Browns Meet With WR KC Concepcion, TE Kenyon Sadiq
The Browns are clearly lacking receiving weapons as the 2026 NFL Draft nears. Armed with two first-round picks, they could snag at least one pass catcher with a high selection. The team hosted a pair of likely first-rounders in Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq on Wednesday, per reports from Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Cleveland is light at wideout, especially after Jerry Jeudy‘s production plummeted last season. Jeudy went from 90 catches and 1,229 yards in 2024 to 50 and 602 in those categories in 2025. No other returning Browns receiver even reached the 25-catch mark, and they have not added anyone of note to the group this offseason. That explains their interest in Concepcion and several other draft-bound receivers. Concepcion may be more realistic for the Browns’ second first-rounder (No. 24) than their top selection (No. 6).
The Browns are not expected to re-sign longtime starting tight end David Njoku, who remains a free agent, after finding a replacement last year. A third-round rookie in 2025, Harold Fannin was a rare bright spot in Cleveland’s offense. The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder led the Browns in catches (72), yards (731) and receiving touchdowns (six). Fannin’s presence suggests the Browns do not need to make a major investment in a tight end. However, as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator from 2023-25, new Browns head coach Todd Monken made use of the Mark Andrews–Isaiah Likely pass-catching duo.
Monken and the Browns will at least consider pairing Sadiq with Fannin, though it is unclear if they are interested in using a top-10 pick on the position. Sadiq may not be there at 24, yet six could be too rich in this case. Only three tight ends (including Kellen Winslow II to the Browns in 2004) have come off the board at No. 6 or higher since 2000.
Regardless of whether the Browns take him, Sadiq looks like a shoo-in first-rounder after a second-team All-America season and a spectacular performance at the Combine. He has a notable Cleveland connection in quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who played with Sadiq at Oregon in 2024. That may not matter, though, considering Gabriel is not expected to start for the Browns in 2026.
Chargers, Bills, Patriots Book Visits With Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion
As a potential first-round pick, Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion is drawing considerable interest leading up to April’s NFL draft. The Dolphins booked a visit with the 21-year-old Concepcion last week. The Chargers, Bills and Patriots are also on the list, per reports from Ryan Fowler of Commanding The Huddle and Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal.
Concepcion began his college career at NC State, where he got off to a scintillating start in 2023. As a true freshman, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder secured 71 catches for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns over 13 games. He was also a threat on the ground, where he accrued 320 rushing yards on 41 attempts (7.8 per carry). Thanks to his dual-threat prowess, Concepcion was the ACC Rookie of the Year and a second-team all-conference performer.
Concepcion’s numbers dipped the next season, in which he pulled in 53 catches for 460 yards and six scores in 12 games. He also didn’t pose much of a threat as a rusher; despite adding two more TDs, he ran for just 36 yards on 19 attempts in his last year as a member of the Wolfpack.
Concepcion was primarily a slot receiver at NC State. Wanting to broaden his horizons, he transferred to Texas A&M last year.The decision paid off for Concepcion, whose stock is high in the wake of a consensus All-America and All-SEC campaign.
While Concepcion continued to line up in the slot with the Aggies, he also got some work on the outside and made a major impact on special teams. As a receiver, Concepcion amassed 61 catches for 919 yards (a career-high 15.1 YPC) and an SEC-best nine touchdowns. He logged a mere 10 carries, but with 75 yards and another TD, he made the most of his few opportunities in that department. After returning just five punts at NC State, Concepcion took back 25 last year. In finding the end zone twice and averaging 18.2 yards per return, Concepcion posted excellent results.
Los Angeles (No. 22), Buffalo (26) and New England (31) are all on track to pick near the bottom of the first round, where Concepcion could come off the board. Interestingly, all three teams are among a handful of clubs on Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown‘s wish list for a potential trade, but nobody has caved to Philadelphia’s demands yet. A Brown trade may not occur until at least June (if at all). With the draft long over by then, teams will have a better idea of whether to pursue Brown in the summer.
The Chargers have receivers Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and 2025 second-rounder Tre Harris under contract for next season. However, Johnston only has a year left on his rookie contract, and Keenan Allen remains a free agent.
The Bills have already spent this year’s second-rounder on veteran wideout D.J. Moore, whom they acquired from the Bears earlier this month. But their receiving corps isn’t especially strong beyond Moore and slot target Khalil Shakir. General manager Brandon Beane could double down on upgrading the area by using his first two selections on Concepcion and Moore.
Meanwhile, although the Patriots handed Romeo Doubs a four-year, $68MM contract in free agency, the former Packer has never performed like a No. 1 receiver. The AFC champion Pats released their most productive wideout from last season, Stefon Diggs, leaving room for another significant addition. As things stand, Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams comprise New England’s top five receivers. We’ll find out in a month if Concepcion will join the group.
KC Concepcion To Visit Dolphins
After a prolific college career divided between NC State and Texas A&M, KC Concepcion is expected to come off the board early in this year’s draft. The Dolphins are among the possibilities for Concepcion, who has booked an upcoming visit with the team, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Concepcion was by far NC State’s best receiver as a true freshman in 2023. Not only did he rack up 71 catches for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns over 13 games, but he also added 320 rushing yards on 41 attempts (7.8 per carry). He earned ACC Rookie of the Year and second-team All-ACC honors as a result.
Concepcion’s production fell the next season, during which he put up 53 catches, 460 yards and six scores in 12 games. While Concepcion only rushed 19 times for 36 yards, he did add two TDs on the ground.
