Austin Barber NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Cleveland Browns OT

The Cleveland Browns selected Florida OT Austin Barber with the No. 86 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Austin Barber is a hard-nosed, high-variance blocker with strong hands and good play strength who, once latched, can control and steer defenders effectively. Erratic strike timing and mediocre range in pass protection create volatility on an island, particularly in true drop-back situations. In a balanced, play-action heavy system that reduces pure pass sets, he could stick as a swing tackle or spot starter, though a move inside to guard could ultimately accentuate his power and finishing ability while raising his long-term ceiling.

Barber is a 6'6", 314-pound offensive line prospect, who entered the Florida program as a 4-star recruit in the 2021 class.

Barber started 38 career games primarily at left tackle (five at right tackle as a redshirt freshman), including 12 starts in 2025 while earning Third-Team All-SEC honors. The former Gator competed in the 2026 Senior Bowl.

Brandon Thorn: Brandon is the author of the Trench Warfare newsletter, which focuses exclusively on offensive and defensive line evaluation. He also contributes as an analyst to Establish the Run, serves as the scouting coordinator for OL Masterminds and is a selection committee member for the Joe Moore Award. 

Highlights

Austin Barber highlights

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Where He Wins

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— Good play strength with pop in his hands and a tight clench to control and steer.

— Fluid to the spot on climbs and pulls to line up and wall off smaller targets.

— Effective snatch technique to steal leverage and defeat the long-arm.

— Cuts grass with his in-steps to anchor effectively against the bull-rush.

— Excels using jump sets on play-action when he can manipulate space, establish first meaningful contact and force rushers to work through him.

Areas of Improvement

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— Mediocre range and ability to expand his set points against high-side speed rushes.

— Rigid striker who is overly reliant on two-hand punching, leaving him susceptible to clean, glaring losses against counter moves.

— Will dip his head into contact and get overextended against the push-pull, gap exchanges and slants across his face.

— Feet get stuck in a wide base against speed-to-power that result in him getting jolted on contact.

Grade, Rank and Pro Comparison

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GRADE: 7.0 (High-Level Backup/Starter Upside — 3rd Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: Roger Rosengarten (7.0 in 2024), Carter Warren (7.0 in 2023), Max Mitchell (6.9 in 2022)

OVERALL RANK: 108

POSITION RANK: OT10

PRO COMPARISON: Ezra Cleveland

Measurables and Testing Data

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Height: 6'7"
Weight: 318
Arm: 33 ⅛"
Hand: 9 ⅝"

40-Yard Dash: 5.04
10-Yard Split: 1.75
Vertical: 32"
Broad: 9'5"
Shuttle: NA
3-Cone: NA
Bench: 32