If the Cleveland Browns could have simulated their ideal start to the 2026 NFL Draft, it might have looked something like Friday night’s second round.
With offensive tackle Spencer Fano and wide receiver KC Concepcion already headed to Cleveland in Round 1, the Browns landed two more big fish early on Day 2. After Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston fell right into their lap at No. 39 overall, the Browns traded back into the second round with the 49ers to land Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
The closest thing to a miss might have come in Round 3, after the Saints stole tight end Oscar Delp one spot ahead of the Browns at No. 73 overall. GM Andrew Berry decided to move out of that round entirely in a trade with the New York Giants, and at that time, Cleveland had already added four top-tier prospects with eight selections in hand for Day 3.
But the Browns may have surprised fans who went to bed early with a trade into the back end of Round 3 for Florida offensive lineman Austin Barber. Their interest in the 6-foot-7 left tackle was well hidden, as Miami’s Markel Bell, who was swiped by the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in Round 3, was more heavily connected to the team throughout the pre-draft process.
The Browns sent three picks, Nos. 105, 147, and 206, to make the aggressive, 19-pick climb to No. 86 overall for Barber. Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. explained why during ESPN’s broadcast, detailing Barber’s athleticism as a multi-sport athlete and his prowess in the run game, which may have appealed most to Berry and head coach Todd Monken.
But Barber doesn’t come without red flags, and Kiper’s final take on the pick may leave Browns fans wondering why the team would spend so much draft capital on such a major gamble.
“Pass protection, the lateral agility got my attention,” Kiper said. “Active, powerful hands. He will lose out, though, to power — and I think that’s the issue with Austin Barber moving forward. Power will beat him, and that’s an element that he’s going to have to deal with on a more effective basis.”
Mel Kiper Jr.'s concern about Austin Barber is hard to ignore
Kiper and fellow ESPN analyst Louis Riddick both brought up Florida’s game against Miami early last season, when Barber had one of the most trying games of his college career.
He faced plenty of matchups against star edge rusher Reuben Bain Jr. in that one, and Bain got the better of that confrontation. He racked up a sack, seven quarterback pressures, and four run-stuffs, per Pro Football Focus. Barber, meanwhile, scored an overall grade of 45.2, which was the lowest overall PFF mark of his career.
The warning signs here are clear. Bain profiles as an elite prospect who was drafted early in Round 1 on Thursday night. But if Barber had issues handling Bain, what’s it going to look like in practice if he ever lines up opposite Myles Garrett?
Browns coach Todd Monken said he sees Austin Barber as a tackle to start but with the flexibility to potentially move inside. Barber is 6-6 and 318.
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) April 25, 2026
The Browns need depth along the interior, so a potential move inside certainly wouldn’t hurt the team. But Cleveland paid a steep price to trade back inside the top 90 picks, and Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon, the No. 41 overall prospect on FanSided’s big board, was still available when the Browns secured the 86th pick from the Chargers.
This is already Cleveland’s third trade of the 2026 draft, and it’s nice to see the team targeting specific players at areas of need and making moves.
But in the middle of an epic draft haul in 2025 came one head-scratcher in quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Time will tell if this Barber pick gets viewed in a similar light.