The Cleveland Browns need as much new talent as they can get, and they need it fast. Here are five players to target in the middle rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey is no stranger to turning around an NFL franchise after working with the Kansas City Chiefs.
In 2012, the Chiefs finished 2-14 and held the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. To make that coveted selection, they hired Dorsey to replace recently fired general manager Scott Pioli. Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid found themselves in a tough spot with the Chiefs, but were determined to make it work.
On the night of April 25, 2013, offensive tackle Eric Fisher heard his name called with the first overall selection by the Chiefs. Not exactly a “sexy” pick for the first pick of the Dorsey era, but Fisher has made 74 starts for the Chiefs over the past five seasons.
What is important though was not the first pick of that draft, but rather the 63rd. Dorsey and the Chiefs selected tight end Travis Kelce from the University of Cincinnati.
Since joining Kansas City’s roster, Kelce has become a top-flight tight end in the NFL. But even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. However, Dorsey has something of a knack for finding mid-round talents. Maybe not on the level of Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots, but a knack nonetheless.
With the help of Kelce and other mid-rounders, the Chiefs transformed into a perennial playoff contender under Dorsey. If the Browns want to have this kind of success in 2018 and beyond, Dorsey and his staff should be keeping their eyes on these five players especially.
Royce Freeman is an interesting case. In very early mock drafts, there were calls for him to go in the first round. Those calls have died down, though, and now many see him as a second-, third- or even a fourth-round pick.
Despite where many analysts mock him to, Freeman is a solid runner. Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 230 pounds, Freeman’s game is based largely off of his power, but he also has some shiftiness to his moves, which has led to some impressive numbers.
During his final college season, Freeman rushed for 1,475 yards and 14 touchdowns (averaging 6 yards per carry). However, he only gathered 14 receptions on the entire year, which is a bit disappointing.
Needless to say, the passing game is not a huge area of expertise for Freeman. He still runs at a respectable clip, though, which has kept him in the second round for some mock drafters.
For his entire career, Freeman rushed for 4,676 yards. With Isaiah Crowell’s contract situation looming, the Browns might be OK with letting Crowell leave in free agency if they know Freeman will be there come draft weekend.
Besides, for all his catching woes, the Browns still have Duke Johnson if they want a receiver out of the backfield. If offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s work with Le’Veon Bell with the Pittsburgh Steelers is any indication, Johnson should be getting much more use as a receiver in 2018.
Freeman could be a solid choice for an open Browns running back spot in 2018. With his solid rushing numbers, it might be best for head coach Hue Jackson and Haley to let Freeman run free.
Offensive coordinator Todd Haley has worked with some serious talent in the past. During his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he had one absolutely game-breaking wide receiver in his arsenal: Antonio Brown.
In this draft class, one receiver has drawn a few comparisons to Brown. Coming out of Memphis, Anthony Miller could be the next great NFL receiver.
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This season, Miller hauled in 96 receptions for a total of 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns. His long was 89 yards, and he even had 10 rushing attempts on the season.
There are many physical attributes that Haley should absolutely love about Miller and that should remind Haley of Brown.
First and foremost, Miller’s hands are incredibly. Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 190 pounds, Miller’s size is not overpowering. However, his hands and catching range are incredible, especially for someone of his stature.
Next, Miller’s route-running is possibly the cleanest in the class. His greatest attribute is his ability to break away from defenders with his gorgeous routes. Miller’s decent amount of speed, mixed with his route-running, can make him a true threat at the next level.
The redshirt senior from Memphis is already beginning to draw attention, and could be a first- or second-round pick after the Scouting Combine. For now, though, he sits in the third- or fourth-round range.
Out of all the receivers in this class, Miller’s ceiling could easily be the highest. Right now, he is something of an unknown. With some work from Haley and the Browns other offensive coaches, he could be something truly special.
