Cleveland Browns: 7-Round Mock Draft brings a new quarterback
By Randy Gurzi
Round 1 (No. 4 Overall, via Houston): Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
They’re right back on the clock with the fourth pick in the first round thanks to their trade with the Houston Texans in the prior draft. Houston moved up and took the Browns No. 12 pick and secured Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson. He looked to be a steal at that spot before tearing his ACL, and in the end Cleveland looks smart for getting another premium pick.
Thankfully Sashi Brown isn’t making the selections anymore, so John Dorsey could very well land some home runs with the selections that were stockpiled for him. While the ideal pick here would be Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, he will already be gone so the Browns take the next best player on the board in Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The defensive back from Alabama can play either corner or safety in the NFL and will be able to do either at an elite level. As good as Mayfield can be in getting the offense playing together as a solid unit, Fitzpatrick can do the same on defense.
He’s effective in man coverage, playing deep in zone, or up at the line of scrimmage in run support. Fitzpatrick also proved to be an effective weapon attacking the quarterback off the blitz. One of the more talented guys in the entire draft just became the quarterback of the Browns defense.