2026 NFL Draft Visits: Browns, Cooper, Proctor
Though free agency is dominating the news feed this week, the 2026 NFL Draft is fast-approaching and teams around the league have been welcoming draft prospects for top 30 visits. The Browns got busy with these early into March, hosting Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson on March 4, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Cleveland hosted Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate the next day.
The Browns’ passing attack struggled in 2025, ranking 31st in the NFL. Cleveland didn’t have a 1,000-yard receiver for the first time since 2021. Despite playing every game this year, WR1 Jerry Jeudy‘s receiving line totals (50 receptions-602 yards-2 touchdowns) were nearly all half what they were in 2024 (90-1,229-4). The team’s leading receiver in 2025 was third-round rookie tight end Harold Fannin (72-731-6).
Seeing this, it makes sense the Browns are looking to add elite talent to the receiving corps. Daniel Jeremiah at NFL.com ranks Tate as the sixth-best prospect in the class and the best wide receiver, slotting Tyson in at 21st overall and WR4. Both pass-catchers are explosive playmakers with prototypical size and length. They own similar skillsets when it comes to their control of changing speed and direction, but Tyson slides down the board a bit as some health issues in college have led to durability questions.
Simpson is the bridge between projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and the rest of the QB crop projected to go in the third or fourth round of the draft. Simpson is currently hovering near the back of the first round in most projection but could easily jump up if a quarterback-needy team gets antsy. After only playing one season as a starter in college, some scouts feel Simpson would benefit from sitting and developing a year or two before starting. The Browns currently are slated to watch Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders battle for the QB1 job. The team could consider drafting Simpson to sit behind them both for a year before competing for the job himself.
Here are a few other draft visits from around the league:
- According to Luca Evans of The Denver post, the Broncos hosted Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. this past Friday. Jeremiah slots Cooper in at 18th overall and WR3. The AFC West Champs return all their top receivers from last year but may be looking for more consistent production in an upgrade at the WR3 role. Alongside many transfer additions, Cooper’s championship season with the Hoosiers was the culmination of four years of work from the bottom. He led the No. 1 team in the country in receptions (69) and receiving yards (937) and finished second on the team in receiving touchdowns (13).
- Lastly, the Texans hosted Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor on March 6, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The Texans return three starters on the offensive line from last year, and signed Braden Smith and Evan Brown to potentially fill the empty two spots. Still, the Texans have struggled to find consistent lineups on the interior line and could benefit by adding a lineman in the draft to compete at both guard and tackle, allowing Smith to do the same. Proctor slots in as Jeremiah’s 23rd-best overall prospect and the sixth-best offensive lineman.
Alabama QB Ty Simpson Projected To Steelers?
We’ve gotten through just the first week of free agency, and already a number of teams with question marks at quarterback have found a solution. A thin draft class at the position necessitated some proactive movement by a couple of teams in free agency to fill the role behind center, clearing things up a bit as we start to look forward to the 2026 NFL Draft. 
It seems a foregone conclusion at this point that the Raiders will be selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick next month. Past that, it’s unclear how many other passers, if any, will hear their names called in the first round. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is widely seen as the QB2 behind Mendoza and likely the only other college arm worth taking Day 1. These factors usually depend on necessity, so how needy are today’s NFL teams for a rookie quarterback?
The Dolphins, Falcons, and Vikings are three teams who opted to go the free agency route to address the position. Miami released Tua Tagovailoa after six years with the team and opted to sign free agent Malik Willis off a two-year stint as a backup in Green Bay. Atlanta quickly picked up the Dolphins’ scraps, signing Tagovailoa to the veteran minimum to compete with their other lefty quarterback in an open competition. Minnesota chose a similar route, bringing in Kyler Murray after his release from Arizona.
Obviously, there’s a chance that none of the three situations work out. Willis has only started six games in his career, Tagovailoa just turned in the worst season of his career, and Murray has missed over half the season twice in the last three years due to injury. And while signing these free agent options could stand every chance to turn things around, as well, it serves another positive purpose. Signing these quarterbacks allows these three teams to kick the can down the road to next year’s draft class or maybe even the class after that, in hopes of a more QB-rich group.
Looking at the current QB landscape around the NFL, it seems there are perhaps four teams for whom it would make sense to draft a quarterback this year — not counting the Raiders. These are teams that currently roster (or will likely roster) a veteran quarterback who can start while a drafted rookie is developed until they are ready to step in. These teams would be the Cardinals, Browns, Jets, and Steelers. Technically, the Rams could fit in here, as well, but as long as Matthew Stafford is playing at an MVP level and keeping the team in contention, Los Angeles isn’t likely to use a top pick on a passer.
