The Official 2026 NFL Draft Thread
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I hope the squeeler stadium bathrooms flood. I hope the rivers are fouled with muskrats and sewage.
lol
We got Boston in the second round, but the squeelers took my 2nd round pick Germie, wr.
then, in the third round, the dirtbags drafted my 4th round qb, Allar. Too bad I didn't do a squeeler draft.
dammit. lol
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And Austin Barber:
Overview
- Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
- Birthday: May 20, 2003
- Age: 22.9
- Jersey: No. 58
- High School: Trinity Christian
- Year: Fifth-year senior
A starter for three-and-a-half years at Florida, Barber lined up at left tackle in former offensive coordinator Russ Callaway’s balanced scheme. After battling injuries as a sophomore in 2023, he started all 25 games across his junior and senior seasons, earning All-SEC honors in 2025. He was inconsistent over his career, with high highs and low lows — and NFL teams are just as inconsistent in their evaluations of him.
Barber passes the eye test with his long frame and adequate muscle mass, and he has a basketball background as an athlete. However, he can be stressed by outside speed and gets walked backwards into the pocket by speed-to-power moves. His hands are erratic, in terms of punch tempo and placement, but he can displace bodies when he connects.
Dane’s takeaway
Barber has NFL size, tools and demeanor but needs to polish his timing and technique to hold up against next-level competition. He is a developmental swing tackle prospect, who might be better suited for a move to guard.
Combine stats
Tap any column header to see its definition. Scroll right to see more metrics.
STAT HT WT HAND ARM WING BP 10 20 40 VJ BJ SS 3C Combine 6′67/8 318 95/8 331/8 801/4 DNP 1.76 2.95 5.12 32 9′3 DNP DNP Pro Day 6′63/4 317 95/8 333/4 813/8 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP Note: Combine: Limited workout (choice).
Strengths
- Looks the part — long, mid-cut frame and natural thickness in arms and thighs
- Rangy on backside pulls in run game, turning the corner and flipping his hips (has basketball background)
- Competes with a physical demeanor, especially on downhill duo blocks
- Displays grip strength to latch and redirect defenders away from lanes
- Comfortable using different depth points in pass sets
- Uses firm stab techniques to reach, snatch and bury his man
- Gritty competitor and plays through pain (NFL scout: “Showed better maturity in 2025. … (He) actually took less NIL (money) to stay put.”)
- Quality starting resume — 39 career starts, including time at both tackle spots
Weaknesses
- Taller posture and average lateral range as a pass blocker
- Too many “all-or-nothing” punch attempts that often backfire, leaving him susceptible to inside moves
- Shaky anchor and loses balance when attempting to sit down vs. power
- Doesn’t always roll his hips into contact to fully unlock body strength in run game
- Flag magnet over career, committing 29 penalties over past four seasons (seven in 2025)
- Ankle and left shoulder injuries as sophomore, which sidelined him for three games (and parts of others); shoulder injury required offseason surgery (Jan. 2024) and made him a non-contact participant for spring practices
College stats
Tap any column header to see its definition.
YEAR SCHOOL GP GS POS 2021 Florida 3 0 — 2022 Florida 13 5 RT 2023 Florida 9 9 LT 2024 Florida 13 13 LT 2025 Florida 12 12 LT - 2021 Redshirted; enrolled June 2021
- 2023 Missed three games (ankle, left shoulder)
- 2025 Third Team All-SEC
Background
Austin Barber was raised in Jacksonville, Fla., by his parents. Growing up with two older stepbrothers and an older half-brother, he developed his athleticism and competitiveness throughout childhood. One of his older brothers (Zane Cruz), whom Barber refers to as his “role model,” played linebacker at Charleston Southern (2014-17) before getting into coaching. Barber was a multi-sport athlete as a kid and played quarterback and linebacker throughout youth football before moving to the offensive line in high school. His family — especially his father (Mark) — is full of diehard Florida Gators fans. His long-term girlfriend (Reagan Walsh) was an All-SEC softball player at Florida (2022-25).
