Cleveland Browns draft profile: Michael Thomas
The Cleveland Browns have the second overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. Today we profile Ohio State’s Michael Thomas.
The Cleveland Browns had a busy weekend at the 2016 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis. NFL teams got their first personal glimpse at the upcoming draft class as the players got their physical measurements and ran drills.
The Browns possess both the No. 2 overall pick along with No. 32 as well, due to the New England Patriots forfeiting their pick because of the Deflategate scandal.
Although the second overall selection is the most talked about for Cleveland, their second pick enables them to take a play-maker that they desperately need. Taking a quarterback at No. 2 could open up the options to select a defensive player to improve their atrocious defense from the 2015 season, where they ranked No. 30 overall in the NFL.
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However, with speculation rising regarding the Browns retaining wide receiver Travis Benjamin, and Josh Gordon‘s future still in the hands of Commissioner Roger Goodell, the wide receiver position becomes an urgent need for Cleveland.
Without Benjamin and Gordon, the Browns are left with a receiving core of Andrew Hawkins, Taylor Gabriel, Brian Hartline, Marlon Moore, Darius Jennings and Dwayne Bowe. Between the six of them, they combined for 127 total receptions in 2015. Benjamin had 68 receptions last season while Gordon had 87 receptions in 2013.
Clearly, the Browns need help at the receiver position and the No. 32 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft offers a great opportunity to upgrade there.
There are a number of wide receivers that display great potential, but it’s nowhere near the last two years wide receiver classes.
Laquan Treadwell of Ole Miss is the No. 1 wide receiver of this draft class followed by Baylor’s Corey Coleman, Notre Dame’s Will Fuller, Ohio State’s Braxton Miller and TCU’s Josh Doctson.
Treadwell is thought of to be the elite wideout of this draft class and looked good at the combine despite not running the 40-yard dash. Although, he certainly won’t be available for Cleveland at No. 32, there is another prospect that could be there for the Browns and could end up potentially being a steal.
Michael Thomas of Ohio State University, who could very-well be sitting on the board at No. 32, has the size and athleticism to be a big-time playmaker in the NFL.
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