Breaking down who Cleveland Browns could draft in the first round
By Mitch Zoloty
The Cleveland Browns are in a peculiar situation in 2020. The roster is star-studded with talent and is coming off of the most disappointing season since the team’s return in 1999. With the 10th pick in the draft, the Browns have a chance to continue to add elite talent to their star-studded roster.
Most people would not have believed that the Cleveland Browns would have the 10th pick of the draft at the beginning of the season. However, here we are, having a draft pick in the top ten for the eighth time since 2010. The previous seven picks include Joe Haden, Trent Richardson, Barkevious Mingo, Justin Gilbert, Myles Garrett, Baker Mayfield, and Denzel Ward.
The previously mentioned names are a mixed bag of talent, as the group logged a total of 20 seasons between the 7 of them for the Cleveland Browns, and a total of 4 pro bowls made. The previous three draft picks in the top ten, Denzel, Baker, and Myles are all still on the roster though, and look to be great draft picks for the franchise.
Shoutout to John Dorsey for taking Baker and Denzel with the picks that he did, because those weren’t clear cut selections like Myles Garrett was.
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There is no clear cut selection for the Browns at the 10th pick in this draft. With needs all over the team, the most glaring one seems to be offensive tackle. Second to that is a need at safety, and then after that is a need at linebacker if Joe Schobert walks.
Ahead of the Browns in this year’s draft are four teams who could potentially target a quarterback: the Bengals, Dolphins, Chargers, and Panthers. This year’s quarterback draft has four quarterbacks who could see themselves end up going in the first round, which bodes well for Cleveland.
If all four of those teams draft a quarterback, which is unlikely considering at least the Panthers already have a good quarterback on their roster, the Browns could end up with theoretically the sixth-best non QB in the draft. According to Matt Miller’s latest big board he dropped on January 1st, that would be Jedrick Wills, Jr., offensive tackle out of Alabama. That would be a dream pick for the Cleveland Browns.
Wills plays primarily right tackle, and should not move to left tackle in the NFL. It’s not that he wouldn’t be able to play left tackle, but he has done his best work at right tackle and is already comfortable there. With Chris Hubbard’s lackluster performance as a Cleveland Brown, and his $7.2 million cap hit and only $2.4 million dead cap if he were cut, it would make financial sense to move on and draft Wills.
If Wills is taken before the Browns pick, other offensive tackles the Browns could target would be Andrew Thomas from Georgia, and Tristan Wirfs from Iowa at the 10th pick. Right now, I personally think Wills is the best of the trio, but that could change with the more film I watch.
The Browns could see a situation where they decide to address offensive tackle in free agency, and decide to select Grant Delpit, safety out of LSU with the 10th overall pick, if he is still available. Delpit is known as a leader at LSU and of their defense and was selected to wear the #7 jersey, which has a great history among the LSU football program. Other players who were chosen to wear the jersey include NFL studs Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu, D.J. Chark, and Leonard Fournette.
The Browns could use an athletic, intelligent free safety to help command the defense is Damarious Randall ends up walking.
The third draft choice I could see the Browns making with the 10th pick, if he is still on the board, is swiss army knife Isaiah Simmons out of Clemson. Isaiah Simmons can do it all, and is best projected as a linebacker or safety in the NFL. He is similar to a Jabrill Peppers type, but is about four inches taller and twenty pounds heavier. You can read a great draft report on Isaiah Simmons by Charlie Campbell of walterfootball.com here.
In all, the Browns will hope that their next top 10 draft pick will be a cornerstone of the Franchise, much like the previous three have been.
It's not so bad that Browns are in no rush to find coach. dark. Next
The team must, however, select the best player available, instead of reaching like some other teams may do to cover their needs. This Browns roster is primed to do some damage in 2020, and like I have said in previous articles, 2020 is going to be the make or break year for this Browns roster.