Cleveland Browns: Post-free agent mock draft roundup

The Cleveland Browns own 11 picks in the 2017 NFL Draft. While the top pick seems like a lock, what will the team do with their second first-round selection?

The Cleveland Browns are in a position to completely own the 2017 NFL Draft.

When the three-day event opens on April 27, the Browns will be in possession of five of the first 65 selections and 11 picks overall:

• Round 1: No. 1 and No. 12
• Round 2: No. 33 and No. 52
• Round 3: No. 65
• Round 4: No. 108.
• Round 5: No. 145, No. 175 and No. 181
• Round 6: No. 185 and No. 188

The Browns took care of some issues along the offensive line in free agency, but they still have some considerable holes to fill along the roster, most notably on the defensive side of the ball and, naturally, at quarterback.

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As we move closer to draft weekend there is a consensus forming around which player the Browns will select with the first overall pick. Not as clear, however, is what the plan is for that second first-round pick, currently No. 12 overall.

Will the Browns use it on the next hope for a franchise quarterback? Add another impact player on defense? Or perhaps trade it for some magic beans, oops, we mean for New England’s Jimmy Garoppolo or Washington’s Kirk Cousins?

Let’s take a quick run through some national mock drafts to see what people are projecting the Browns will do in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Dane Brugler at CBS Sports:

"Round 1: Myles Garrett, DE/OLB, Texas A&M: The combine basically confirmed this pick. Cleveland choosing Garrett is the easiest decision for a team picking No. 1 overall since the Colts drafted Andrew Luck."

"Round 1: Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina: Ideal scenario for Cleveland? Garrett at No. 1 and then the hometown kid falls to No. 12. Trubisky has only 13 career starts, but all the traits are present for him to be a reliable NFL starter."

Trubisky would be a popular pick as his “he gets us” factor is off the charts. The Mentor, Ohio, native grew up rooting for the Browns and has professed his desire to come home to Cleveland, which is enough of a reason for the Browns to draft him, according to far too many fans.

The concern with Trubisky is that he only made 13 career starts at North Carolina, so projecting his NFL future – something that is difficult to do with any college quarterback these days – is tricky.

Steve Palazzolo at Pro Football Focus:

"Round 1: Myles Garrett, Edge, Texas A&M: Garrett has proved everything he’s needed to during the draft process, as he dominated the NFL Combine after three productive years at Texas A&M. His 31 sacks, 35 QB hits and 98 hurries on 978 rushes show that he knows how to get to the quarterback, and his improved run grade of 87.8 ranked third in the nation last season. Garrett is the best player in the draft and a perfect fit for a pass-rush-needy Browns defense."

"Round 1: Jamal Adams, S, LSU: The Browns’ defense is starting to take shape as they add another playmaker in Adams, who led the nation’s safeties with an 89.4 overall grade last season. He can play the run when lined up in the box, and can play multiple coverages, whether working short zones, covering tight ends, or playing on the back end. Adams continued to improve each year at LSU and he adds a defensive chess piece to the Cleveland defense."

Adams would certainly fill a major need in the secondary. The Browns reportedly made a contract offer to free agent safety Tony Jefferson only to see him sign with the Baltimore Ravens, and have been linked to Jonathan Cyprien, a free agent from the Jacksonville Jaguars. So they obviously are not comfortable heading into the season with the status quo at the position.

Danny Kelly at The Ringer:

"Round 1: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M: Garrett’s outstanding performance at the combine only confirmed what we already knew: The 6-foot-4, 272-pound pass rusher who racked up 31 sacks in three seasons in College Station is worthy of the top pick. With blitz-happy defensive coordinator Gregg Williams now in the fold, the Browns will likely send extra men to get pressure, but with Garrett, they’ll also be able to terrify opposing quarterbacks without sacrificing any numbers in coverage."

"Round 1: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama: Head coach Hue Jackson recently spoke on the importance of building a strong foundation on offense for a young quarterback, and instead of gambling on that position here, the Browns invest in this year’s top tight end. Tyler Eifert caught 13 touchdowns in Jackson’s offense in Cincinnati in 2015, and with Howard, Cleveland gets a similar receiving threat. The Alabama product is an elite athlete who possesses incredible body control and breakaway speed, and he gives the Browns a movable chess piece in the passing game, able to line up in the slot or on the outside to create mismatches with smaller defensive backs or slower linebackers."

With the growth of two tight end offenses in the NFL, adding Howard to the field with Gary Barnidge would give the Browns another asset in the passing game. Howard is projected to be the next great tight end, so while his position is not at the top of the list of Cleveland’s current needs, it is not a stretch to see how he would appeal to the team.

Daniel Jeremiah at NFL.com: 

"Round 1: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M: The Browns are still in search of their franchise quarterback, but they can’t pass up the opportunity to land a premier pass rusher."

"Round 1: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama: The Browns coached Howard at the Senior Bowl, and he’s one of the safest players in the draft class."

Brent Sobleski at Bleacher Report:

"Round 1: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M: Unleash the beast. Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett crushed the combine process. In doing so, he proved to be a freakish amalgamation of the NFL’s best and brightest talent. According to NFL Research, Garrett is taller than Julio Jones, weighs more than Rob Gronkowski, is quicker than Devonta Freeman and is faster than Jarvis Landry."

"It’s a fun exercise just to see where a prospect falls on the athletic spectrum. Obviously, it doesn’t determine how successful an individual will be at the next level. The comparisons do point toward an exceptional athlete every bit worthy of becoming the No. 1 overall pick. Garrett finished among the top five defensive linemen in every combine event he participated and effortlessly cruised through his position workout."

"Round 1: Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina: The Cleveland Browns’ offseason approach has been fascinating. The organization blew away free agency with the acquisitions of the top available guard (Kevin Zeitler) and center (J.C. Tretter). Left guard Joel Bitonio also signed a massive long-term extension. Clearly, Cleveland is trying to build a strong cockpit around whatever quarterback it’s targeting."

"In this scenario, North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky is available with the team’s second first-round pick, and the Browns couldn’t be happier. The Browns are determined to find a quarterback at some point in the next two months—not including Brock Osweiler. How successful the team proves to be falls on the front office’s plans to leverage its massive amount of draft capital."

As we sit here, 43 days away from the opening of the draft, Garrett remains the overwhelming favorite to be the top selection in the draft. What comes next remains a major question mark. If the Browns go for another impact player in the secondary it would be hard to complain. The same goes for adding another offensive weapon like Howard.

Next: Isaiah Crowell drawing interest from other teams

But if a quarterback catches Jackson’s eye in the coming weeks as the Browns attend Pro Days and host players for personal visits at team headquarters in Berea, we could be getting ready to see the Browns select a quarterback in the first round for the fifth time since 1999.

Wouldn’t that just be a ball of fun?