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Browns Mock Draft 1.0: Is Wide Receiver A Priority With The 54th Pick?
The Browns have five picks heading into the 2024 NFL draft and will have to get creative to fill their remaining needs.
In a little over three short weeks from now the NFL world will converge on Detroit for the 2024 NFL Draft as teams put some finishing touches on their offseason plans before next season.
The Browns enter the draft without a first round pick for the third straight year after sending three years worth of first round picks to the Texans for Deshaun Watson in 2022. In total Cleveland has five total picks in this years draft, with its first selection coming in the second round at No. 54 overall.
The Browns still have a number of needs to address when they're first on the clock. Our first Mock Draft of the month covers all five of Cleveland's picks from the second round to the seventh and included the option to trading up or down the board. Find out who the Browns land in the our Mock Draft 1.0.
Round 2, Pick 54: Malachi Corley - WR, Western Kentucky
There are some mixed reviews on Corley in the pre-draft process, but he finds himself in Jeremiah Trotter's top 50 prospects so the value feels right. Coming out of Western Kentucky, Corley's stock has risen as draft experts really started diving more into his tape. What he lacks in height at 5-foot-11 he makes up for with his physical strength. Two of his greatest traits are his ability to extend to make catches away from his body and his quickness in breaking away to create yards after catch.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry has drafted a wide receiever in ever single draft since coming to Cleveland in 2020. That trend continues here. Based on how the board fell, Michigan DT Kris Jenkins was in play here, along with Texas DT T'Vondre Sweat but Berry has never drafted a defensive lineman before the third round. That could change in year two under Jim Schwartz, but in this instance WR was the move.
Round 3, Pick 85: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. - LB, Clemson
There's been some chatter linking the Browns to Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and linebacker is a need for Cleveland. This felt like the right place to take the son of the former Eagles legend. Trotter Jr.'s tape shows a player who has a high football IQ with who can diagnose plays quickly. He's also held his own fairly well in pass coverage β a vital trait for Cleveland's nickle heavy defense.
He does lack elite speed which can be a problem at times, especially covering backs out of the backfield. Again, the need is there though, and Trotter Jr. could learn and develop behind a seasoned veteran in Jordan Hicks next season.
TRADE - Round 5, Pick 140: Maason Smith - DT, LSU
Trade alert! As the draft rolled into the fifth round an opportunity emerged for the Browns to move up and address another need at defensive tackle. In the trade, Cleveland sent pick 156 and a 2025 6th round pick to the Chargers to select Smith.
The Browns have been linked to Smith since the NFL Combine when he shared that he met with the team in Indianapolis. Smith is a former five-star recruit coming out of high school and lived up to the hype with some respectable numbers in his freshman season. Unfortunately, his draft stock has dropped after returning from a season-ending knee injury this past fall. That said, he possess the physical tools to be a special player at the next level and has ton of upside. Jeremiah recently had Smith in his top 50 players so it seems unlikely he'd fall this far. In this instance he did somehow and the Browns pounced.
Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Louisiana State defensive lineman Maason Smith (DL24) works out
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Round 6, Pick 206: Ethan Driskell - T, Marshall
It's no secret that this year's offensive line class isn't very deep, but Berry has always had a propensity to take a swing at late round offensive lineman. Following in the footsteps of selecting mammoth of a man Dawand Jones in the fourth round last year, Berry selects one of the largest prospects in this year's draft class in Driskell. At 6-foot-8, 313-pounds the Marshall product is shockingly athletic for his size β similar to Jones. Say hello to Andy Dickerson's first project as the Browns new o-line coach.
Round 7, Pick 243: Tanner McLachlan - TE, Arizona
The Browns lost 2020 fourth-round pick Harrison Bryant to the Raiders this offseason so Berry goes back to the well to add some depth to the tight end room. McLachlan brings some solid athleticism to the table and can create after the catch. There is room for improvement as a blocker but Rome wasn't built in a day. Even David Njoku needed a few years to become the prolific blocker he is today.
