Cleveland Browns 2020 7-Round Mock Draft, Vol. 7 (Final)
After months of waiting in a unique environment without live sports, fans will get something that's at least live sports adjacent with the NFL Draft this week. Perhaps the most anticipated exhibition of selecting players since God and the devil picked sides in the ultimate battle between good and evil, the NFL Draft offers three solid days and seven rounds of picking players that will eventually get to take the field when the pandemic situation has improved.
But before that can happen, it's time for one final mock draft that explores what the Cleveland Browns could do this year, the first under general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski. They quickly formed a plan of attack in which to guide the team, which was enacted during free agency, which really helps focus what the team needs to address in the draft and gives them some flexibility to focus on talent.
The biggest needs entering this draft stand at left tackle, linebacker and wide receiver, but they have to find longer term answers at safety, edge and corner. As it pertains to left tackle, the Browns keep saying that they are open to a lot of different options, but it certainly seems like they are down to four.
If either Andrew Thomas or Tristan Wirfs are available at the 10th pick, the Browns are likely to run the card up and take them. The problem is there's a real chance that both will be gone before the Browns are on the clock.
Preparing for all situations, the Browns have already talked to teams about potential trade scenarios and it's possible they have agreed to one or multiple deals, with caveats on both sides that says a certain player has to be available for the deal to be ratified. As an example, the Browns agreed to the deal moving down from 12th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft to 25th pick before the draft took place. The deal was off from the Browns side if Patrick Mahomes was available (he went 10th) and the Texans would only make the deal if Deshaun Watson was available. The deal went through and the Browns took Jabrill Peppers at 25 and used the additional first round pick gained in the deal to take Denzel Ward fourth overall in 2018.
The Browns have also identified their red line. That's the spot where they believe if they go down further than this spot, they will be unable to get their targeted player, which potentially limits their trade options to move down. There are a handful of teams that are interested in moving up in the draft, but unless a team like the Philadelphia Eagles decides they want to move up from 21 all the way to 10, the basement might be 16th pick with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons want to bolster their defense and are looking to move up in the draft. They might feel like they need to go higher than the Browns, but 10th pick might be right in their wheelhouse to get the player they want, whether it's someone like DT Javon Kinlaw from South Carolina, DT Derrick Brown from Auburn, CB C.J. Henderson from Florida or EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson from LSU.
Based on a projection using the mock simulator at Pro Football Network, the Browns and Falcons are able to work out a deal with both Wirfs and Thomas off the board.
The Falcons get 10th pick and the Browns get 16th pick, 78th pick and their third round pick from 2021.
Round 1 (Via ATL): Ezra Cleveland, OT Boise State
Age: 21 (Born May 8th, 1998)
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 311 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 4.93
Broad Jump: 9'3"
Vertical Jump: 30"
3-Cone Drill: 7.26
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.46
Bench Press: 30 Reps
Ezra Cleveland has the perfect combination of height and overall length along with outstanding athleticism. Save for perhaps making him a little broader in his build (and some would quibble about longer arms), he's got everything a team would want in a left tackle, especially if they plan to run a zone heavy scheme focused on movement skills.
Cleveland looks like a power forward playing football, looking athletic and at times downright elegant in how well he moves and is able to get in position as a blocker. As a run blocker, he does a great job of beating opponents to the spot and forcing opponents to take the long way, keeping them away from the ball carrier.
As a pass protector, he slides well and is able to mirror at a high level. He needs to improve his flexibility and his ability to drop his hips to anchor against more powerful rushers. When he stays tall, he can end up overpowered and be at risk of being bent over backward.
One of the issues that showed up on tape with Cleveland was his will to finish. There are times when he simply stops playing before the play is over and it has allowed his quarterback to take a hit or a defender to get into a play. Hopefully he develops a finisher's mentality.
It's been revealed that Cleveland suffered turf toe in the opening game against Florida State and played through it the entire season. He also was unwilling to sit out practice. So it's possible that the turf toe is the reason that Cleveland didn't finish some of these plays. Regardless, that is something that must happen in the NFL.
