Cleveland Browns select Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion in first round of 2026 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns have selected Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion in the 2026 NFL Draft. Concepcion comes off the board in the first round, with the No. 24 overall pick. He becomes the first Texas A&M wide receiver selected in the First Round of the NFL Draft since 2014 (future Hall of Famer Mike Evans).

In his lone season at Texas A&M, Concepcion won the Paul Hornung Award (given to the most versatile, high-level performers in college football), was named a Consensus All-American, and was named First Team All-SEC at both wide receiver and all-purpose/return specialist. He hauled in 61 receptions for 919 yards and nine touchdowns last season, along with scoring two punt return touchdowns.

On Thursday, Concepcion penned a letter to NFL GMs via The Players Tribune. There, he made a bold proclamation about being the best receiver in the Draft. He also made a promise to the entire league.

“Before I get out of here, I do want to say, once again, for all to hear, that I’m the best receiver in this draft,” Concepcion wrote. “But, at the end of the day, I’m so much more than just a football player. And any team that picks me is going to realize that immediately. So if you’re a GM out there reading this, put me on your team, and let’s get to work. You’re not going to regret calling my name. Never. And I mean never.”

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about KC Concepcion

A scouting report was provided on Concepcion ahead of the Draft by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. Concepcion was graded as a player who ‘will become good starter within two years’, with a prospect score of 6.42. He compared the Texas A&M product to former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin.

Across eight NFL seasons, Baldwin hauled in 493 receptions for 6,563 yards and 49 touchdowns. He led the league in touchdowns (14) in 2015, and was a key member of Seattle’s Super Bowl XLVIII winning team. That’s a pretty good comparison for Concepcion.

“Concepcion offers immediate burst and separation into space. He’s elusive in beating press and getting into breaks with minimum damage from handsy coverage,” Zierlein wrote. “While he has a one-speed approach, he can snap off routes with alarming suddenness, making him extremely difficult to match at leveraged break points.

“He’s instinctive against zone. He’s also a nightmare for man coverage on choice routes and near the goal line. He’s quicker than fast, with more value on utility throws utilizing run after catch. Concepcion’s ability to quickly uncover should be very appealing to teams with spotty protection and a young quarterback.”