CLEVELAND — The Browns took center Parker Brailsford with the 146th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday, making him their first selection on Day 3. Cleveland did not have a fourth-round pick and entered the fifth round with four selections still scheduled.
Brailsford, listed at 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds, comes to Cleveland after playing at Alabama and building a profile that made him one of the better interior line prospects in the class. Dane Brugler ranked him as the seventh-best center on his board, a reflection of how much value teams placed on his movement skills and his feel for the position.
He was a two-year starter at Alabama and a three-year starter overall, but much of the appeal comes from the way he plays. Brailsford fires out of his stance to cut off pass-rush angles or reach in the run game, and he has the range to work on screens, pulls and climbs. His long wingspan helps, and he plays stronger than his size would suggest, even if he does not have the mass or power to consistently manhandle defenders.
The Browns are continuing to overhaul their offensive line, and Brailsford fits the type of system they appear to be building around. He was the center in Ryan Grubb's zone-based scheme, was a key part of Washington's Joe Moore Award-winning line in 2023 and helped the Huskies reach the national championship game that season. Over the past two seasons, he anchored Alabama's line.
The fit is not without questions. Brailsford has the potential to start in an outside-zone scheme, but he still needs to be more consistent when picking off targets in space. Cleveland already has Luke Wypler and Elgton Jenkins on the roster, and Jenkins could wind up at guard, so the Browns are adding competition as they sort out the shape of the line. For a team that kept spending on protection after the draft opened, this was a pick aimed at speed, movement and a plan still taking shape.