Corey Davis should be on Browns draft radar
The Cleveland Browns could use a physical wide receiver and Western Michigan’s Corey Davis could fill that need come draft weekend.
It is just over a month until the 2017 NFL Draft NFL and the speculation over who will go where is at its peak. With Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett pretty much a lock at the No. 1 overall spot, Cleveland Browns fans are shifting their focus to the 12th overall pick.
What the Browns decide to do at No. 12 will be telling as the pick will paint a much clearer picture of what their overlying strategy is moving forward. Taking a quarterback here may be controversial, especially considering Cleveland’s history with early round signal callers. Going with a second defensive player, perhaps a safety, could be a safer option.
But going for a high-end wideout is also an intriguing option. A couple of names that have been presented as options are Clemson’s Mike Williams and recent combine star John Ross out of Washington. While both are strong candidates, there is one name left out that Browns executives should strongly consider: Corey Davis from Western Michigan.
Related: Browns could consider a wide receiver at No. 12
At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, Davis is a physical receiver who is a master at getting up and bringing down the 50/50 ball. On top of that, his breakaway speed makes him a deep threat on any given play.
Unfortunately due to minor ankle surgery, Davis elected not to run the 40-yard dash at neither the combine nor his Pro Day, so there is no metric on just how fast he is. ESPN has Davis listed at 4.45 seconds, and the highlights speak for themselves; this guy can scoot.
Outside of strength, speed, and above-average route running, the biggest plus for Davis is his production. In each of his last three seasons at Western Michigan, he went for more than 1,400 yards and had 46 total touchdown receptions. This past season Davis finished his collegiate career by hauling in 19 passes for scores. He is also the FBS’ all-time leader in receiving yards with 5,278.
Related: Is Malik Hooker in play at No. 12?
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But is Davis an elite talent or are his statistics a product of playing weaker MAC competition?
It is a small sample size, but it appears that Davis has thrived against a higher level of competition:
- In 2013 against eventual Big Ten and Rose Bowl champion Michigan State, Davis had eight receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown in his first collegiate game.
- Two years later against another very good Spartan team, Davis posted 10 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown.
- His final game as a Bronco was a narrow loss to Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl, where he was held to six receptions for 73 yards but again found the end zone.
The Browns could use a physical receiver with a nose for the end zone and someone is going to need to fill the void left by Terrelle Pryor.
In Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft at ESPN, he has Davis going of the board at No. 19 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cleveland could leverage their No. 12 pick to potentially trade back a few spots and still be able to select Davis in the 15-19 range. Now the Browns are not going to get a big return only moving back a few spots, but anything helps.
Next: Browns should pursue T.J. McDonald
Whoever the Browns decide to start at the quarterback position, they will need a dynamic receiver to compliment him. Corey Davis could very well be that guy.