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Browns Mock Draft 5.0: Cleveland's Front Office Gets Aggressive And Trades Up In Round Two
Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns front office will once gain have the opportunity to sit back and watch night one of the 2024 NFL Draft. Based on how the board falls, they may decide to get aggressive and trade up on night two.
We have officially made it to draft week and the Cleveland Browns will first be on the clock on Friday night. I have been and am still a firm believer that Andrew Berry and his staff will stay put at pick 54 or trade back.
On Sunday, our own Spencer German had the Browns trading back with the Lions at pick 61 and then selecting Malachi Corley of Western Kentucky. If the talented receiver is still available at that time, I would be thrilled. However, Corley's stock has only risen in recent times and I truly believe most tier one and tier two receivers will be selected even by pick 54.
Based on how I expect the board to fall and my firm belief that the Browns should target the top of the wide receiver market with their first round selection next year, this could be the year of Berry not selecting a receiver on night two as we have typically come to expect.
In this mock draft, I decided to run a simulation of what may happen if the organization decides to surprise us and trade up.
TRADE - Round 2, Pick 43: Trey Benson - RB, Florida State
Benson is truly the only foreseeable reason for the Browns to trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft. With both Nick Chubb and Nyheim Hines recovering from major knee injuries and surgeries, Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman are the only two running backs with guarantees to be ready for the start of the season. In addition to potentially being thin at the position in September and possibly October this year, Chubb may not be back in Cleveland in 2025. The closer we get to the draft, the more inevitable a running back selection looks whether that comes as early as round two or as late as round seven.
Benson is my number one running back prospect and likely sits atop draft boards for several running back needy teams. The New York Giants sit at pick 47 and are reportedly very interested in the former Florida State running back. The Dallas Cowboys are in major need of a starting running back and are candidates to trade up in the second round for a top running back prospect. In order to land Benson, a player Cleveland hosted recently for a top-30 visit, they trade up to pick 43 with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons now drop back to pick 54 and also receive the newly acquired seventh-round selection from Tennessee (pick 227) and a 2025 third-round selection.
Assuming that Nick Chubb is not ready to go by week one, the Browns will begin the 2024 season operating with a one-two punch of Trey Benson and Jerome Ford. Benson would be the workhorse on first and second down with Ford stealing some occasional carries and the majority of third-down work. D'Onta Foreman would then be able to offer some reps in short-yardage situations as the bruiser. If Cleveland makes this move, the writing is likely on the wall that Chubb will be elsewhere in 2025.
Round 3, Pick 85: Kiran Amegadjie - OT, Yale
The chances of selecting a defensive tackle on night two is high, however, in this scenario Michael Hall Jr., Braden Fiske, Maason Smith and Ruke Orhorhoro have already been selected. Those are just a few of the many names off the board, really thinning out the position group. Cleveland's need at defensive tackle is really for 2025, so they could easily manage this year without addressing that position if they don't like the options available.
Instead, remaining with the third-round selection from my previous mock draft makes the most sense. Amegadjie will add needed depth to an offensive tackle room where three players suffered season-ending knee injuries last season. Not only will the depth behind Jack Conklin, Dawand Jones, Jedrick Wills Jr. and newly acquired Hakeem Adeniji be important in 2024, but Amegadjie may actually get a chance to start at left tackle in 2025.
Round 5, Pick 156: Javion Cohen - OG, Miami FL
I recently wrote about the addition of Germain Ifedi meaning that the Browns could wait for interior offensive line depth until day three. This group of centers and guards may actually be the weakest position group in the entire 2024 draft class. Despite reportedly not meeting with many guard prospects, added depth at the spot would be helpful. Cleveland has shown some interest in Cohen and hosted him on a top-30 visit a few weeks back.
Cohen is one of the better guards in this year's class, yet due to the strength at other positions, interior o-linemen begin to slide. By potentially getting a steal in the fifth round, the Browns can feel good about the future of their offensive line. Cohen would likely go behind Joel Bitonio and Michael Dunn at left guard on the depth chart. Not only would he get time to develop, but in a pinch, Cohen could slide inside to center in the event that Ethan Pocic and Luke Wypler are unavailable.
Mar 3, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami FL offensive lineman Javion Cohen (OL10) during the 2024 combine.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Round 6, Pick 206: Erick All - TE, Iowa
Once again, Erick All is available in the sixth round and becomes a member of the Cleveland Browns. The former Michigan and Iowa tight end, will get the opportunity to compete for the second tight end spot behind David Njoku. At this point, I would be shocked to not see All become a member of the Browns by the end of this week.
Round 7, Pick 243: Steele Chambers - LB, Ohio State
Ohio State players have turned into valuable Cleveland Browns in recent history, making this selection much easier for Andrew Berry. I would be a little surprised to see Chambers available towards the end of the draft, but he is still raw at the position, potentially causing the availability. The former running back converted to linebacker for the Buckeyes and played well as a member of the silver bullets. He is still learning and developing better instincts at the position. Due to the athleticism of Chambers, he may be nowhere close to his ceiling yet.
Taking a late-round flyer on Chambers makes sense for Cleveland schematically. The Browns usually are playing with just two linebackers on the field at a time, the same type of scheme Chambers has grown accustomed to at Ohio State. Not only can he play physical against the run but he can also cover ground sideline-to-sideline. In the first year or two, the biggest impact Chambers could make is on special teams. With the new kickoff rules, linebackers may be extremely valuable in kick coverage. Having a mobile, physical tackler could eliminate the threat of big plays on kickoffs.
Sep 16, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Steele Chambers (22).
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA
If this is how the 2024 NFL Draft goes for the Browns, then wide receiver and defensive tackle will become priorities in 2025 free agency or the 2025 NFL Draft. Once this year's draft ends though, do not be surprised if the Browns add undrafted free agents like Yale wide receiver Mason Tipton or Georgia defensive tackle Zion Logue. Tipton is a local product from Akron, who played his high school football at Archbishop Hoban. Also, Logue has the potential to go undrafted but could add some value as depth in a 4-3 base scheme.
