Cleveland Browns Trade Up in First Round to Draft DT Phil Taylor

The Cleveland Browns were one of the busiest teams in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, first trading the sixth pick to the Atlanta Falcons for a slew of other selections. Then, the Browns traded their 2011 third round pick (70th overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in order to move up and draft defensive tackle Phil Taylor from Baylor.

Taylor, 6-3 1/2 and 337 pounds, will be a much-needed addition to the Browns’ front line as the team makes the transition to the 4-3 defense. At first glance, this pick might have been a head-scratcher, but it’s much more fitting to call it a solid, albeit non-sexy, pick. It’s obvious that the Browns are about securing as many picks as possible while building depth at every position, and while wide receiver Julio Jones would have been a flashy pick, the organization is very conscious about its future.

Anytime you feel like the Browns might have lost out on a playmaker, keep thinking about the fact that the team has already secured two first round picks for 2012.