Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel have plenty of competition for a roster spot and the starting job already, but neither should expect that to change a year from now regardless of how their rookie campaigns play out.
Matt Miller of ESPN recently predicted that the Browns will own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, which means he expects Cleveland to be the worst team in the league by the time the upcoming campaign concludes. Should that, or any outcome close to it, prove the case, it also means that neither Sanders or Gabriel was a transformative player during their first foray into professional football.
That isn’t necessarily a commentary on who either QB might become, as most rookie signal-callers struggle when they first get on the field. After all, not everyone can be Jayden Daniels.
But one must note when considering the future of the Browns’ QB position that Gabriel was a late third-round pick for a reason. The same is true of Sanders going in the early fifth, even despite having a late Day-1 or early Day-2 grade from most draft analysts.
There is a good chance that neither Sanders or Gabriel will have set himself apart as an obvious franchise QB by the time April 2026 rolls around. So if the Browns are picking first, or close to it, they probably are going to strongly consider drafting a QB.
And that’s where Cade Klubnik of Clemson enters the conversation.
Cade Klubnik Arguably Best QB Prospect in 2026 NFL Draft
Miller authored a 2026 mock draft on Monday, June 30, ahead of teams reporting to training camp later this month.
He predicted in it that the Browns will select Klubnik with the No. 1 overall pick.
“Spending two picks on quarterbacks in 2025 … shouldn’t prevent the Browns from looking for a long-term passer here,” Miller wrote. “Klubnik enters the season as my No. 1 QB. In 2024, he threw for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions, highlighted by a gutsy performance against Texas in the College Football Playoff (336 passing yards, three TDs, one INT). Klubnik reminds me of Baker Mayfield — whom Cleveland selected with the No. 1 pick in 2018 — in terms of arm strength, mobility and playmaking awareness.”
Browns Still Saddled With QB Deshaun Watson for Next 2 Seasons
Mayfield is high praise, even despite the Browns giving up on him after four seasons in favor of Deshaun Watson, which proved to be arguably the worst decision in sports history when considering the three first-round picks (plus several more draft assets) Cleveland gave up for Watson in trade before signing him to a fully-guaranteed $230 million contract.
Watson remains on the roster, though he is currently rehabbing from a twice-torn Achilles tendon as he approaches the fourth season of his five-year deal. Also on the roster are veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, one of whom is likely to begin the year as QB1.
Whichever of the two fails to win that honor, or whichever is worse between the two if Sanders or Gabriel captures the starting job Week 1, could end up on the trade block before August is out. In any case, there is a good chance both are gone by the time the Browns receive the currently theoretical opportunity to draft Klubnik No. 1 overall.
Flacco is 40 years old and playing on a one-year deal. Pickett is entering the final season of his rookie contract and will probably have to play exceptionally all year long if he expects the Browns to bring him back on a longterm agreement next spring.