Cleveland also has some technical fixes to clean up and he can do a better job in terms of waiting for opponents to make their move before mirroring. Hopefully that comes with experience and practice.
So long as he's wired the way the Browns want, they have one of the best offensive line coaches in Bill Callahan and that could be incredibly valuable in terms of getting Cleveland prepared to play as a rookie and reaching his remarkable potential in his career.
Round 2: Grant Delpit, S LSU
Age: 21 (Born September 20, 1998)
Height: 6'2 1/2"
Weight: 213 lbs
Production: 46 solo tackles (11.1 percent), 9 pass deflections (13.8 percent), 5 interceptions (29.4 percent) in 2018
Delpit offers prototypical size for a combo safety that could contribute at free, strong or playing the X. He's got the ability to make plays on the ball and cause turnovers, plus he has demonstrated great range and the potential to be an impact tackler.
Yes, he has to greatly improve as a tackler. Some of the injuries he's had including playing through a high ankle sprain all of last season only go so far. If it was simply the ankle, he would be be going in the top 15 to 20 range where he was largely projected coming out of last season when he was the best defensive back in the country.
He tends to go for some big hits he has no business attempting instead of making the right play as a tackler. Now Kevin Stefanski was an offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings, but he was part of a coaching staff that had one of the best tackling secondaries in the NFL. And they've brought over Andrew Sendejo for this year. That could help in improving this major deficiency in Delpit's game.
Ultimately, Delpit projects to be the team's free safety and has a chance to be great back there, giving the Browns another homegrown impact player along with Denzel Ward. Even if Delpit wasn't going to start as a rookie, it's easy to find places to use him, because they can play three safeties on the field and move guys around. They could easily have Delpit play in the slot or have Karl Joseph move up and Delpit play two-high along with Sendejo.
Round 3: Devin Duvernay, WR Texas
Age: 22 (September 12th, 1998)
Height: 5'10 1/2"
Weight: 200
40-Yard Dash: 4.39
Broad Jump: 10'3"
Vertical Jump: 35.5"
3-Cone Drill: 7.13
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.2
Production: 106 receptions, 1,386 yards (36.8 percent), 9 touchdowns in 2019
Duverney is receiver that has elite speed for the position, shows tremendous ability to track through contact to catch passes and is a huge threat with the ball in his hands. Built like a tailback and not necessarily the most orthodox receiving threat, he might be perfectly cast for the Browns and the offense they plan to run.
Because of having an offense heavily invested in tight ends, Duvernay offers a viable deep threat as well as someone who would fit nicely off the line as a boundary option, especially with potentially Odell Beckham on the other boundary and tight ends like Austin Hooper and David Njoku drawing attention in the middle of the field.
His uses his body well to box out opponents. He shows outstanding hands to catch passes and he seems to grab chunks of yards in only a few steps after the catch. The issue for Duverney is his route running. He's unsophisticated and raw in this area of the game, which can make it difficult to utilize him in the slot, at least early in his career.
If Duverney can really buy in and make big strides in that area of the game, setting up opponents and beating them with route running precision, he has the upside to be a star in the league. At that point, he could become a tremendous weapon that can be placed anywhere and it's just about finding ways to get the ball in his hands. He needs a lot of coaching and reps, but he'd be more of a depth player and occasional weapon early in his career, who might be able to create some explosive plays because the Browns simply have so many other threats on offense and has Duvernay brings track speed to the football field.
Round 3 (Via ATL): James Lynch, DL Baylor
Age: 22 (Born January 20th, 1998)
Height: 6'3 5/8"
Weight: 289 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 5.01
Broad Jump: 9'3"
Vertical Jump: 29"
3-Cone Drill: 7.39
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.39
Bench Press: 23 Reps
Production: 24 solo tackles (4.8 percent), 9 tackles for loss (13 percent), 5.5 sacks (22 percent) in 2018
With Andrew Billings and Larry Ogunjobi manning the nose, the Browns could use another three-tech to rotate with Sheldon Richardson. James Lynch was a 5-tech end in an odd front at Baylor, excelling at making plays on the opponent's side of the line of scrimmage. And there are teams that would probably love to keep him out there, but a team like the Browns could project him to thrive on the interior, reducing the distance between him and the ball.
