Browns Make Brutal NFL Draft Blunder That Could Haunt Them for Years

The Cleveland Browns have made a whole lot of questionable decisions in this NFL Draft, but perhaps none were more unforgivable than what they did in the fourth round.

Even though the Browns had already selected running back Quinshon Judkins in Round 2, they doubled down on the position on Day 3, taking Tennessee's Dylan Sampson with the 126th overall pick.

I get it. Cleveland's rushing attack was terrible in 2024, and Nick Chubb is probably gone (even if he returns, he averaged 3.3 yards per carry this past season and is coming off of yet another injury). But you know what else the Browns need? Wide receivers.

Beyond Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland doesn't have a single proven receiver on its depth chart. Yes, Cedric Tillman showed flashes before getting hurt this past year, but that's about it. That isn't exactly an ideal situation for newly-minted quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

So, with potential studs Elic Ayomanor and Jalen Royals both on the board at No. 126, the Browns decided to take another halfback, a position that has largely been marginalized in the modern NFL (spare me the Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry takes).

Cleveland had a golden opportunity to walk away with either one of them. Instead, the Browns opted to nab Sampson, who, while a terrific talent, was not needed. A wide out, on the other hand, was certainly required, and Cleveland passed on two of the more high-ceiling options in this draft class.

That Ayomanor and Royals both fell to the fourth round is mind boggling, especially in the case of the former who once caught 13 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns while being defender by Travis Hunter. They were right there for the Browns. And Cleveland said "no."

This is the type of decision that can absolutely haunt a franchise. Again, Sampson could ultimately become a very good player. Honestly, he might be a better NFL running back than Judkins. But the Browns didn't need both of them. Actually, they could have taken a receiver in Round 2 (there were plenty of good ones available then) and then circled back to take Sampson on Saturday.

There were numerous routes Cleveland could have explored here, but the Browns once again decided to roll with a head-scratcher.

And who did Royals land with, by the way? The Kansas City Chiefs. Yup. Yet another weapon for Patrick Mahomes. Oh, and Ayomanor ended up with the Tennessee Titans. Talk about a great piece right off the bat for Cam Ward.

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