The Cleveland Browns have a massive need at the offensive tackle position, and a common player they have been linked to is Georgia‘s Monroe Freeling. A 2026 NFL Draft riser this season, Freeling stock is soaring, and is expected to continue to soar as he gets ready to put his athletic ability to the test at the NFL Scouting Combine.
So, not only would Freeling be a good fit for the Browns, but they may have to draft him earlier rather than later. Right now, Freeling is a mainstay in mock drafts with their second first round pick, the 24th overall pick. However, hitting the Magic Johnson meme, Freeling’s stock is indicating “I’m not going to be here.” that late in the first round. Which means he has now become a candidate to land in Cleveland with the sixth overall pick.
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Here is what Daft on Draft, an NFL Draft content site, had to say in their scouting report:
“In draft classes that are getting increasingly older as players are less eager to leap to the NFL thanks to NIL, when a young player like Freeling does come out, it raises green flags. He has shades of former Indianapolis Colts first round pick back in 2011, Anthony Castonzo.
Freeling is an ever and rapid-developing player whose best football is still ahead of him. As the pre-draft process starts, Freeling has the making of a shooting star up draft boards and could even compete for the title of the first offensive tackle off the board by April.”
In fact, the hosts of the Daft on Draft podcast mocked Freeling to the Browns in the first round of their most recent mock draft with the sixth overall pick. Similar to Armand Membou a year ago, who rose all the way to the seventh overall in last year’s draft, Georgia’s Freeling looks like the prime candidate to be that kind of riser by the time April rolls around.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns NFL Draft target Monroe Freeling could be first OT drafted