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Cleveland Browns: Top 3 players to target on Day 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft

By Sam Penix

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: Defensive lineman Jay Tufele #78 of the USC Trojans celebrates in game agaisnt Colorado Buffaloes at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 13, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: Defensive lineman Jay Tufele #78 of the USC Trojans celebrates in game agaisnt Colorado Buffaloes at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 13, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Browns, 2021 NFL Draft
MOBILE, AL – JANUARY 30: Defensive Lineman Elerson Smith #47 from Northern Iowa of the National Team during the 2021 Resse’s Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama on January 30, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 27-24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

2. Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa

With the additions of Jadeveon Clowney and Takk McKinley, and the wildcard that is Curtis Weaver, the Browns wisely pushed EDGE down their list of priorities. This is not a strong class at the position, and 2022 should feature much more talent for the team to choose from. Quality stopgaps are also available in each free agency period, so reaching on a prospect this year wasn’t necessary.

That does not mean that Cleveland must forgo EDGE entirely. They can afford to spend a pick on a project player, one who doesn’t need to play a big role as a rookie, but whose athleticism oozes potential.

That player is Northern Iowa’s Elerson Smith, who opted out of the 2020 season. The competition he faced in college wasn’t great, but his 21.5 sacks and 32 tackles for loss from 2018-2019 are impressive totals. He’s a slim 6-6, 252 pounds, but has freakish athleticism and did not look out of place at the Senior Bowl.

Smith can develop for a year without the pressure to make an impact, and could potentially be a long-term piece of the Browns’ pass-rush rotation, with the upside to become Robin to Myles Garrett’s Batman.

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