Even between those four teams, the Cardinals will see veteran Jacoby Brissett return alongside newly signed free agent Gardner Minshew, the Jets traded for Geno Smith and return Justin Fields, and the Browns could see Deshaun Watson dueling with Shedeur Sanders in 2026. These situations don’t necessarily have the potential for ceilings as high as what the Dolphins, Falcons, and Vikings could see, but those QB duos could potentially serve as bridges to buy time for later draft classes all the same.
That leaves us with the Steelers, who are currently set to return only Mason Rudolph and Will Howard at quarterback. There are some expectations that 42-year-old veteran Aaron Rodgers could come back to play another season with his former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy now in charge in Pittsburgh, but Rodgers has been taking his time in making a decision.
If he does come back, this could set up the perfect situation for Simpson. One of Simpson’s biggest knocks is that he has only played one season of college football as a starter. Allowing Simpson to sit and learn under Rodgers could end up being the perfect recipe to building the next star passer to wear black and yellow. It seems we’re not alone in that thought, either. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk claimed yesterday to have sources who believe the Steelers “will take him if he’s on the board when Pittsburgh makes the 21st overall pick.”
Alabama QB Ty Simpson Could Jump To Top Half Of First Round?
It’s long been considered an essentially foregone conclusion that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will go No. 1 overall to the Raiders at the end of April. Las Vegas isn’t the only team that needs an upgrade at the quarterback position, though, and Mendoza isn’t the only passer available in the 2026 NFL Draft. According to Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports, Alabama’s Ty Simpson could be a potential solution to the Browns’ longstanding quarterback woes, and he could hear his name called much sooner in the draft than anyone is currently expecting. 
Simpson has long been seen as the draft’s QB2, behind the consensus No. 1, Mendoza. He had some competition in Oregon quarterback Dante Moore in early speculations, but Moore returned to Eugene for another season, essentially clearing the field of competition for Simpson. The hierarchy lately has been Mendoza at QB1, a large gap between him and Simpson at QB2, then another significant gap between Simpson and the next group of passers which includes Penn State’s Drew Allar, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, and Miami’s Carson Beck.
Though there’s been a perceived gap between Mendoza and Simpson, there have been projections in which Mendoza and Simpson mirror Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart from last year’s draft, with Mendoza at the top and Simpson standing a chance at sneaking into the back of the first round. Pauline, though, is asserting that some now believe Simpson could end up hearing his name sometime in the first 12 picks of the draft next month. These rumors started spreading even before Simpson impressed scouts and coaches at the NFL Scouting Combine last weekend, further bettering his position in the eyes of the NFL’s talent evaluators.
Pauline also noted a specific team that seems particularly interested in the former Crimson Tide passer, claiming the Browns have been “doing extensive work on Simpson.” This notion had been floated days earlier by Mary Kay Cabot at Cleveland.com. Cabot had written how new head coach Todd Monken has been a fan of Simpson since the days he recruited him as the offensive coordinator at Georgia years ago.
“I like Ty,” Monken told reporters at the combine. “I liked Ty when he was coming out (of high school). When I first got to Georgia, they hadn’t offered him, and I went up there and talked to his dad. In fact, his dad, Jason, is a Southern Miss alum, and I was the head coach at Southern Miss. So, we got to know them really well. Really fond of Ty, obviously, really good football player.”
Monken went on to note that his new team will not be complacent with the players it has in the building already. He told the media, “We’re going to do our due diligence to make sure that our roster–, that we put ourselves in the best position we can to score points, which starts with that (quarterback) position.”
Currently, the top projected contenders to win the QB1 job in Cleveland are the much-maligned Deshaun Watson and second-year Pro Bowler Shedeur Sanders. We haven’t seen Watson’s best football since two years before Monken offered Simpson at Georgia in 2022. And, though Sanders provided some excitement here and there as a rookie fourth option in Cleveland last year, he has a long way to go before he can be securely considered QB1. With Monken and Co. pledging to explore all options at quarterback, including external options, it stands to reason the Simpson could join the party in Cleveland and become another horse in the race for the starting job.
The Browns currently hold the Nos. 6, 24, and 39 draft picks on Days 1 and 2 of the draft. Simpson likely isn’t going sixth overall, unless some serious pressure and competition build up around the 23-year-old, so Simpson could be Cleveland’s selection at No. 24 or in the early second round. In order for Pauline’s top 12 prediction to be more feasible, the Browns may search out a team in the six picks behind them who may be looking to move up, and trade back to acquire some extra draft capital and draft Simpson a bit closer to his perceived draft projections.
