248 overall, on tight end Carsen Ryan from BYU. Ryan, 6-foot-3 1/2, played two years at UCLA, one at Utah and one at BYU. He caught a total of 74 passes for 1,020 yards and seven touchdowns.
It is no coincidence that Fano, Barker and Brailsford all have big-school pedigrees. Adam Al-Khayyal, the Browns' Director of Player Personnel, is not concerned by Brailsford being smaller than most NFL centers. By comparison, Ethan Pocic , the former Browns center Brailsford will try to replace, is 6-foot-6, 320 pounds. Bailsford is 6-foot-2.
"If you didn't know his measurables on his card, you wouldn't say he plays like a sub-300 pound player," Al-Khayyal said during a news conference after Brailsford was picked. "He's strong, firm. So I really like the skill set and really like how it fits with the offensive scheme standpoint.
"With Parker in particular, he's playing against the best of the best in the SEC. So he's matching up against the guys with size who he's going to have to face in the NFL. And that is something that maybe if you have a small-school guy who lacks size, you're making more of a projection on how that'll play out."
Brailsford and third-year player Luke Wypler will compete with Elgton Jenkins to start at center. If Brailsford or Wypler wins the job, Jenkins could move to right guard. Fano and Brailsford as starters would mean 40% of the starting offensive line would be rookies.
"Size doesn't really matter if you don't have the leverage behind it; that's a big piece," Brailsford said on a conference call. "I am smaller, but I don't think I'm weak by any means, so definitely that also helps me a lot."
Brailsford began his college career at Washington, where he played right guard as a freshman. He transferred to Alabama in 2024.
Jefferson, 6-foot, 223 pounds, started 15 games for the Crimson Tide in 2025. He totaled 85 tackles and had three sacks.
"Justin is a really nice scheme fit, first and foremost," Al-Khayyal said. "We've played with (linebacker) Devin Bush . We signed Quincy Williams . Both of those guys are around the same size, 6-foot, really fast, really athletic. So just a real clean and vision for how he fits into the scheme.
"And then when you have guys who can run 4.4 (40-yard dash) and like to hit, that translates pretty well on special teams. So I think Justin, both on defense and on special teams will have a nice role."
Jefferson is fired up to play special teams. The 2025 Browns gave up two punt returns for touchdowns and a kick return for a touchdown.
"I have a big passion for special teams," Jefferson said on a conference call. "I love special teams.
"Even at the Combine and every visit I had, I always told them I never shy away from beating up on anybody. Special teams is something I always asked to be on and wanted to be on."
Royer played three seasons at Ohio State before transferring to Cincinnati in 2024. He caught a total of four passes in 14 games with the Buckeyes. It was a different story when he got to Cincinnati. He caught 50 passes for 521 yards and three touchdowns for the Bearcats in 2024. He caught 29 for 419 yards and four touchdowns last season.
