The 10 most important players on the Cleveland Browns
1. LB Jamie Collins (41 points)
2. LT Joe Thomas (36)
3. DE Myles Garrett (32)
4. WR Corey Coleman (28)
5. CB Joe Haden (23)
6. DE Emmanuel Ogbah (20)
T-7. WR Kenny Britt (15)
T-7. DT Danny Shelton (15)
9. OL Cam Erving (14)
10. RB Isaiah Crowell (10)
This top three might be the least surprising of any team covered thus far—the versatile linebacker, the longtime O-line anchor and the fresh top draft pick. Collins was the No. 1 selection by three pollsters (Burke, Klemko, Marston), while Thomas (Single) and Garrett (Baskin) each landed a lone first-place vote.
The ballots were a bit all over the board beyond that. A pair of voters (Baskin and Klemko) sneaked Coleman into the top three; Marston did the same for the pass-rushing Ogbah. Shelton, Haden, Crowell, Kirksey, Britt and Erving all landed in the top five at least once, as well.
The Browns’ two other Round 1 picks aside from Garrett, Jabrill Peppers and David Njoku, each received votes—seven points for the former, five for the latter. Both scored a seventh-place vote to aid those totals.
Eric Single defends his fifth-place vote for Isaiah Crowell: Let’s be real—The Browns don’t have any other offensive player whose production they can bank on this fall. Crowell flirted with 1,000 yards on the ground last year, and if he hits quadruple-digits in all-purpose yardage for the second straight year it means he’ll have been a valuable steadying force for whoever’s under center.
Other Browns receiving votes: LB Christian Kirksey (nine points); S Jabrill Peppers (seven); G Kevin Zeitler, G Joel Bitonio (six); CB Jamar Taylor, TE David Njoku (five); OL J.C. Tretter (two); S Ed Reynolds (one).
