Every year during April, each NFL franchise seeks to add new players to its roster through a collegiatedraft 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 from1996 to1998, because then-ownerArt Modell took all the team's players toBaltimore, Maryland, effectively stopping the franchise. However, the NFL mandated that the Browns' name, colors, and franchise history remain inCleveland and that the team would reactivate by 1999. In1999, the Browns selected number one overall, draftingUniversity of Kentucky quarterbackTim Couch.
^The Browns' first pick in 1954 was a bonus lottery choice.
^The Browns traded their first pick in 1961 toDallas for TPaul Dickson and the Cowboys' first pick in 1962. The Browns acquired another pick from Detroit along with LB Robert Long for QBJim 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 toWashington for the Redskins' rights toErnie Davis. Davis was later diagnosed withleukemia and died before playing a game with the Browns.
^The Browns' first pick in 1965 was traded to San Francisco for GTed Connolly.
^The Browns acquired their first pick in 1970 fromMiami for WR Paul Warfield.
^The Browns' first pick in 1974 was traded toSan Diego along with the Browns' second pick in 1975 for LBBob Babich and the Chargers' fourth pick in 1975.
^The Browns' acquired their second pick in 1978 fromLos Angeles along with Washington's fourth pick (acquired from Washington throughChicago 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 andGreen Bay's fifth (acquired from San Diego and Green Bay respectively) picks.
^The Browns' first pick in 1983 was traded toBuffalo along with the Browns' third pick in 1984 and fifth pick in 1985 for LBTom 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 toDenver 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 RBHerman 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 fromPhiladelphia 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 againstAtlanta.
^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 againstTampa Bay.
^abThe Browns traded their second-round pick in 2007 and first-round pick in 2008 to Dallas for their first-round pick in 2007.
^The Browns traded this pick, their third round pick (95th overall) and SSJabrill Peppers to the Giants in exchange for WROdell Beckham Jr.
^The Browns traded these picks, their2022 fourth round pick (107th overall), their2023 third round pick (73rd overall), and their2024 fourth round pick (123rd overall) to the Texans in exchange for QBDeshaun Watson and their 2024 sixth round pick (203rd overall).
^The Browns traded a first round pick (2nd overall), fourth round pick (104th overall), and sixth round pick (200th overall) to the Jaguars for a first round pick (5th overall), second round pick (36th overall), fourth round pick (126th overall), and their 2026 first round pick.