QB-Needy Teams Have Options Through Draft, Free Agency
It’s really not a surprise at this point in time, but reports indicate that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza getting drafted No. 1 overall by the Raiders is all but a sure thing. Mendoza cemented himself as the likely first overall pick even before the Hoosiers’ championship run through the College Football Playoff secured his Heisman win, and as soon as Las Vegas secured the top pick in the draft, Mendoza’s move to Nevada became a near certainty. 
Nothing is ever 100% sure, though, and there is always a possibility that the Raiders look at next year’s wide crop of quarterback prospects and an historic trade offer for the No. 1 overall pick and choose that route.
Overwhelmingly, though, pundits across the media spectrum believe that Vegas will retain their top overall pick and make things official with Mendoza. During an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer dropped a number of quotes, saying, “I would be stunned if (Mendoza) didn’t go No. 1, right? I think it’s highly unlikely he goes anywhere but Vegas.”
Over at ESPN, a crew of reporters polled several NFL executives on the topic at the Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl, and Super Bowl, and eight executives believed the Raiders would keep the pick, while no votes were tallied against that possibility. Separately, ESPN’s Rich Cimini asked Jets general manager Darren Mougey about the possibility of reaching out to Vegas to inquire about moving up, and he stated pretty plainly, “I don’t think that’s happening.” Courtney Cronin, another ESPN contributor, added to the crowd yesterday with a piece on Mendoza’s meeting with the Raiders and his excitement at the prospect of potentially being mentored by minority team owner Tom Brady.
Now, for teams with a need at quarterback not located in Sin City, the other obvious solutions are to go after one of the top free agent quarterbacks available — namely, Green Bay’s Malik Willis or Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones — or attempt to trade for San Francisco’s Mac Jones. After impressive 2025 contributions, both Joneses are expected to stay home, though, and only one team will get to claim Willis as a solution, but there is still a solvable equation for the teams that remain.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the teams that are still looking to acquire a passer after the above dust settles will be able to look toward either the litany of veteran quarterbacks with starting experience available for cheap or the numerous rookie passers who may be worth taking a flyer on or some combination of both.
Rapoport points to several veteran former starters who are thought to be release candidates and who may, in the same vein as Russell Wilson, be able to play for the veteran minimum, thanks to the added security of guaranteed money from the teams who may let them go. This situation would apply to players like Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Fields, and Geno Smith.
Teams can sign one of these quarterbacks to audition for a Jones-like comeback opportunity then pair them with a young, rookie option that may be available later on in the 2026 NFL Draft. After Mendoza, Alabama’s Ty Simpson has drawn some first-round interest, but there is a perceived drop off in the arms that follow. The next names on the list — LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Beck, Penn State’s Drew Allar, etc. — could fall anywhere in the draft.
Some see 2026 much like the 2022 NFL Draft, in which Kenny Pickett was the only Day 1 quarterback, and the next passer was taken in the third round. Others believe 2026 could be more like 2018 or 2024, when two passers were widely viewed as first-round talents but several others drifted into the first round based on the number of teams looking for answers at the position.
With many already looking forward to the quarterback prospects of the 2027 NFL Draft, we may see multiple teams opt to employ the services of a veteran starter alone or combined with a promising rookie. These decisions will play out over the next few weeks as the veterans hit free agency after release and draft grades are determined for rookies, but there are several options available to teams looking for quarterback help for 2026.
Malik Willis, Ty Simpson Among QBs Being Evaluated By Browns
The Browns’ quarterback situation could go in a number of directions this offseason. The status quo would see Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson compete for the starting gig, but an outside addition will be explored. 
March will see the free agent and trade markets take shape, and Cleveland will do homework on the top options set to be available. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com specifically names Malik Willis as a passer on the Browns’ radar at this point. That makes Cleveland one of many potential suitors in his case.
Willis is widely seen as the top quarterback on track for free agency. A Packers departure is expected, as the open market is set to present him with a starting opportunity. Cleveland had already been named as a team to watch on the Willis front, with the same also being true of Pittsburgh and Miami. The Dolphins in particular have Willis connections in the form of new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head Jeff Hafley. The 26-year-old could also be pursued by the Cardinals, provided they move on from Kyler Murray.
As Cabot notes, any veteran addition made by the Browns this offseason will not be a short-term rental but rather a passer viewed as having starting potential beyond 2026. That could certainly be the case for Willis if his market reaches expected levels, despite the fact he has only made six starts in the regular season. Cleveland’s financial situation will once again be impacted by Watson’s heavy cap charge, so it would be difficult for the team to win a bidding war.
That leaves the draft as another route to landing a new QB. On that note, Cabot writes Ty Simpson is among the prospects receiving attention in the Browns’ case. The Alabama product is seen as the second-best passer in this year’s class, owing in large part to Dante Moore‘s decision to remain in school for 2026. Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza is on track to be drafted first overall by the Raiders, but Simpson’s landing spot is much more difficult to project at this point.
