SI’s NFL Mock Draft, 2 Rounds, Do Enough for Browns?
SI put out their NFL Mock Draft for us, and were nice enough to include two rounds. We look forward to the future when we get some great 4 Round Mocks for the Cleveland Browns, since we would have 6 picks in the first 112 picks, as of now until Compensatory Picks are announced.
For now we are stuck looking at this 2 Round NFL Mock Draft from SI and wonder if they do enough to upgrade the Browns:
"12 KEVIN WHITE, WR Senior, West VirginiaJosh Gordon is suspended again and Jordan Cameron‘s ready to leave town. No matter whether it’s Johnny Manziel, Brian Hoyer or another QB throwing passes, the Browns must find a gamebreaker. Enter White, who some will argue is the best WR in this class."
So far so good. Kevin White is a receiver that many analysts believe is much better than Amari Cooper, with a better upside as well. Receivers a little more difficult to judge in college based on their quarterback play but White, along with DeVante Parker, belongs in the conversation. The Browns get a good one here and should help whatever QB is behind center next year.
What about at #19? Does SI upgrade the defensive line, offensive line or go wildcard?
"19 ERECK FLOWERS, OT Junior, Miami (Fla.)(Pick via Buffalo) Gave some thought to another pass-catcher here — a partner for No. 12 pick Kevin White at WR or TE Maxx Williams to replace Jordan Cameron. Instead, it’s Flowers, whose stock continues to climb. The future for RT Mitchell Schwartz (FA after 2015) is murky at best. Flowers, who seeks out the second level aggressively, could be an upgrade."
The discussion about bringing in another pass catcher, either WR or TE, is an interesting one. Would GM Ray Farmer, who avoided them like the plague last year, really invest two first rounders in rookie pass catchers? (We gave some thoughts this morning about this.) Ereck Flowers becomes the pick here and many Browns fans rejoice as they do not see a quality starter, no matter what PFF or other analysts think, in Schwartz. The Browns offense obviously gets a huge upgrade here, but with a defense that ranked last against the run is that a good decision?
There draft had a ton of big guys off the board early which pigeon holed the Browns a bit here. Parker, Williams and Jaelen Strong were the pass catchers he passed on. So what did they do for the Browns in the 2nd round? Did they finally address the defense or did they add that 2nd pass catcher?
"43. Cleveland Browns:Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma"
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Here SI finally upgrades the Browns defensive line with a guy some are calling a “Dancing Bear.” Phillips is huge at 6’6″ 334 pounds he can do a standing backflip. For the Browns, the need is more at nose tackle than at defensive end. Many believe Phillips could be a great nose tackle but not many players that size lineup on the inside of a 3-4.
So the Browns got perhaps the best receiver, a starting level right tackle that can move to the left side in the future and a Dancing Bear. Is that enough to satisfy your hopes for the Browns draft or do you feel like they went in the wrong direction? They could have drafted Eddie Goldman at 19 and came back with Jake Fisher in the 2nd round. They could have gone with a defensive lineman at 12 and gotten DeVante Parker and others at 19.
In the NFL Draft one pick greatly impacts another. Remember when we drafted Brandon Weeden? That nightmare only happened because Kendall Wright was taken by the Tennessee Titans before the Browns could get him. How the Browns world could have been different.
So what do you think of SI’s 2 Round NFL Mock Draft?