Cleveland Browns land their own Aaron Donald in 2023 mock draft

This way-too-early Cleveland Browns 2023 NFL Mock Draft has the front office adding a defensive tackle who is reminiscent of a future Hall of Famer

For the second of three seasons in a row, the Cleveland Browns will be without a pick in Round 1 of the NFL Draft due to the Deshaun Watson trade. In 2022, they also traded away their second-round selection to add more draft capital.

Looking ahead to the 2023 NFL Draft, it would be nice to see them make a selection earlier, which they do in this way-too-early seven-round mock. And when on the clock, the Browns add a player who might remind some of Aaron Donald, who has had a pretty stellar career with the Los Angeles Rams.

Cleveland Browns 2023 mock draft

Cleveland Browns Round 2 Pick: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt

The Browns make their first selection in Round 2 and they bolster their defensive line with the addition of Calijah Kancey from Pitt. While he might not have the same pedigree as Aaron Donald, he could end up being compared to him quite often during the process.

Not only does he come from Donald’s former school, but he’s going to have the same question to answer coming into the league — can he perform despite being undersized? Donald was listed at 6-foot-1 and 285-pounds coming into the league, and Kancey is currently listed at 6-foot-0 and 275-pounds.

Like Donald, Kancey is known for his ability to rush the passer from the interior. So far in his first two seasons, he has 20 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks.

While he will be picked apart due to his size, he uses this to his advantage. He’s able to thread between offensive linemen, gets excellent leverage, and also has great body control. Adding him should vastly improve the Browns defensive line.