2020 NFL Draft: 10-Pick mock lands Cleveland Browns cornerstone player

10. Cleveland Browns: Andrew Thomas, OL, Georgia

Will the Browns be tempted to trade up for Isaiah Simmons? Hopefully so. But if they do, they better have a solid plan at left tackle as Greg Robinson is out of the picture completely.

There are a few options of tackle later in the first round. However, you would be risking they won’t be ready to start as rookies. It will be costly to move up for Simmons which would also make it challenging to have enough assets to draft a tackle in the early rounds.

If Simmons drops to 10, you turn the card in after three seconds and take him. The Browns can find another veteran like Jason Peters to come in and fix left tackle on a short-term basis. But it’s hard to envision Simmons actually falling. Truthfully, this mock draft is based on team needs, but it’s not certain the Lions or Giants will be able to pass on the potential of Simmons either, so No, 9 seems like a worst-case scenario for him.

Although Andrew Berry was active and aggressive in free agency, look for him to play the draft conservatively. If Andrew Thomas is available, he’s a great value pick at 10. Thomas was a three-year starter for Georgia and was going against top-end talent each week in the SEC.

While Thomas didn’t shine as much as Becton or Wirfs at the combine, he is also athletic and would work well in Kevin Stefanski’s zone scheme. Thomas would come in as the day-one starter at tackle.

If teams do get aggressive and a quarterback like Jordan Love slips in the top ten, don’t be shocked to see the Browns trade back.  =The name not even mentioned yet is Jedrick Willis, the tackle from Alabama who some say is the best tackle available.

Should the Browns could move back collecting and additional second or third-round pick, and still land any of the top four tackles (Wirfs, Becton, Thomas or Willis) look for Berry to do so. The Browns may have their favorite, but all four tackles will start as rookies and are more than capable.

While the Browns look to be set on offense other than tackle, depth is a need on the defensive side of the ball. If Cleveland could get an additional second-rounder by trading back, they could draft a linebacker and safety (Antoine Winfield Jr. and Zach Baun as possibilities). The Browns would not need either to start as rookies, but the depth would be of tremendous value.