Lynch is a big ball of energy that fires off the ball with a great first step and brings it until the whistle blows. Relentless, he's got the speed and strength to often overwhelm opponents on his way to the ball. He can slip blocks at times because he's simply faster than some of the linemen trying to block him, beating them to the spot.
Lynch is strong enough to contribute as a run defender, but he does need to get better with technique to take on and defeat blocks. It stands to reason he won't be able to simply physically dominate opponents the way he did in college and will need to increase the number of ways he can win.
Lynch is more than athletic enough to be part of a rush package, while offering enough credibility as a run defender that he can fulfill all the areas the Browns should need from him. He's got the potential to be a nice cog in a defensive line that never allows opponents to get a break.
Round 3 (Via HOU): Alex Highsmith, EDGE Charlotte
Age: 22 (Born August 7th, 1997)
Height: 6'3 1/8"
Weight: 248 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 4.7
Broad Jump: 10'5"
Vertical Jump: 33"
3-Cone Drill: 7.32
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.31
Production: 43 solo tackles (9.4 percent), 21.5 tackles for loss (25 percent), 14 sacks (38.8 percent) in 2019
The last time the Browns drafted a player from Charlotte, it was defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. This time, they stick with the defensive line, but go with an edge rusher in Alex Highsmith. Experienced with his hand on the ground and playing from a two-point stance, Highsmith will probably play on his feet most of the time in the NFL given his size limitations.
He's explosive off the ball and a creative pass rusher, utilizing a number of different moves. Highsmith can run the arc and dip a little bit under opposing tackles. He's not afraid to try to work to the inside and fight his way inside. At times, if he doesn't find early success, he'll stop and scan the field a little bit before trying to win on a secondary rush, largely trying to simply sprint after the ball.
Highsmith is an active run defender who will give full effort, both trying to fight to the football or being athletic enough to catch the ball carrier from behind. He an occasionally slip blocks and fight through trash to get to the ball carrier, possessing decent range.
The issue for Highsmith is strength. He just doesn't have much in terms of a punch or impacting blockers. If he can build more functional strength to bring more power to the package, he can become a more dynamic threat off the edge. As it is, he's largely a finesse rusher that can provide problems as a rotational option that would enable a team like the Browns to vary its looks in terms of how they can line up and attack the quarterback.
Round 4: Davion Taylor, OLB Colorado
Age: 21 (Born August 5th, 1998)
Height: 6' 1/2"
Weight: 228 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 4.49
Broad Jump: 10'7"
Vertical Jump: 35"
3-Cone Drill: 6.96
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.26
Bench Press: 21 reps
Production: 57 solo tackles (11.2 percent) in 2019
A Seventh Day Adventist, he was on the football team in high school all four years, but he was unable to play in almost any of the games due to his faith and his mother's strict adherence to it. Taylor is still religious, but upon turning 18, his mother allowed him to choose for himself. Since he didn't play in games, he wasn't recruited and went the JUCO route before ending up at the University of Colorado.
Davion Taylor is one of the freakiest athletes in the NFL Draft class. He tested incredibly well at the NFL Scouting Combine and went and ran a 4.39 according to Colorado at Pro Day. He didn't need to run faster than a 4.49, because his athleticism pops on tape. Taylor is just capable of playing at a higher speed than everyone else on the field. He is easily one of the most gifted players in terms of speed and the ability to change direction in this class.
Taylor can be a traditional outside linebacker as well as a slot defender, playing the X position. His range is difficult to believe and he is someone offenses have to account for at all times, despite how raw he still is as a player. When he see it and goes, his ability to close is remarkable and he's on top of receivers going on swing routes and screens almost before they have a chance to react. He's got all the athleticism he could ever need to function in man and zone coverage.
Everything with him is going to be about focusing what he's capable of doing, so that he can excel. He is raw, but he's well regarded as a learner and his desire to be great as illustrated in no small part by the fact he practiced for four years in high school despite only playing in a few games.
