NFL scouting isn't infallible. Sometimes elite prospects fall through the cracks and go much, much later than they should. The best front offices are the ones who find value on day three of the draft, not the ones who knock it out of the park in the first couple of rounds.
So consider the Cleveland Browns (crazy, I know) one of the biggest winners of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Because with their first pick of the 5th Round, the Browns took Alabama center Parker Brailsford. And with him, I think they just landed a multi-time All-Pro on the third and final day of the draft.
Brailsford may be a bit undersized, but that was never an issue over the course of his career. He had an excellent season with Washington in 2023 before joining Kalen DeBoer in Tuscaloosa and anchoring the middle of the Alabama offensive line for the past two seasons.
The Browns may have won the draft by landing Parker Brailsford in the 5th Round
Brailsford elected to forego his final season of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. He may have been better served to return, particularly with the foot injury that hampered his play down the stretch. But Brailsford is betting on himself, and he'll join a Browns franchise that is desperate for success.
If Brailsford was 315 pounds or more, he'd have been in consideration for the top interior lineman in this draft class. Instead, he's 290, and there's concern in NFL circles about his ability to deal with the mammoth interior linemen at the next level.
He dealt with plenty of those-sized players in college, however, and never seemed to be in over his head. His athleticism is his best quality, with how good he is at pulling and getting into space to lead block for running backs.
Don't be surprised to see Brailsford challenge for, and win, Cleveland's starting center job next season. It won't take him long to get on the field, and when he does, he'll quickly start being talked about as one of the top players at this position.
You can follow along with all of Alabama's NFL Draft selections here.
Add us as a preferred source on Google