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Browns NFL Draft: Local WR tabbed as potential gem for Cleveland
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- Browns NFL Draft: Local WR tabbed as potential gem for Cleveland
The Cleveland Browns need to reshape the entirety of their wide receiver room. This means that multiple at the position could be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft , and Bleacher Report even names one as a potential gem for the Browns to target.
And he just so happened to play his last season of college football locally. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report has identified Cincinnati wide receiver Jeff Caldwell as a player the Browns should target on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft to help overhaul their wide receiver room. Here is what Ballentine had to say on the match:
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"Targeting a wide receiver with one of their two first-round picks wouldn't be surprising. However, they could roll the dice on more than one rookie wide receiver and Jeff Caldwell will certainly be worth an extended look on Day 3.
The Browns already have a vertical slot threat in Isaiah Bond , but they could use a vertical threat on the outside and Jeff Caldwell has the tools to become that player."
Jeff Caldwell blows up the NFL Combine
At the NFL Combine in Indianapolis almost two weeks ago, the Cincinnati wideout put on a show. At 6-foot-5 and 216 pounds, Caldwell ran a blazing 4.31 40-yard dash, leapt to 42 inches in his vertical jump, and hit an astounding 11-foot-2 in his broad jump. Caldwell is, without a doubt, an outstanding athlete at his size.
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This came after he racked up 478 yards and six touchdowns for the Bearcats in 2025. He transferred up from Division II's Lindenwood for his final season of eligibility.
Why Caldwell makes sense for the Browns
The Browns need multiple wide receivers, and one of those roles they need to fill is a big-bodied receiver on the outside of the field. Now in a contract year, Cedric Tillman , who has been filling that role for the Browns, cannot stay healthy and on the field. When he is on the field, he has shown glimpses of greatness, but those moments have been nothing more than flashes in the pan.
Caldwell could come to Cleveland on the third day of the NFL Draft, take on a modest role as a rookie before growing into a starting X receiver for the Browns in year two of his NFL career. Caldwell, while an athletic freak, is raw around the edges as a receiver. The hands are inconsistent, the route running is unrefined, and his ability to play through contact must improve. Whoever drafts Caldwell should not be rushing him onto the field.
And for a team in transition in 2026, like the Browns, they may just be the right fit.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns NFL Draft: Local WR Jeff Caldwell tabbed as potential gem
