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Cleveland Browns fill huge holes in 2020 NFL mock draft

By Matthew McFatridge

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 30: Andrew Thomas #71 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrate's following the Georgia Bulldogs win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 52-7 at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 30: Andrew Thomas #71 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrate's following the Georgia Bulldogs win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 52-7 at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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STARKVILLE, MS – SEPTEMBER 21: Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. #6 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs runs the ball downfield after an interception during the first quarter of their game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Davis Wade Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
STARKVILLE, MS – SEPTEMBER 21: Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. #6 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs runs the ball downfield after an interception during the first quarter of their game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Davis Wade Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /

With the departure of Joe Schobert, the Browns biggest hole on defense is at linebacker. Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki are the only real linebackers on the roster who saw action for the Browns last season, and while both could end up being good players for the Browns, they both leave something to be desired.

Willie Gay Jr. is a tremendous athlete who is capable of doing just about anything and everything you could possibly ask of him. He has an innate ability to squeeze through tiny holes in the offensive line and get into the backfield on rushing scenarios. While he’s great at rushing, he can also stand his ground in the passing game in coverage, which makes him an every-down linebacker.

Gay really showed off his speed and athleticism at the NFL Combine, where he wowed everyone in attendance with insane numbers in his testings. The big holdup with Gay, however, are his character issues that plagued him more than once at Mississippi State. He was suspended multiple times in his college career, both for on and off-field incidents.

While previous regimes were willing to take chances on players with character risks like Willie Gay, fans are still unsure how the new regime of Berry and Stefanski will see these issues. In this mock draft, however, the talent far outweighs the risks.

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