Cleveland Browns 2021 NFL mock draft Week 13 edition offers defensive makeover
By Sam Penix
Another versatile DB, Kary Vincent lined up primarily at slot corner for the Tigers, but does have experience rotating up to free safety. The Browns are apparently legally required to add at least one LSU player per offseason, so this pick helps them meet their quota.
Nevada has had just one player drafted since 2014 (Austin Corbett, we don’t talk about him), but Dom Peterson will be selected at some point this season. He is undersized at 6-0 285 pounds, but he’ll have three years of good play under his belt, and if you can’t find an elite physical specimen at this point in the draft, you go for proven production, especially at a position that needs plenty of depth.
Despite playing in the Missouri Valley Conference, Elerson Smith opted out of the 2020 season to prepare for the NFL Draft. He registered 14 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss, and five forced fumbles in 2019. He’s got an interesting build at 6-7 245 pounds, and it remains to be seen whether or not his success can translate to a higher level of competition. In the seventh round though, the Browns can afford to find out.
This mock may feature fewer big-name players, but it fills most of, if not all of Cleveland’s needs at the moment. With this class, the Browns would be primed for a big defensive jump in 2021 as they attempt to put together back-to-back seasons over .500 for the first time since 1989.