A special teams coach like Mike Priefer has to be drooling at the possibilities with a player like Taylor both on coverage units as well as trying to block kicks. Taylor has as much upside of any of the linebackers in this class, save for Isaiah Simmons of Clemson, but going in the fourth round, makes the juice worth the squeeze.
Round 6: Josiah Scott, CB Michigan State
Age: 21 (Born August 5th, 1998)
Height: 5'9" 1/4"
Weight: 185 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 4.42
Production: 38 solo tackles (8.1 percent), 7 pass deflections (14.8 percent) in 2019
The Browns have a pretty decent group of corners currently with Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Kevin Johnson and Terrance Mitchell. Johnson and Mitchell aren't under contract after this season and unless they were to want to re-sign them to have a big role, they are likely going to walk after this year.
Teams are always on the lookout for corners as they can never have too many, but a player like Josiah Scott is ideally suited to play in the slot. He has outstanding feet and the speed to run with almost anyone. Scott has the ability to not only get his hands on passes to knock them away, but he has shown he's a threat to cause turnovers.
The issue for Scott is he's just not very big. He plays with effort, but he struggles to make tackles and can get stuck on blocks. A number of players can simply overwhelm with their size with the ball in their hands, but he does everything he can do to complete. It wouldn't be a surprise if his weight was inflated at the combine by drinking a ton of water and he's more likely to play in the high 170s. Scott is just a player where you put him on a man and he covers them the whole afternoon and in the sixth round, that's a worthwhile pick.
Round 7: Carter Coughlin, EDGE Minnesota
Age: 22 (Born July 21st, 1997)
Height: 6'3 1/8"
Weight: 236 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 4.57
Broad Jump: 10'6"
Vertical Jump: 36"
Production: 34 solo tackles (6.5 percent), 15 tackles for loss (21.1 percent), 9.5 sacks (41.3 percent) in 2018
Carter Coughlin played a LEO position for the Golden Gophers and was successful in that capacity, putting up a remarkable season as a junior. Between his size limitations and his style of play, he's more suited to be moved to a full time linebacker position. He largely wins as a pass rusher with speed and effort, lacking the hips to really bend or the finesse to be a creative pass rusher.
At the second level, he's a dangerous blitz option and his ability to deal with blockers and find the ball carrier, showing good instincts to play the run, linebacker is a natural transition. He also has the speed to carry and run with tight ends, so that could be a potential value as well.
And while outside linebacker seems like a natural transition, his ability to diagnose, take on contact and chase, he could be an option in the middle as well. It would be smart not to overload him initially, but the Browns are at least okay for the moment at inside linebacker. B.J. Goodson is a capable run stopper and with the additions along the defensive line, Sione Takitaki can focus on playing middle linebacker, where he is effective attacking the line of scrimmage. If he can learn to be effective in coverage, he could be a huge asset on defense overall, but the Browns have more issues at outside linebacker currently as Mack Wilson struggled a rookie.
Coughlin could also be a nice option on special teams with his speed and build. He has far more upside than some might expect and he's more than proven himself in college to this point. If he's available this late in the draft, it's difficult to see a better use of the pick.
Additional Thoughts
This draft comes down to what's important to the Cleveland Browns and this regime, prioritizing players that can impact every down of the game and filling in with role players later in the draft. It starts with finishing their starting offensive unit by getting their left tackle in Ezra Cleveland and adding a receiver that can function as depth and provide another weapon in Devin Duvernay.
Defensively, it's all about being able to impact the opposing passing game after working to stop the run in free agency. Grant Delpit can hopefully become a fixture at safety while adding James Lynch and Alex Highsmith could allow the Browns to go from having six NFL caliber defensive linemen to having up to eight. Not only does it allow the Browns to hopefully keep the pressure up on the opponent, but it's keeping the group young and getting more cheap contracts into the mix to balance out some of their bigger contracts like Myles Garrett, Sheldon Richardson and Olivier Vernon.
The last three picks impact depth, provide role players and provide additional special teams options. Once again, all three potentially impact the passing game, give the team options and enable them to play different personnel to match up against different types of teams.
