# List of Cleveland Browns first-round draft picks

The Cleveland Browns joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1950 with the Baltimore Colts and San Francisco 49ers after having spent four seasons with the All-America Football Conference. The Browns' first selection as an NFL team was Ken Carpenter, a wide receiver from Oregon State. The team's most recent first round selection was Greg Newsome II, a cornerback from Northwestern.
Every year during April, each NFL franchise seeks to add new players to its roster through a collegiate draft known as "the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting", which is more commonly known as the NFL Draft. Teams are ranked in inverse order based on the previous season's record, with teams missing the playoffs picking first, and then playoff teams in the inverse order of elimination. Teams have the option of trading away their picks to other teams for different picks, players, cash, or a combination thereof. Thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from their assigned draft pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in any round due to these trades.
The Browns did not have any draft choices from 1996 to 1998, because then-owner Art Modell took all the team's players to Baltimore, Maryland, effectively stopping the franchise. However, the NFL mandated that the Browns' name, colors, and franchise history remain in Cleveland and that the team would reactivate by 1999. In 1999, the Browns selected number one overall, drafting University of Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch.
The Browns have selected number one overall five times: Bobby Garrett (1954), Tim Couch (1999), Courtney Brown (2000), Myles Garrett (2017) and Baker Mayfield (2018). The team has also selected number two overall only once and number three overall six times. The Browns have selected players from the University of Michigan five times, Ohio State University and the University of Southern California four times, and the University of Florida three times. Five eventual Hall of Famers were selected by the Browns: Doug Atkins, Jim Brown, Paul Warfield, Ozzie Newsome and Joe Thomas.