Concepcion was mostly a slot receiver at NC State, which played a role in his decision to transfer to Texas A&M ahead of the 2025 campaign. Lining up in the slot and on the outside with the Aggies, Concepcion formed an excellent receiving duo with fellow transfer portal pickup Mario Craver. Concepcion caught 61 passes for 919 yards (a personal-best 15.1 YPC) and an SEC-leading nine touchdowns. He finished with just 10 carries, but he picked up 75 yards and another TD. In what went down as Concepcion’s lone year at Texas A&M and final season in college, he was a consensus All-American and an All-SEC performer.
As the 21-year-old Concepcion prepares to enter the NFL, the Dolphins are among logical fits. Outside of running back De’Von Achane, Miami is starved for offensive weapons. The team is especially lacking at receiver, having released Tyreek Hill and traded Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos for a package of draft picks, including the 30th overall selection this year. Thanks in part to his issues with drops (he had 19 in college), Concepcion may not be an option in the top half of the first round. That might rule out the Dolphins taking him 11th overall, but with Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranking Concepcion as the 33rd-best prospect in the class, they could reel him in at No. 30 or 43.
Caleb Banks Underwent Surgery On Broken Foot
Injuries during the pre-draft process always shake up big boards around the NFL, and this year will be no different.
Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks surged up post-Combine rankings after an impressive athletic performance from his 6-foot-6, 327-pound frame. He may now head in the other direction after undergoing surgery on a fractured fourth metatarsal last week, according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
Banks suffered the broken foot the day before his testing session, making his numbers – including a 9-foot-6 broad jump – all the more impressive. However, the injury may also be a concern for some teams, especially after Banks missed most of the 2025 college season with a foot injury.
The injury was discovered during a pre-draft visit to an undisclosed team, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid. Banks is expected to return to the field by June, so he likely will be sidelined for rookie minicamp, most (if not all) of OTAs, and potentially mandatory minicamp. Currently viewed as a late first-round prospect, Banks seems unlikely to rise into the top 20 after news of his injury, though it only takes one team to have confidence in his recovery.
In other pre-draft medical news, Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion underwent a “routine and preventative” knee scope last week, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. He played in all but one of his teams’ games in college with All-SEC honors for his contributions as a receiver and returner in 2025.
The 5-foot-11 wideout did not participate in athletic testing in Indianapolis, though he did run receiver drills on the field. His surgery will likely sideline him for the Aggies’ Pro Day on March 25, but Concepcion is expected to be ready for rookie minicamp after the draft. Concepcion is also viewed as a borderline first-rounder, but preventative arthroscopic surgery on a player without a significant injury history is unlikely to negatively impact his draft stock.
WRs Starting To Emerge From 2026 Draft Class
In the days following the 2025 NFL Draft, early looks at the 2026 class had many excited about the potential options at quarterback. At this point of the year, though, many of the arms expected to have earned first-round buzz have made teams doubt whether they’re ready to come out of college altogether. According to Nick Baumgardner and Dane Brugler of The Athletic, another position has seen more success in emerging talented depth for next April.
While QBs haven’t fared well as a group thus far in the college football season, pass catchers have impressed. More notably, the position’s underclassmen have elevated what looked to be a lesser senior class of wide receivers. Asked to identify the prototypical X receivers in this year’s class, Baumgardner pointed immediately to the crop’s highest-rated WRs, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate.
At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Tyson has the frame of a pro wideout, and he’s logged monster production for the Sun Devils over the last two years. Last season, he put up an impressive 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns. A hamstring injury has slightly reduced Tyson’s output this year, but he has still managed a line of 59-689-8 in eight games. There’s little lacking in his game as he excels in getting open and making tough, contested catches.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Tate is a bit longer and leaner than Tyson, but he doesn’t sacrifice any quickness or control with that length. Tate has established himself as a deep threat this season with crisp route-running and an ability to adjust his pace to find the ball or get open. It’s hard to shine in an offense that features sophomore star Jeremiah Smith (not yet draft-eligible), but Tate has found a way by establishing himself as one of the more sure-handed receivers in the country. He seems set to continue the parade of NFL-ready receivers out of Columbus, following in the footsteps of recent Buckeye success stories like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Emeka Egbuka, Terry McLaurin, Chris Olave, and Marvin Harrison Jr.
Other receivers generating buzz for later on in the first round include USC’s Makai Lemon, Washington’s Denzel Boston, Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion, and Louisville’s Chris Bell. At 5-11, 195 pounds, Lemon doesn’t possess great size, but he’s fast and can excel in roles outside of the slot when given the opportunity. Boston is the complete opposite, with a sizeable 6-foot-4 frame and the abilities to play both on the outside or as a big slot. Concepcion is a danger to score any time he gets his hands on the ball, and the Aggies have made sure to feed him as much as NC State did before he transferred.
Bell is the first senior mentioned and the only one sneaking into late-first projections. Fellow senior Germie Bernard, who plays for Alabama, is seemingly on the fringe at this point in the process. Bell shows impressive traits while still needing to polish several aspects of his game, but he possesses some uncoachable strength and explosive speed that should really benefit him at the next level. Bernard doesn’t impress much as an athlete, lacking ideal size/speed/strength attributes, but he does a lot of things right with a good all-around game.
The underclassmen are truly the gems of the group, according to Brugler, who placed Tyson, Tate, and Lemon among his top 20 prospects entering the season. All of those players have matched or exceeded the hype since then, Brugler notes. At this point, there’s little question about if they’ll get drafted high or whether they can play at the next level. The more important question will be whether or not they’re ready to declare this year.