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Cleveland Browns: Regraded 2013 draft paints a depressing picture

By Thomas Moore

Nov 15, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo (51) commits a roughing the passer penalty against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo (51) commits a roughing the passer penalty against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2013 NFL Draft was a bad one for the Cleveland Browns, as a regrade by Sports Illustrated points out.

The Cleveland Browns have become the poster children for poor drafts in recent years, most notably for their work in the first round.

Starting in 2012 with running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden and continuing through 2014 with defensive back Justin Gilbert and quarterback Johnny Manziel, the previous front office regimes have done irreparable harm to the club, setting the team back at every turn.

While those two drafts stand out the most because three of the four first-round selections are no longer on the team, and Gilbert is only holding on because of his excessive cap hit, the 2013 draft was every bit as disappointing.

This past week, Sports Illustrated‘s Greg Bedard took a fresh look at the draft and regraded each team based on the actual performance of the players they selected. The site used a “rudimentary formula” where they took the average of Pro Football Reference’s Career Approximate Value for picks taken in the first five rounds and, after totaling the scores, ranked each team based on a curve.

In 2013, the Browns only selected five players in the one and only draft under Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi, picking Barkevious Mingo, Leon McFadden, Jamoris Slaughter, Armonty Bryant and Garrett Gilkey.

That draft originally earned the Browns a grade of D+:

"A bit of an unusual draft for the Browns, who landed an impact defender in OLB Barkevious Mingo at No. 6 and then picked just once more (CB Leon McFadden) in the next 167 selections. Cleveland did pick up a third- and fourth-rounder in 2014. Plus, remember, the Browns traded in this year’s second-rounder to get WR Josh Gordon in the 2012 supplemental draft. That Gordon gamble paid off and the Browns will have lots of choices in 2014. Strictly in terms of the 2013 draft, though, there’s not much to go on here — slightly disappointing for a team hoping to make big strides."

Now, three years later, that draft has been downgraded to an F:

"Comment: Mingo has seven career sacks (none in 2015) and won’t have his fifth-year option picked up, but all hope is not lost: Jabaal Sheard had the same experience in Cleveland, and he’s flourishing for the Patriots. DE Armonty Bryant (seventh round) is a good player. But that is it from this group."

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It’s not a surprise that the Browns’ grade dropped as Mingo’s career has been, at best, a mixed bag as he has struggled to find a true role in Cleveland’s ever-changing defense.

And the fact that Bryant, who is currently suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy and has most likely played his last game for the Browns, is considered the best player from that draft is even more disappointing.

It is also further evidence that, no matter what fans may think of owner Jimmy Haslam, they can never say he made a mistake by getting rid of Banner and Lombardi after one year.

The lone bright spot? The Denver Broncos, fresh off a Super Bowl victory, also earned an F, while the Seattle Seahawks, who also hold a Super Bowl victory since 2013, earn an F-.

So maybe there is still hope for the Browns.

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