## Player selections

| Selected number one overall * | Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame † |
National Football League, Early Era (1950–1969) :
| Year | Pick | Player name | Position | College |
| 1950 | 13 | Ken Carpenter | RB | Oregon State |
| 1951 | 14 | Kenny Konz | DB | LSU |
| 1952 | 10 | Bert Rechichar | DB/K | Tennessee |
| 1952 | 12 | Harry Agganis | QB | Boston |
| 1953 | 11 | Doug Atkins † | DE | Tennessee |
| 1954 | 1 | Bobby Garrett * | QB | Stanford |
| 1954 | 12 | John Bauer | OG/OT | Illinois |
| 1955 | 13 | Kurt Burris | C | Oklahoma |
| 1956 | 13 | Preston Carpenter | E/RB/TE | Arkansas |
| 1957 | 6 | Jim Brown † | FB | Syracuse |
| 1958 | 13 | Jim Shofner | DB | TCU |
| 1959 | 11 | Rich Kreitling | WR | Illinois |
| 1960 | 8 | Jim Houston | DE/LB | Ohio State |
| 1961 | 10 | Bobby Crespino | TE | Mississippi |
| 1962 | 4 | Gary Collins | WR/P | Maryland |
| 1962 | 11 | Leroy Jackson | RB | Western Illinois |
| 1963 | 9 | Tom Hutchinson | WR | Kentucky |
| 1964 | 11 | Paul Warfield † | WR | Ohio State |
| 1965 | 13th pick traded to San Francisco, used to select George Donnelly | 13th pick traded to San Francisco, used to select George Donnelly | 13th pick traded to San Francisco, used to select George Donnelly | 13th pick traded to San Francisco, used to select George Donnelly |
| 1966 | 14 | Milt Morin | TE | Massachusetts |
| 1967 | 18 | Bob Matheson | LB | Duke |
| 1968 | 21 | Marv Upshaw | DL | Trinity |
| 1969 | 20 | Ron Johnson | RB | Michigan |
National Football League, Modern Era (1970–present) :
| Year | Pick | Player name | Position | College | Notes |
| 1970 | 3 | Mike Phipps | QB | Purdue | |
| 1970 | 21 | Bob McKay | OT | Texas | |
| 1971 | 14 | Clarence Scott | DB | Kansas | |
| 1972 | 18 | Thom Darden | DB | Michigan | |
| 1973 | 16 | Steve Holden | WR | Arizona State | |
| 1973 | 22 | Pete Adams | OG | USC | |
| 1974 | 15th pick traded to San Diego, used to select Don Goode | 15th pick traded to San Diego, used to select Don Goode | 15th pick traded to San Diego, used to select Don Goode | 15th pick traded to San Diego, used to select Don Goode | |
| 1975 | 5 | Mack Mitchell | DL | Houston | |
| 1976 | 7 | Mike Pruitt | FB | Purdue | |
| 1977 | 17 | Robert Jackson | LB | Texas A&M | |
| 1978 | 12 | Clay Matthews | LB | USC | |
| 1978 | 23 | Ozzie Newsome † | TE | Alabama | |
| 1979 | 20 | Willis Adams | WR | Houston | |
| 1980 | 27 | Charles White | RB | USC | |
| 1981 | 22 | Hanford Dixon | CB | Southern Miss | |
| 1982 | 3 | Chip Banks | LB | USC | |
| 1983 | 14th pick traded to Buffalo, used to select Jim Kelly | 14th pick traded to Buffalo, used to select Jim Kelly | 14th pick traded to Buffalo, used to select Jim Kelly | 14th pick traded to Buffalo, used to select Jim Kelly | |
| 1984 | 18 | Don Rogers | S | UCLA | |
| 1985 | 7th pick traded to Green Bay via Buffalo, used to select Ken Ruettgers | 7th pick traded to Green Bay via Buffalo, used to select Ken Ruettgers | 7th pick traded to Green Bay via Buffalo, used to select Ken Ruettgers | 7th pick traded to Green Bay via Buffalo, used to select Ken Ruettgers | |
| 1986 | 20th pick traded to Buffalo, used to select Will Wolford | 20th pick traded to Buffalo, used to select Will Wolford | 20th pick traded to Buffalo, used to select Will Wolford | 20th pick traded to Buffalo, used to select Will Wolford | |
| 1987 | 5 | Mike Junkin | LB | Duke | |
| 1988 | 21 | Clifford Charlton | LB | Florida | |
| 1989 | 13 | Eric Metcalf | RB/WR | Texas | |
| 1990 | 18th pick traded to Green Bay, used to select Tony Bennett | 18th pick traded to Green Bay, used to select Tony Bennett | 18th pick traded to Green Bay, used to select Tony Bennett | 18th pick traded to Green Bay, used to select Tony Bennett | |
| 1991 | 2 | Eric Turner | DB | UCLA | |
| 1992 | 9 | Tommy Vardell | FB | Stanford | |
| 1993 | 14 | Steve Everitt | C | Michigan | |
| 1994 | 9 | Antonio Langham | CB | Alabama | |
| 1994 | 29 | Derrick Alexander | WR | Michigan | |
| 1995 | 30 | Craig Powell | LB | Ohio State | |
| 1996 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 |
| 1997 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 |
| 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 | Franchise deactivated; no team in Cleveland from 1996 to 1998 |
| 1999 | 1 | Tim Couch * | QB | Kentucky | |
| 2000 | 1 | Courtney Brown * | DE | Penn State | |
| 2001 | 3 | Gerard Warren | DT | Florida | |
| 2002 | 16 | William Green | RB | Boston College | |
| 2003 | 21 | Jeff Faine | C | Notre Dame | |
| 2004 | 6 | Kellen Winslow II | TE | Miami | |
| 2005 | 3 | Braylon Edwards | WR | Michigan | |
| 2006 | 13 | Kamerion Wimbley | LB | Florida State | |
| 2007 | 3 | Joe Thomas † | OT | Wisconsin | |
| 2007 | 22 | Brady Quinn | QB | Notre Dame | |
| 2008 | 22nd pick traded to Dallas, used to select Felix Jones | 22nd pick traded to Dallas, used to select Felix Jones | 22nd pick traded to Dallas, used to select Felix Jones | 22nd pick traded to Dallas, used to select Felix Jones | |
| 2009 | 21 | — Alex Mack | C | California | |
| 2010 | 7 | — Joe Haden | CB | Florida | |
| 2011 | 21 | — Phil Taylor | DT | Baylor | |
| 2012 | 3 | — Trent Richardson | RB | Alabama | |
| 2012 | 22 | — Brandon Weeden | QB | Oklahoma State | |
| 2013 | 6 | — Barkevious Mingo | OLB | LSU | |
| 2014 | 8 | — Justin Gilbert | CB | Oklahoma State | |
| 2014 | 22 | — Johnny Manziel | QB | Texas A&M | |
| 2015 | 12 | — Danny Shelton | DT | Washington | |
| 2015 | 19 | — Cameron Erving | C | Florida State | |
| 2016 | 15 | — Corey Coleman | WR | Baylor | |
| 2017 | 1 | Myles Garrett * | DE | Texas A&M | |
| 2017 | 25 | Jabrill Peppers | S | Michigan | |
| 2017 | 29 | David Njoku | TE | Miami | |
| 2018 | 1 | Baker Mayfield * | QB | Oklahoma | |
| 2018 | 4 | Denzel Ward | CB | Ohio State | |
| 2019 | 17th pick traded to NY Giants, used to select Dexter Lawrence | 17th pick traded to NY Giants, used to select Dexter Lawrence | 17th pick traded to NY Giants, used to select Dexter Lawrence | 17th pick traded to NY Giants, used to select Dexter Lawrence | |
| 2020 | 10 | — Jedrick Wills | OT | Alabama | |
| 2021 | 26 | Greg Newsome II | CB | Northwestern | |
| 2022 | 13th pick traded to Philadelphia via Houston, used to select Jordan Davis | 13th pick traded to Philadelphia via Houston, used to select Jordan Davis | 13th pick traded to Philadelphia via Houston, used to select Jordan Davis | 13th pick traded to Philadelphia via Houston, used to select Jordan Davis | |
| 2023 | 12th pick traded to Detroit via Houston and Arizona, used to select Jahmyr Gibbs | 12th pick traded to Detroit via Houston and Arizona, used to select Jahmyr Gibbs | 12th pick traded to Detroit via Houston and Arizona, used to select Jahmyr Gibbs | 12th pick traded to Detroit via Houston and Arizona, used to select Jahmyr Gibbs | |
| 2024 | 23rd pick traded to Jacksonville via Houston and Minnesota, used to select Brian Thomas Jr. | 23rd pick traded to Jacksonville via Houston and Minnesota, used to select Brian Thomas Jr. | 23rd pick traded to Jacksonville via Houston and Minnesota, used to select Brian Thomas Jr. | 23rd pick traded to Jacksonville via Houston and Minnesota, used to select Brian Thomas Jr. | |

