What’s the Best-Case Scenario for Cleveland Browns in the Third Round

Day Two of the 2020 NFL Draft kicks off today at 7 p.m. and there’s a dream scenario that could playout for the Cleveland Browns.

Day one of the 2020 NFL Draft has to be considered a major success for the Cleveland Browns. Andrew Berry was able to get his tackle of the future in former Alabama standout Jedrick Wills Jr. Now the Browns look to fill other holes on the roster and bolster depth in key positions.

While there’s a lot of thought to what might happen, there’s a dream scenario playing out. If it happens, the Browns will undoubtedly leave the NFL Draft as a major contender.

Assuming the Browns are able to fill their hole at safety with one of the top three safeties on the board (McKinney/Chinn/Winfield Jr.), the third round opens up some interesting possibilities at impact positions. In a best-case scenario, the first player to find their way to the Browns with their first third-round pick (74 overall) is Raekwon Davis.

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The Browns have a few weak spots in defensive depth and the interior defensive line may have the direst of needs. Larry Ogunjobi and Sheldon Richardson struggled against the run during the season, especially after Myles Garret was suspended the last six games of the year. The depth chart behind them leaves a lot to be desired and may be one of the thinnest in the division.

Raekwon Davis can instantly bring an intensity and positional awareness to the defensive tackle spot. He has quick hands, especially for a defensive tackle, plays well from leverage positions, elite two-gap player, generally great with distance, and can bull rush to a highly effective level.

His main weaknesses are that he’s not an elite playmaker, which is not a big requirement of a defensive tackle in the Browns system. If he falls to the Browns at pick 74, it would be hard to pass on a talented player at a vital position.

The other player involved in this scenario fills a major depth need for the Browns. With Richard Higgins’ status currently unknown, we’re left to assume for the sake of the draft he hasn’t resigned.

This means the Browns third-best receiver is Damion Ratley and that’s plainly not good enough. The solution at pick 97 is Gabriel Davis of UCF. Davis would likely be a first-round pick if his junior year wasn’t hampered by the quarterback inconsistency of Central Florida after the horrific injury of Mackenzie Milton.

Davis is an elite receiver who, while he only has 4.56 speed, is able to both generate separation at the line and has great ability to make catches in traffic. While Davis was originally projected to be a fourth-round pick, his stock has shot up in the last 48 hours.

While there is other talent available at the receiver position, Davis is the one who will best fit Stefanski’s scheme. Davis is physical off the line and great hand-fighter and route runner. His speed. is a slight worry, but overall he’s a first-round talent in a late third-round draft pick

It’s hard to tell exactly how the second and third rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. One thing we know for sure, is the Browns need to carefully fill a couple of voids on both offense and defense. If the Cleveland Browns are able to grab both Raekwon Davis and Gabriel Davis in the third round this would be a dream scenario for the team.