Barber originally attended Yulee High School, alma mater of NFL running back Derrick Henry. Barber moved up to varsity as a freshman and played on the offensive line for two seasons (Yulee won just three games in both the 2017 and 2018 seasons). Prior to his junior season, he transferred to Trinity Christian Academy, a private Christian school in Jacksonville, for better recruiting exposure. As a junior, Barber started both ways as a left tackle and defensive lineman. As a senior, he was named Class 3A offensive player of the year and helped lead Trinity Christian to a 12-1 record and the 2020 Class 3A state championship. Barber also lettered in basketball at Trinity Christian.
A three-star recruit, Barber was the 47th-ranked offensive tackle in the 2021 class and the No. 79 recruit in Florida. After transferring to Trinity Christian as a junior, he picked up his first scholarship offer, from Coastal Carolina (September 2019). Later in his junior season, Barber added his first offer from a major conference (North Carolina). Between his junior and senior seasons, he picked up offers from Illinois, Kentucky, Louisville, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh and Utah. Barber meshed well with the Minnesota coaches and committed to the Gophers the summer before his senior year. However, he reopened his recruitment in November 2020 after hearing from several programs closer to home. Having grown up a Gators fan, Barber took multiple visits to Gainesville, Fla., but an offer never arrived. He was planning to sign with Miami midway through December 2020, until Florida surprised him with an offer on December 17 (one day after he’d won a state title). Barber committed on the spot and was the ninth-ranked recruit in Dan Mullen’s final Gators class.
He was a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient and graduated with a degree in education sciences (December 2024). Barber accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl.
And Austin Barber:
Warhop once coached a Toledo G named John Greco at the Browns,3rd round pick #65
Yeah ! Warhop got his Greco Back! He'll Coach him up!
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Yikes.
There’s some OLinemen still on the board that makes me wonder about this pick
I think he is being looked at as a guard. He is a beast in run blocking and in a box he will be a good pass blocker. At tackle his problem was lateral movement which could lead to being off balance. Inside, he won't have those problems. He will have the ability to move outside if pressed in to action but I think he is viewed as a starting guard in a year.
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Yikes.
There’s some OLinemen still on the board that makes me wonder about this pick
I think he is being looked at as a guard. He is a beast in run blocking and in a box he will be a good pass blocker. At tackle his problem was lateral movement which could lead to being off balance. Inside, he won't have those problems. He will have the ability to move outside if pressed in to action but I think he is viewed as a starting guard in a year.
I think he is being looked at as a guard. He is a beast in run blocking and in a box he will be a good pass blocker. At tackle his problem was lateral movement which could lead to being off balance. Inside, he won't have those problems. He will have the ability to move outside if pressed in to action but I think he is viewed as a starting guard in a year.
And we needed one since this is Bitonio's last year if it wasn't 2025. That is still unclear.
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Not to speak too soon, but are these how AB's drafts look when DePo is not involved?
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I think you're going to have to ask that question to the guy who drafted Utah's 2nd best LT (which is why Fano played RT the last 2 seasons).
Does this kind of stuff ever happen to other teams?
We talked about this a month ago - this went into my armchair GM decision.
Fano had the accolades. Lomu was youngish but played and better projected at the LT spot which we had folks pounding the table about NEED. Fano played a little LT early but moved to RT with Lomu’s emergence.
This lead me to “stay the hell away from either at 6” technically we did we picked Fano at 9.
I am salty today because some of us said we could get a LT at 24. Myles is gone folks. If not June 1, in 2027 or 2028. Ward is getting old and concussed often. We need an emerging leader and lo and behold one was there at 6.
We talked about this a month ago - this went into my armchair GM decision.
Fano had the accolades. Lomu was youngish but played and better projected at the LT spot which we had folks pounding the table about NEED. Fano played a little LT early but moved to RT with Lomu’s emergence.
This lead me to “stay the hell away from either at 6” technically we did we picked Fano at 9.
I am salty today because some of us said we could get a LT at 24. Myles is gone folks. If not June 1, in 2027 or 2028. Ward is getting old and concussed often. We need an emerging leader and lo and behold one was there at 6.
We did! Nothing wrong with anything you said above. Don't worry about getting salty when you're passionate about our team. We have fun in here together whether we're agreeing or clarifying where we're coming from.
