Cleveland Browns: Staff predictions for the first and fourth picks

Members of the Dawg Pound Daily give their take on what the Cleveland Browns are going to do with the No. 1 and No. 4 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft

One of the best things about a site like Dawg Pound Daily is the collection of different personalities that all follow the Cleveland Browns. Each staff member has their own opinion about the franchise, and that can give you several different takes on one platform.

Today we bring all that together onto one piece. The different members of DPD give their own unique opinion on what they believe should be done with the first and fourth overall picks in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Not all of us went after it with what we believe the Browns should do, or will do, but rather what we would do. Should you happen to like any particular writer’s take, click on their name to check out more of their work.

Writer Martin McConnell

USC quarterback Sam Darnold seems to be the consensus number one pick among many analysts. Though he did not throw at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, Darnold looks primed to wow scouts at USC’s pro day.

Darnold’s arm strength, prototypical height and build, combined with his instincts and just plain “it factor” makes him the best candidate for the first overall pick. With newly-acquired Tyrod Taylor in the driver’s seat for 2018, Darnold can afford to sit and wait for a year, which many believe will serve him well as he rounds out his skill set and learns the pro game.

Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick has been the top defender on my draft board for months, but the tune seems to have changed recently. Ward shined throughout the entirety of the Scouting Combine, running a blazing 4.32 40-yard dash.

Ward is undersized, but makes up for it in athleticism, ball-hawking ability, and incredible defensive instincts. Minkah Fitzpatrick may be more complete as a defender, but Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward is the electric playmaker that the Browns so desperately need. He’s also a pure corner, whereas Fitzpatrick primarily played safety. The addition of Damarious Randall to assumedly play safety helps cement Ward’s status.