Cleveland Browns mock draft: 7-round 2022 mock preseason edition

A seven-round 2022 Cleveland Browns mock draft as the team kicks off preseason play.

The Cleveland Browns may be gearing up for their first preseason game ahead of perhaps the most anticipated season in over 25 years, but it’s never too early to talk draft.

In fact, some of us have been onto 2022 since the 2021 NFL Draft concluded. Sorry, force of habit.

Here is a seven-round Browns mock over 250 days away from April 28th, 2023.

George Karlaftis may not be the type of explosive, bendy athlete that goes at the top of the draft, but he plays with good technique, a relentless motor, and elite strength. Listed at 6-4, 275 pounds, Karlaftis has played both inside and out for the Boilermakers, and that versatility would come in handy on the Browns defensive line, where defensive coordinator Joe Woods is known to switch things up often.

In 2019, he racked up 17 tackles for loss to go along with 7.5 sacks, but his 2020 campaign was cut (very) short by injury and the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s ready to bounce back as a junior and cement himself as a first-round prospect, and he seems to fit the archetype that the Browns seem to like as Myles Garrett’s partner on the edge.

More athletic players may be taken ahead of him, but Karlaftis could very well end up being one of the strongest defenders in the NFL. For a team that will likely be picking at the tail end of Round 1, getting a player like Karlaftis would be an excellent addition to the defense.