## Footnotes

* ↑ The Browns acquired their first pick in 1952 from Detroit for E/T Jim Martin.
* ↑ Harry Agganis did not take a snap for the Browns in the NFL, opting instead to play professional baseball for the Boston Red Sox as the team's starting first baseman.
* ↑ The Browns' first pick in 1954 was a bonus lottery choice.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 1961 to Dallas for T Paul Dickson and the Cowboys' first pick in 1962. The Browns acquired another pick from Detroit along with LB Robert Long for QB Jim Ninowski.
* ↑ The Browns acquired their first pick in 1962 from Dallas along with T Paul Dickson for the Browns' first pick in 1961.
* ↑ The Browns traded the rights to Jackson to Washington for the Redskins' rights to Ernie Davis. Davis was later diagnosed with leukemia and died before playing a game with the Browns.
* ↑ The Browns' first pick in 1965 was traded to San Francisco for G Ted Connolly.
* ↑ The Browns acquired their first pick in 1970 from Miami for WR Paul Warfield.
* ↑ The Browns acquired their first pick in 1973 from New York along with the Giants' second choice (acquired from New England) for DE Jack Gregory and CB Freddie Summers.
* ↑ The Browns' first pick in 1974 was traded to San Diego along with the Browns' second pick in 1975 for LB Bob Babich and the Chargers' fourth pick in 1975.
* ↑ The Browns' acquired their second pick in 1978 from Los Angeles along with Washington's fourth pick (acquired from Washington through Chicago for the Bears' first pick) for QB Mike Phipps.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 1979 to San Diego for the Chargers' first and second picks.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first and New England's sixth pick (acquired from New England) to Los Angeles for the Rams' first and fourth picks plus San Diego's second and Green Bay's fifth (acquired from San Diego and Green Bay respectively) picks.
* ↑ The Browns' first pick in 1983 was traded to Buffalo along with the Browns' third pick in 1984 and fifth pick in 1985 for LB Tom Cousineau.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 1985 to Buffalo along with the Browns' third pick and the Browns' first and sixth picks in 1986 for Buffalo's first pick in the 1985 supplemental draft.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 1986 to Buffalo along with the Browns' sixth pick and the Browns first and third picks from 1985 for Buffalo's first pick in the 1985 supplemental draft.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 1987 to San Diego along with Browns' second pick and LB Chip Banks for San Diego's first and second picks.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 1988 to Denver along with the Browns' second, fifth and ninth picks for the Broncos' first pick.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 1990 to Green Bay along with the Browns' third and fifth picks in 1989 and RB Herman Fontenot for the Packers' second pick and fifth pick in 1989.
* ↑ The Browns acquired their first pick in 1993 from Denver along with the Broncos' third pick for the Browns' first pick.
* ↑ The Browns acquired their second pick in 1994 from Philadelphia for the Browns' third pick and the Browns' second pick in the 1995 draft.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 1995 to San Francisco for the 49ers' first and fourth picks and the 49ers' first pick in the 1996 draft.
* ↑ The Browns won this pick via a coin flip against Atlanta.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 2004 to Detroit along with the Browns' second pick for the Lions' first pick.
* ↑ The Browns traded their first pick in 2006 to Baltimore for the Ravens' first pick.
* ↑ The Browns won this pick via a coin toss against Tampa Bay.
* 1 2 The Browns traded their second-round pick in 2007 and first-round pick in 2008 to Dallas for their first-round pick in 2007.
* ↑ Cleveland traded down three times in the first round, sending the fifth overall pick to the Jets (who used it to select Mark Sanchez), and then traded down two more times (with Tampa Bay and Philadelphia) before selecting Alex Mack with the 21st overall pick. Grossi, Tony (2009-04-25). "Cleveland Browns get more picks (and more Jets) on a busy opening day in NFL draft". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on 2009-07-21. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
* ↑ The Browns traded this pick, their third round pick (95th overall) and SS Jabrill Peppers to the Giants in exchange for WR Odell Beckham Jr.
* ↑ The Browns traded these picks, their 2022 fourth round pick (107th overall), their 2023 third round pick (73rd overall), and their 2024 fourth round pick (123rd overall) to the Texans in exchange for QB Deshaun Watson and their 2024 sixth round pick (203rd overall).