Which Browns’ rookie will have the best year in 2026? 4 more share their picks

BEREA, OHIO - JUNE 11: Spencer Fano #55 of the Cleveland Browns walks off the field after the Cleveland Browns Mandatory Minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 11, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Cleveland Browns have a lot of new bodies in training camp this year. Besides the usual signings of undrafted rookie free agents, many starters from last year’s roster have retired, been released, or just weren’t offered a new deal going into 2026.

This year’s rookies appear to be another winning class for GM Andrew Berry. We will see. Which ones will become starters? Can these new guys help on game day, or are they more developmental at this stage?

RELATED: WHICH BROWNS’ ROOKIE WILL HAVE THE BEST YEAR – PART 1

Here at Dawgs by Nature, we asked several Browns experts to pick a rookie player and then describe why they thought that new guy could become the best of his class.

For this upcoming season, when it’s all said and done, which player will be this year’s best rookie?

EZ Weav

DBN Staff

S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

It’s hard to qualify this question; in a general sense, expectations of rookies  should  be fairly low, but everybody is out of patience, and so nobody will get any grace. Thus, how one does is going to be contingent on what the expectations are of them, and for better or worse. Spencer Fano, KC Concepcion, and Denzel Boston all will not only have higher expectations (probably) than what is reasonable. But also, a large part of their success is going to be determined pretty directly by the quality of the QB play, and in case you haven’t noticed, ours is not exactly the strongest room in the league.

Thus, I’ll go with safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.  He’s going to have a lot less pressure on him to perform, and he doesn’t need as many things to go right for him to be successful as the offensive guys will need. And he’s going into a room with solid starters already, from whom he can gain some good tutelage. Throw in that the fans (and broadcasters, media, and pretty much everyone other than the players and the coaches) don’t see about 95% of what safeties actually ever even do, so as long as he’s not an obvious liability (like rookie-year Jabrill Peppers), he’s got the most talent/easiest road combo.

Glenn Bam Caudill

Wayne County Browns Backers – Wooster, Ohio

WR Denzel Boston

I think Denzel Boston will have a good year.  At 6’-4”, 212 pounds, the wide receiver from the Washington Huskies has the body type and great hands to win the contested catches. The Huskies’ lack of receiving threats led to him seeing double teams at the college level frequently.  He was selected by our Browns at 39th overall in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Most pre-draft experts considered him a first-round pick while Pro Football Focus listed him a few spots ahead of receiver KC Concepcion.

Playing 25 games in the last two years, he had over 120 catches, 1,700 yards, and 20 touchdowns. This plays into a move-the-chains and score in the red zone on a consistent basis weapon, which we sorely need. With legitimate receiving threats on the field with him, he will have good chances to make damage on the defense.  The preseason hype started early for him in the practices this spring as he looked the part of the big-bodied WR this team has been needing.  I predict that he surpasses Cedric Tillman to win a starting job by game one, and he will lead the team in TDs this year with 10.

Angeline Adams

Administrator: Cleveland Browns We Bark Together

LINK: CLEVELAND BROWNS WE BARK TOGETHER

OT Spencer Fano

Every “Good Dawg” knows that one of the most crucial elements in championship football is winning at the line of scrimmage. Elite left tackles are among the rarest and most valuable players in football, with some of the most difficult tasks of pivotal pass protection, relentless run blocking, and critical communication.

To the delight of GM Andrew Berry and many diehard Browns fans, Browns rookie offensive tackle Spencer Fano is no newbie at top-tier dominating in the trenches and will lock in at left tackle. When the Browns selected Fano, the ninth overall pick, he already possessed one of the most premier profiles of any college football offensive linemen. At the University of Utah, he showcased unique toughness and superior versatility by excelling at both left and right tackles. Fano played 37 career games with 36 starts.

His dominance was distinguished in his accolades, including team Captain, 2025 Outland Trophy Winner, Unanimous First Team Associated Press All-American, Big 12 “Offensive Lineman of the Year,” First Team All-Big 12 Honors, as well as “Polynesian College Football Player of the Year.”

Before arriving in “The Land,” in his final and most masterful season as a Ute, Fano played 822 offensive snaps without surrendering a sack or allowing a quarterback hit. Skill players may electrify audiences with dazzling catches, explosive runs, or a pick-six, but a left tackle of Fano’s caliber proves his value on every offensive snap. As a matter of fact, if our quarterback or running back keeps getting slammed on his back from rushing attacks, there can be no flashy highlight reels for fans to catch.

What separates Fano from every other Browns rookie is that his value extends far beyond individual statistics. His athleticism helps him mirror elite edge rushers, his footwork keeps him balanced in pass protection, and his strength opens running lanes that may never make the highlight reel but can decide games. With powerful hands and the versatility to thrive in both zone-and power-blocking schemes, he gives the offense a reliable foundation. Every successful pass, explosive run, and game-winning drive starts with protection i...

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