Cleveland Browns mock draft: Deepening the defense first

Cleveland will look to deepen their talent pool at the draft and while drafting offense is popular, picking defense-first remains a priority as is the case in this 7-round  Browns mock draft

For the fans of the Cleveland Browns, the NFL Draft, which is coming up starting Thursday, April 28th in Las Vegas, has usually been our Super Bowl over the years. It’s an event that fans can dream of the possibilities and pray that these wishes would come true and bring this historic and proud franchise a well-earned real Super Bowl victory.

That’s not too much to ask for. Right?

Mock drafts, like the one you’ll check out below, are filled with anticipation and trying to predict what the good folks up in Berea our thinking as they prepare for the real deal.

Before the Browns made the trades for Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper some thought the team would try and draft a wide receiver with that No. 13 pick that they no longer have. Now the team has the No. 44 pick starting in the second round and then six more picks through the draft.

Will they try and sneak into the first round if they find a player they have on their draft board still sitting there undrafted? Are they content at sitting put and taking the best player at No. 44?

In this mock, Cleveland takes a wide receiver or two but it’s not at No. 44. This class of wide receivers is very deep so they can wait and look elsewhere — like defense.

As it stands now, the Browns have many needs across the team and despite some who believe the defense is great already, they will still need a lot of help on that side of the field. With that, let’s see who the Browns target in that second round.

Browns Mock Draft Round 2, No. 44: Nik Bonitto, Edge Rusher, Oklahoma

Nik Bonitto is a very athletic and quick edge rusher and linebacker tweener of a player. He can get into the backfield and cause havoc, but he can also slide back into pass coverage quickly. He can get into the gaps as well and help shut down the run game. He stands at 6-foot-3 but doesn’t have the huge build yet coming in at a slim 245 pounds.

The Browns don’t know yet if Jadeveon Clowney will be returning to the team, as that rumor of his return is still out there. The veteran edge rusher would be great to have back in a Browns uniform, but the Browns have to continue to deepen the defense with talent. That’s why a player like Bonitto would be a great pick here.

Bonitto would be an excellent prospect who could have some immediate impact on the defense from the start of next season. Whatever the team decides to do in free agency with the pick-up of any additional defensive linemen or edge players will have some bearing on this pick.

The Sooner star is entering the draft after his junior season. He had 118 tackles and 19.5 sacks in his career. He’s been projected anywhere from a second to a fourth-round pick. So, having the Browns take him here might surprise some, but his athletic quickness and flexibility to attack the quarterback or take away the edges or plug up the run game are outstanding.

If he were 20 or 30 pounds heavier, he’d likely be drafted in the first round of the draft, but it a great player to land here and try to develop into a starter.

Browns Mock Draft Round 3, No. 78:  Darrian Beavers, LB. Cincinnati

So some Browns fans will be screaming at their television sets when the team still doesn’t pick a wide receiver here, but Darrian Beavers, a linebacker out of Cincinnati would be another addition on the defense that could be a game-changer.

When Cleveland took Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in the late second round a year ago, the fanbase was ecstatic. Taking the Bearcat linebacker here at No. 78 would be a similar type of excellent selection if he were to still be on the board come the third round. He’s been moving up the draft boards of many teams and the Browns would be fortunate to grab him here at pick No. 78.

He skipped the NFL Combine but showed up at his pro day workout for scouts recently at UC and was impressive as shared by Jim Nagy, executive director of the Senior Bowl. His 40-yard dash was clocked at 4.67 and his vertical jump improved to 39 inches. His height at 6-4 and around 250 pounds makes him a bit undersized but he’s a hard-nosed prospect that has an unstoppable motor.

Pairing him up with a young already savvy player like Owusu-Koromoah will likely only accelerate the learning curve for a player like Beavers.

Browns Mock Draft Round 3, No. 99: Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada

Finally, some fans will exhale after the team drafts Romeo Doubs here at pick No. 99. The talented wide receiver had an outstanding career in Nevado taking passes from quarterback standout Carson Strong. Doubs is tall and quick and has been blasting up draft boards. If he’s still here at No. 99, the Browns will be fortunate.

His ability to shift gears and separate from defenders and stretch the field just jumps out at you when you watch the film of him. Doubs stands at 6-2 and picking him up here in the draft would be a great pick and strengthen the wide receiver room.

His instincts and ability to make precise cuts running down the field are top-notch.

In his four years at Nevada, he went over 1,000 yards receiving twice and he grabbed 26 touchdowns over his time with the Wolfpack.

Browns Mock Draft Round 4, No. 118: Matthew Butler, DL, Tennessee

After the fans of Cleveland get their wide receiver in the draft the team returns to strengthening the defense by adding another excellent collegiate prospect in Matthew Butler out of Tennessee. The big defensive lineman stands at 6-4 and 300 pounds.

His speed off the snap is top-tiered and he has an explosiveness that will put fear into offensive linemen. He has a powerful ability to move along the line and shed blockers to get to the ball.

He finished his career with the Volunteers credited with 152 tackles and 9.5 sacks. He had five sacks and 47 talks this last season. He also has forced two fumbles in the last two seasons at Tennessee. The sky is the limit for Butler and scouts around the league see him rocketing up draft boards. Cleveland would be wise to grab this stud of player here.

Browns Mock Draft Round 6 No. 202: Derrick Deese Jr., TE, San Jose St.

The Browns offense always needs to add tight ends to their group and with the departure of Austin Hooper recently, the team can use this late pick to take a chance on a pretty talented but raw talent in Derrick Deese. The tall and lanky prospect stands at 6-3. He has good hands and can take contact and still reel in the football.

Sitting behind David Njoku and Harrison Bryant and getting some work in during the season on the special teams units is likely a good starting point for Deese. He’s considered a strong blocker too and will only help the team in that department on plays the team may insert him in on offense.

Deese had a nice career at San Jose. In his senior campaign, he finished with 47 catches for 730 yards, and a 15.5 yards after catch average that included four touchdowns.

Browns Mock Draft Round 7 No. 223: Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State

Cleveland isn’t done yet with drafting wide receivers and this talented veteran player out of Michigan State is a type of player that could learn under the veterans of the team like Amari Cooper and eventually produce for the Browns. Nailor was a four-year player with the Spartans but was hit by the injury bug over his time there.

That has to be considered by the Browns if they are going to take a shot with Nailor. He’s not that tall of a player, standing at 6-0, but his speed is outstanding and his ability to go vertical and get past his defender is top notched.

He played in 16 games between his sophomore and junior seasons in college. He totaled 1,220 yards and 10 touchdowns in that time and averaged almost 20 yards a catch. Taking a chance on him in this late seventh round is worth the risk of his injury-prone career.

Browns Mock Draft Round 7 No. 246: Josh Rivas, G, Kansas State

Finally, the Browns finish the draft by selecting a guard out of Kansas State, Josh Rivas who is considered by some to be a sleeper in this class and could be a solid pick by the Browns looking to strengthen that offensive line that is still not so deep.

Rivas was an everyday player in the Wildcat’s offense. In his final season in was credited for not allowing a sack in 362 snaps. He is considered an excellent run blocker too as he’d create big gaps for his Wildcat running backs. The 6-6, 320-pound player out of Hutchinson, Kansas has played along the line at both the tackle and guard position so that versatility would also be a strength of his.

Having lived in Hutchinson, Kansas myself back in the day and knowing what type of outstanding football players are made on the cornfields of the Midwest, this pick by the Browns would be an outstanding last pick to solidify their draft.