Receiving corps gets boost in 7-round Browns mock draft

Round 5: Luke Wypler, C, Ohio State

Ethan Pocic is on a one-year deal, so there’s no guarantee he will be back. Dawson Deaton was drafted this past season but is on the IR along with Nick Harris. In order to keep this position strong, they pick up Luke Wypler from Ohio State with their second pick in Round 5.

Wypler is a technician who might not have any superior traits but he doesn’t have too many holes either. That makes him an ideal reserve since you know you can trust him to do the job with minimal mistakes.

Round 6: Dontay Demus Jr., WR, Maryland

Originally, Dontay Demus was expected to go into the 2022 NFL Draft but after suffering a torn ACL last season, he decided to return for one more year. A big-bodied wideout at 6-foot-3 and 217-pounds, he could be another late-round steal should he be around this late. For Cleveland, it also makes sense to continue to add talent to the receiving corps, since it’s desperately needed.

Round 7: Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pitt

Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson are free agents next year and both could be gone. The Browns are prepared after drafting Jerome Ford — and John Kelly, Jr. is a talented player as well who they should be able to retain.

Even so, they will still have a need for more depth, so they decide to use their final pick on Israel Abanikanda from Pitt. He had a rough first game this season but was able to rush for 651 yards and seven touchdowns in his sophomore season. As long as he rebounds this year, he could be worth a late-round flier.