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Alabama’s Parker Brailsford Lands in Opportunity-Rich Situation with AFC Squad
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- Alabama’s Parker Brailsford Lands in Opportunity-Rich Situation with AFC Squad
(Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via I)
University of Alabama Center, Parker Brailsford was just selected by the Cleveland Browns with the first pick of the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Brailsford has been one of the better offensive linemen and centers in college football, winning first team All-American honors while with Washington.
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Then, when he headed to Tuscaloosa to follow head coach Kalen DeBoer, Brailsford kept up his exceptional play, earning second team All-American honors in his second year.
Finally, Brailsford served as a team captain in his final season with the Crimson Tide. He won Offensive Lineman of the Week on two separate occasions.
It’s a significant accomplishment because the Alabama offensive line struggled mightily all season long, but Brailsford was one of the few bright spots for the Crimson Tide.
So for someone who has all these accomplishments, why was Brailsford selected in the fifth round?
His size was always a question.
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Brailsford stands at 6-foot-2, 290 pounds, and at the NFL level, you hardly see an offensive lineman, let alone a center at under 300 pounds.
The one aspect of Brailsford’s game is that he has sheer power and athleticism, and he’s excellent at noticing coverages before the ball is snapped.
But it makes you think… Will the Browns want him to gain weight? Or will they want to see what happens at the NFL level?
As mentioned before, his size has always been a question, but he never changed, and still performed at an elite level.
He was the starting center for the Washington team that made the National Championship, and helped the Huskies win the Joe Moore Award – given to college football’s best offensive line.
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Luckily, Brailsford will have the opportunity to watch and learn from Elgton Jenkins , who is currently first on the Browns’ depth chart at center. Jenkins is a seven-year veteran, and played his whole career with the Green Bay Packers .
While in Green Bay , Jenkins became a two-time Pro Bowler.
If there was anyone Brailsford can learn from, it’s Jenkins. However, the job won’t be handed to him, as he will be competing for the backup spot with Luke Wypler , who was drafted in the sixth round by Cleveland in 2023, as well as Kingsley Eguakun – an undrafted center.
Despite all the questions surrounding Brailsford’s game, he has always managed to rise above them. And now with the Browns, he has the opportunity to be a unicorn, and defeat the standards.
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