I think we saw the Browns drafted someone they want to develop at LT in round 3 - assuring me they have big plans for Fano but it ain't at LT. Again, he did some snapping at the Combine and the team running those OL drills was the Browns. This Browns have 3 Interior OL positions to fill - and at least 2/3s of those ae BIG shoes to fill.
I welcome the only Defensive Coordinator to earn a Superbowl Ring in New Orleans while understanding Revenge of the Nerds is a sequel. "Come get some!" -
Not to speak too soon, but are these how AB's drafts look when DePo is not involved?
I still believe Berry is stuck in the Shasi Brown/Depo age & RAS scores guardrails.. Jack Duffin does a great job on this long process..
I'm of the thinking? That Berry may have had Lemon & Markell Bell in his pick cue.. Philly may have jumped his pick twice. Rumors also say, Monken wanted/met with Ga. TE Oscar Delp..Delp went #73 & Berry traded with NYG's the next pick #74.. (? we'll never get the truth of)
Great work Jack ! https://247sports.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/longformarticle/updated-cleveland-browns-2026-age-ras-guardrails-draft-board-heading-into-day-three-283115351/
Berry has shown a covid season discount, while sticking to picks under 23 yo.. Austin Barber was his only pick that the Browns never had a combine nor 30 team visit. 4 of the 5 picks did meet
Solid 2 Days Andrew Berry !
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The phrase I keep seeing repeated, re: the OL picks is "they have versatility". I understand that, I don't disagree with it either.
However that is what your depth is for - versatility when *needed*. My starting 5 need to be my specialists. The OL is unique in football that its function is so synced & uniform.
The 1st round is designed to find my specialists. I feel the Browns have failed in that regard.
Re: Austin Barber. I have all-22 from the last 2 years of the Gators offense. I wasn't watching him, but I can tell you their Oline play wasn't impressive. I'll do my due diligence and report back.
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Not to speak too soon, but are these how AB's drafts look when DePo is not involved?
Kind of hard not to see the trend, isn't it?
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We talked about this a month ago - this went into my armchair GM decision.
Fano had the accolades. Lomu was youngish but played and better projected at the LT spot which we had folks pounding the table about NEED. Fano played a little LT early but moved to RT with Lomu’s emergence.
This lead me to “stay the hell away from either at 6” technically we did we picked Fano at 9.
I am salty today because some of us said we could get a LT at 24. Myles is gone folks. If not June 1, in 2027 or 2028. Ward is getting old and concussed often. We need an emerging leader and lo and behold one was there at 6.
We did! Nothing wrong with anything you said above. Don't worry about getting salty when you're passionate about our team. We have fun in here together whether we're agreeing or clarifying where we're coming from.
I think we saw the Browns drafted someone they want to develop at LT in round 3 - assuring me they have big plans for Fano but it ain't at LT. Again, he did some snapping at the Combine and the team running those OL drills was the Browns. This Browns have 3 Interior OL positions to fill - and at least 2/3s of those ae BIG shoes to fill.
We did! Nothing wrong with anything you said above. Don't worry about getting salty when you're passionate about our team. We have fun in here together whether we're agreeing or clarifying where we're coming from.
I think we saw the Browns drafted someone they want to develop at LT in round 3 - assuring me they have big plans for Fano but it ain't at LT. Again, he did some snapping at the Combine and the team running those OL drills was the Browns. This Browns have 3 Interior OL positions to fill - and at least 2/3s of those ae BIG shoes to fill.
I agree with ballpeen, I think Barber probably is being looked at as a guard.
I think the Browns think Fano is a guy versatile enough to play almost anywhere on the OLine, and at worst he isn't great as a LT but can move somewhere else if needed and thrive, and if that happens they find a LT in the future, a la what is happening now in New England with Will Campbell. It's not optimal I admit, taking a guy in the top 10 who ends up being your starting RT/OG.... but they feel confident he will be a very good OLineman somewhere on the OLine. I think the Browns feel he can be a good LT though, I don't think this is a shot in the dark, but he gives them obvious options. He's not a "Boom or Bust" guy. One way or another, we got ourselves a good starter, but where is to be decided.
