Although the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh has concluded, fans were left confused about a certain pick announced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for the Cleveland Browns. The AFC North franchise had a total of 10 picks and used a majority of them to bolster their offense after a disappointing 2025 season. While it was known that the franchise had two first-round picks in the draft, Goodell appeared on stage to announce they selected an Ohio State QB with the first overall pick and that to on Day 2 of the draft.

“The answer is most likely that it is part of a new Hulu series in production called The Land,” Awful Announcing’s Matt Yoder reported about why this pick was announced. “It’s produced by Dan Fogelman and stars William H. Macy as the owner of the team. While Macy had said that the team would be “nominally” the Cleveland Browns, it looks like the NFL is giving full support for its branding, with the Browns’ name included.”

The announcement was staged and is expected to be part of a Hulu series in production called ‘The Land’, produced for Hulu by Dan Fogelman. Connor Roarke was the player, who was named as the pick in the show, which is created and written by Fogelman, and is set inside the NFL world with a generational family component. Law & Order actor Chris Meloni is expected to be the team’s head coach, Danny, according to Deadline.

The report further revealed that Bridget Moynahan of Blue Bloods fame is expected to be Belinda, Danny’s ex-wife. The roles of Danny’s sons will be filled by Sam Corlett and Tanner Zagarino. William H. Macy takes on the role of team owner Hank, and Mandy Moore and Chloe Bennet will be his daughters. The team’s new general manager will be played by Chace Crawford.

“It’s about a football team, nominally the Cleveland Browns. It’s called The Land because that’s what people from Cleveland call it. I play the owner of the team,” Macy said, per Deadline, about the show before confirming the NFL’s involvement in the show. “The NFL is completely behind our show, so we’ve got complete access. I’m optimistic it’s going to be something. And what if Cleveland starts winning? Because I think our team is going to do better.”

This will not be the first show that the NFL is a big component of. Peyton’s Places and the All or Nothing Series, which has covered teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers, also showed what life is like in the NFL. Movies like The Blind Side, Draft Day, and American Underdog were also appreciated by the audience.

While the Browns would have liked the first overall pick in the draft, their real haul was also impressive. Berry made four of the top 60 picks and used the first three of them on offensive players, executing a draft that left analysts buzzing, especially ESPN’s draft guru.

Browns receive an “A” grade for the 2026 NFL draft from Mel Kiper Jr.

The Cleveland Browns had an incredible draft as they needed reinforcements at left tackle, wide receiver, defensive tackle, safety, guard, and cornerback, and found quality players at each position. They spent three of their first six picks on linemen, starting with Spencer Fano (No. 9) and Austin Barber (No. 86). Then, to bolster the wide receiver core, the Browns selected KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston within the first 40 picks.

To address their problems in the secondary, Cleveland drafted Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (No. 58) as the team’s primary defensive acquisition before taking a chance on Arkansas QB Taylen Green in the sixth round, who dazzled one and all with a stellar performance in the NFL Combine. Hence, ESPN’s draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. praised the Browns for their performance in the draft.

“The Browns received an A-plus from me last year, and the class lived up to expectations. Carson Schwesinger was Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. were the main catalysts of the offense, but all seven picks chipped in at some point during Year 1,” Mel Kiper wrote. “I don’t know that Cleveland’s 2026 group of draft picks will have the same impact, but this is another good group which should have Week 1 roles. Another good draft weekend for the Browns.”

With key needs addressed and a strong grade from Mel Kiper Jr., Browns fans have plenty of reasons to look forward to the 2026 season. They have a new HC at the helm, and a lot of things are expected to change, which was evident with their draft selections. Now it will be exciting to see how things go for them when the regular season starts.