Cleveland Browns mock draft: Baker Mayfield on the move in draft-day trade
By John Suchan
Cleveland Browns Round 2 Pick 34: Jahan Dotson, WR Penn State
All offseason, the speculation has been that Cleveland would look to pick a wide receiver in this top-heavy class of talented players. With a few top-teared receivers like Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams off the board already, the team zeroes in on one of the wide receivers with the most experience and most ready for the NFL in Jahan Dotson from Penn State.
He’s a natural at finding weaknesses in the opposing team’s defense and getting open. He can separate from the cornerbacks and is always moving on routes even when his quarterback might be in trouble in the backfield.
He was a four-year player at Penn State and played in many big games over his tenure there. He went for 1,182 yards and snatched 12 touchdowns in his last season. He recorded a total of 91 catches his senior season and had three games last year where he went for double-digit receptions.
In back-to-back games last fall against Ohio State and then Maryland he caught 11 passes in each contest and a total of 369 yards and three touchdowns.
Cleveland Browns Round 3 Pick 78: Phidarian Mathis, DL, Alabama
It’s been said that Phidarian Mathis has the most potential of the defensive tackles in this season’s collegiate class. If he’s still here at pick No. 78, this could be a great selection by the Browns who need help on the defensive line. A few veterans are returning to Cleveland like Jordan Elliott, but this is a part of the team that needs the most help.
Mathis is considered by most to be a very astute player who can read plays and what the offense is going to do very well. He’s a solid 6-4 weighing in at 310-pounds. He’s a rock on the line and has great awareness to find the runner and shut them down.
The Browns certainly need some support along the defensive line. Giving up lengthy drives by the opponents last season where it seemed like the other team was running wild at times between the numbers was a continuous issue, especially in the first half of the season.
Cleveland Browns Round 3 Pick 99: Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
Many draft projections have Jeremy Ruckert as the best tight end in the class this year. His collegiate numbers aren’t going to blow you away but he was also working on an Ohio State team that was stacked with offensive talent.
He finished his senior campaign with 26 receptions for 309 yards. He only grabbed three touchdowns. Even with the limited output, he is still considered to be at the top of the charts for what NFL teams are looking for in a tight end.
Ruckert stands at 6-5 and can help his new NFL team move the chains. He may not be a starter on the offensive end of the field initially for a team like the Browns because they have two tight ends in David Njoku and Harrison Bryant in front of him. But Ruckert is a great blocker and will likely see time on special teams initially if he gets drafted by the Browns.
It would be a popular pick amongst Browns fans that are also Buckeye fans. Cleveland drafted defensive lineman Tommy Togiai last year and they also have cornerback Denzel Ward from Ohio State. For years it seemed the Browns were trying to purposefully stay away from Buckeyes so it’s nice to see the team invest their time in finding talent that’s just down interstate 71.