I don't think it's going to happen honestly, but if - and I can't stress the word IF enough - Sanders develops into an above average starting QB, well the fate of our franchise would change dramatically for the positive. You could go into next year's draft not needing to go balls out for a QB at the top of the first, the world would be the Browns oyster.
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The phrase I keep seeing repeated, re: the OL picks is "they have versatility". I understand that, I don't disagree with it either.
However that is what your depth is for - versatility when *needed*. My starting 5 need to be my specialists. The OL is unique in football that its function is so synced & uniform.
The 1st round is designed to find my specialists. I feel the Browns have failed in that regard.
Re: Austin Barber. I have all-22 from the last 2 years of the Gators offense. I wasn't watching him, but I can tell you their Oline play wasn't impressive. I'll do my due diligence and report back.
The phrase I keep seeing repeated, re: the OL picks is "they have versatility". I understand that, I don't disagree with it either.
However that is what your depth is for - versatility when *needed*. My starting 5 need to be my specialists. The OL is unique in football that its function is so synced & uniform.
The 1st round is designed to find my specialists. I feel the Browns have failed in that regard.
Re: Austin Barber. I have all-22 from the last 2 years of the Gators offense. I wasn't watching him, but I can tell you their Oline play wasn't impressive. I'll do my due diligence and report back.
The Barber selection is the one pick I'm scratching my head about.
I was kind of 'eh' about Concepcion - and I was the first guy on here to mention I really liked what he could bring this team way back in the fall - until they took Boston. I wanted Omar Cooper at 24, but since they took Boston I really like the KCC pick. I think they should complement each other very well.
But I feel like there were better OLineman on the board when they took Barber.
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Kind of hard not to see the trend, isn't it?
100%
Not trying to say that AB is some draft God all of a sudden, but to me, it's night and day.
Seems they are drafting football players now and not SPARQ studs.
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Kind of hard not to see the trend, isn't it?
100%
Not trying to say that AB is some draft God all of a sudden, but to me, it's night and day.
Seems they are drafting football players now and not SPARQ studs.
100%
Not trying to say that AB is some draft God all of a sudden, but to me, it's night and day.
Seems they are drafting football players now and not SPARQ studs.
Yep. Or guys who are a good combination of both.
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What picks do we have for Day 3?
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enough ammo to move into 4th round
- Round 5, Pick No.146
- Round 5, Pick No. 148 (from KC):
- Round 5, Pick No. 149:(from Cinn.)
- Round 5, Pick No. 152 (from 49'ers):
- Round 7, Pick No. 248:
- Round 4 2027 NYG
Browns & Buffett: Got to go fishin, Down to rock bottom again, with just a few Friends -
enough ammo to move into 4th round
- Round 5, Pick No.146
- Round 5, Pick No. 148 (from KC):
- Round 5, Pick No. 149:(from Cinn.)
- Round 5, Pick No. 152 (from 49'ers):
- Round 7, Pick No. 248:
- Round 4 2027 NYG
enough ammo to move into 4th round
- Round 5, Pick No.146
- Round 5, Pick No. 148 (from KC):
- Round 5, Pick No. 149:(from Cinn.)
- Round 5, Pick No. 152 (from 49'ers):
- Round 7, Pick No. 248:
- Round 4 2027 NYG
Thank you!
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So I was talking up Will Kacmarak from Ohio State as a good in-line TE complement to Harold Fannin and put him in my mock draft (I think in the 6th round?) kind of thinking it might be somewhat of a homer pick. Good blocking, limited athletic/receiving TEs are good candidates to become priority free agents...
Imagine my surprise when he was drafted last night in the 3rd round!
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Why are we still stressing the LT position?
Tytus Howard Browns 30 $45,000,000 $22,500,000 $34,500,000 $34,500,000 2029 Void In a pinch..
We paid Tytus Howard like a LT...
Second.. Tytus Howard has played both Tackle spots..
I Like how The GM & Coaches have not been focused on "Your playing here" yet !
Instead we have Appolo throwing pieces on a building table..
If we need a Center? We now have 3 that have played it !
Let this plan play out !
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