The one area of the Browns defense that is severely lacking is the secondary. Between the loss of cornerback Joe Haden, compounded with the misuse of safety Jabrill Peppers, this season has not been kind to the back four of the Browns defense. They need some help.
Enter Kyzir White, a safety prospect who looks like he could morph into something special at the next level.
With his tremendous prototypical size (6-foot-2 1/8 and 216 pounds), White is a menacing weapon for the back end of any defense. In 2017, his impact for the West Virginia Mountaineers was phenomenal, to the tune of 94 tackles, two forced fumbles and three interceptions.
Although White is not a complete prospect, he could be a great option in Cleveland, should they choose not to draft Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick in the first round.
White’s well-rounded skillset should make him appealing for any NFL team looking for a safety in April. In a deep safety class, White’s recognition as a middle-round pick is commendable, especially for a junior college transfer.
With his size, White’s range from sideline to sideline is frankly incredible. What he slightly lacks in speed, he makes up for in his size and defensive ranging. The most exciting facet of White’s game, however, is his tackling ability.
White, to put it simply, hits like a train made of concrete. With his size, he comes at ball carriers with a head of steam. Much like former West Virginia safety Karl Joseph, White creates chaos as a tackler.
Finally, White’s unique ability to switch into a linebacker spot makes him more versatile than other safeties in the class. He may not be the fastest safety in the draft this year, but he certainly could be the most interesting.
Linebacker Jamie Collins, for as great a player as he is, spent the back half of 2017 with an MCL injury. Who knows if Collins will ever be the same when he comes back for the 2018 season?
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The best way to prepare for a down-graded Collins in 2018? Draft his carbon copy. Dariud Leonard out of South Carolina State could be something like a Jamie Collins 2.0.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 235 pounds, Leonard is almost identical to Collins. At the 2013 NFL Combine, Collins weighed in only 15 pounds heavier than Leonard.
Leonard also comes from a small school like Collins, who attended Southern Mississippi University, and Leonard is coming out of South Carolina State. Both dominated their respective level of competition.
Both are known for getting into plays behind the line of scrimmage. The similarities, it seems, are endless between Collins and Leonard.
Maybe Collins comes back completely healthy and ready to go for the 2018 season. That is the hope for Browns fans. However, there is always the chance that he never returns to be the same player that he once was.
Leonard is an underrated linebacker in this class, and could end up being a steal in this draft, much like Collins himself was. His size alone will take him to the NFL. If Leonard reaches his full potential, he could end up being just as good, if not better, than Collins.
Western Kentucky quarterback Mike White is an unorthodox candidate for a Browns quarterback.
During his combined time between Western Kentucky and Southern Florida, White racked up 9,737 total passing yards, an impressive feat for any quarterback. Additionally, he threw 62 total touchdowns during his college career.
Related: Who the heck is Mike White?
Of course, everyone expects the Browns to take a quarterback with their first overall pick. But if they choose to go the route of Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick in the first round, they would need a quarterback on day two or day three..
In fact, the Browns might not even have to spend a draft pick on White. Currently, some scouts have him mocked as a sixth-round pick, or even later than that, into the “undrafted free agent” area.
If that turns out to be the case, then the Browns can afford to make White the second quarterback taken in their draft. Perhaps they could take USC’s Sam Darnold or UCLA’s Josh Rosen with the first overall pick, and then take a chance on White in the late rounds.
Out of all the late-round quarterbacks, White seems to be the one with the greatest “diamond in the rough” potential. At 6-foot-4 and about 225 pounds, White has the prototypical size for a quarterback in the NFL.
Both scouts and statistics have noted that White throws a gorgeous deep ball, an essential skill for today’s NFL quarterbacks. White received considerable attention at the Senior Bowl, which could be crucial for his draft stock.
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It will be interesting to see how analysts view White by draft weekend. The Senior Bowl was just the beginning of how Dorsey sees White and the other quarterbacks come this April’s NFL Draft.