Pre free agency 7-round Cleveland Browns mock draft boosts offense
By Jacob Roach
Round 4 Cleveland Browns pick 104, Khalil Shakir WR Boise State
Cleveland needs more than one playmaker in the receiver room and this year’s draft class has more than a few that can provide upgrades. Doubling down and adding Khalil Shakir would help to solve the playmaking problem they had. Shakir is a guy that has experience playing both inside and outside as a receiver, versatility being a favorite of Andrew Berry’s. Shakir has excellent and reliable hands, and who doesn’t want more players with good hands.
Shakir is a guy that you get the ball in his hands and let him create, rather in the passing or the run game. He is shifty in the slot and on the outside as well, a guy that can make a play when you need him to. Adding Shakir after Drake London in the first round would add a lot of talent to the receiver room.
Round 4 Cleveland Browns pick 115, Jeremy Ruckert, TE Ohio State
Jeremy Ruckert might be built of the exact mold head coach Kevin Stefanski has in mind when it comes to a tight end. He is not afraid to do the dirty work in the run game and block whoever is in front of him. He has really nice size for a tight end at 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds, he isn’t only a good blocker but an effective pass catcher as well.
He was overshadowed by the great receivers he had around him but Ruckert can make plenty of plays in the passing game as well. Should the Browns move on from Austin Hooper, Ruckert would be a nice player to begin developing into the Tight End three role.
Round 5 Cleveland Browns pick 154, Kerby Joseph, S Illinois
Joe Woods’ loves playing three safeties and you can never have enough good defensive backs in today’s league. Kerby Joseph is a guy that can play that single high safety role, reading the play and quarterback and reacting to where the ball is going.
Being able to have him back deep can allow the Browns and Woods to move John Johnson and Grant Delpit all over the field and confuse offenses. Joseph tracks the ball so well when it is in the air and shows tremendous ball skills finishing this year with five interceptions.