Having only made 15 starts in college, Simpson is viewed as having notable upside but will carry risk based on his short track record. The 23-year-old’s 2025 season also did not finish nearly as well as it began, something which could hinder his stock. Nevertheless, the Browns – who own two first-round selections along with one in each of the second and third rounds – will have ample opportunity to make another QB investment in April.
Alabama QB Ty Simpson To Enter Draft
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson will declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, Pete Thamel of ESPN reports. Simpson informed Alabama’s coaches of his decision to forgo his senior season on Wednesday.
Simpson, ESPN’s 27th-ranked recruit coming out of high school, committed to Alabama in February 2021. He wound up playing sparingly with the Crimson Tide from 2022-24. Jalen Milroe, now a backup quarterback with the Seahawks, was Alabama’s starter during that three-year span.
With Milroe moving on to the pros, Simpson finally got his chance to lead the Crimson Tide’s offense this season. He completed 64.5% of passes and threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in 15 games. Simpson earned second-team All-SEC honors and helped his team to a College Football Playoff berth.
Alabama advanced with a first-round win over Oklahoma, but its season ended with a 38-3 blowout loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl. Hoosiers Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the potential No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, got the better of Simpson. After Simpson suffered a rib injury, backup Austin Mack replaced him early in the second half.
Despite an unceremonious ending to his time at Alabama, the 6-foot-2, 208-pound Simpson could come off the board early in April’s draft. However, assuming Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore declare, expectations are they’ll enter the proceedings as the top-ranked QBs in the class.
Moore (No. 1) and Mendoza (No. 2) are the highest-rated prospects on Mel Kiper’s latest big board at any position. The ESPN draft analyst doesn’t have Simpson as a top 25 prospect, but he’s third among QBs.. If that holds up over the next few months, Simpson may have a chance to go in the first round.
Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza Expected To Declare For 2026 NFL Draft; Dante Moore, Ty Simpson Likely To Return To School
It is looking increasingly likely that Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza will be the first college QB to hear his name called in the 2026 draft, and he bolstered his case on Saturday by leading the Hoosiers to a victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game. Unsurprisingly, multiple sources have told Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports.com that Mendoza will declare for the draft.
In addition to the stellar season Mendoza is having, which has him firmly in the mix for the Heisman Trophy, several of the other top passers who are eligible for the draft appear headed back to campus in 2026. According to Pauline, there is an “overwhelming belief” that Oregon’s Dante Moore will return to the Ducks next season, where the 20-year-old has an eight-figure NIL package waiting for him. In addition to the money, Moore could use more time to continue developing and growing into the potential that his elite physical tools create.
Like Moore, Alabama’s Ty Simpson does not have a great deal of starting experience, and he could therefore stand to benefit from another year in college (where he will remain under the tutelage of renowned offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ryan Grubb). Although much can obviously change in a year’s time, Moore and Simpson project as early frontrunners for the 2027 Heisman, and Pauline hears that Simpson is also likely to forego the NFL draft for another season.
However, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini observes, Mendoza, Moore, and Simpson are the consensus top QB prospects for 2026, and ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid says there is a substantial drop-off between that trio and the next tier of signal-callers. So if Moore and Simpson do not declare, then Mendoza will essentially comprise a one-man class, which will make his decision to turn pro even easier.
It will also drive up the price to acquire the right to draft him. As of the time of this writing, the Titans have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, but they just selected Cam Ward with the top pick in 2025 and will continue to develop him in the hopes he can become their franchise QB. They could demand a hefty trade package for their top choice if teams like the Jets, Browns, Raiders, or Saints decide Mendoza is their guy.
We recently learned that evaluators are split on Mendoza’s professional ceiling, but the need to find a quality quarterback always leads to overvaluation of college passers. Plus, it’s not as if the California transfer has not earned the mantle of best QB in his class. He boasts a 71.5% completion percentage along with an FBS-leading 33 passing touchdowns (against just six interceptions) and 10.66 air yards per attempt. And while his stats in the Ohio State victory do not jump off the page (15/23, 222 yards, one TD, one interception), his mettle in leading the Hoosiers to victory in a championship game against an elite defense surely caught the attention of NFL front offices.
We know that Jets GM Darren Mougey has already scouted Mendoza in person – Mougey witnessed the 22-year-old engineer a dramatic comeback win over Penn State – and Mendoza will continue to be one of the most-discussed prospects in the run-up to the draft. The same could be true of South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, who is having a disappointing year but who is still viewed as a late first-round pick, per Pauline. Sources close to Sellers believe there is too much risk for him in returning to college and perhaps reducing his draft stock even further, so he may make the decision to declare.