The Cleveland Browns have eight picks coming up in the NFL Draft in April. We’re still three months away from that but it’s never too early to start speculating who they might be interested in. It’s been well-documented that Cleveland doesn’t have a first-round pick this year, or next, due to the massive trade they made for Deshaun Watson. That means their first selection will come in the second-round pick at No. 43.
There are many positions the Browns need to address, including defensive tackle, wide, receiver, offensive lineman, linebacker, and safety. The consensus amongst most is that Cleveland might take a defensive tackle first because they’ve shown such poor defense against the run in previous seasons.
Of course, last year, the same expectation was thought, and the Browns surprised the world by taking Martin Emerson, a cornerback from Mississippi State with their first pick in Round 3. In that case, they actually moved back to take Emerson. That scenario could play out again in this year’s draft if Cleveland wants to pick up more draft picks for the weekend.
Let’s go ahead and take a look at four prospects that could contend for that No. 43 spot, assuming that the Browns hold onto that pick.
No. 4 Cleveland Browns draft prospect contender: Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU
Cleveland likes players from LSU, so let’s kick off this list of contenders with Roy, a massive defensive tackle from the Tigers. He stands 6-4 and weighs 335 pounds. He takes up a lot of space in the interior of their defense and yet has the speed to get from side to side and create havoc in the backfield. The Browns drafted Perrion Winfrey from Oklahoma a year ago at defensive tackle and Roy could be another player added to the line who projects to have a promising future in the league.
Rot is expected to be drafted anywhere between the second and third rounds, and he looks like an attractive player for an organization that’s looking to fill up the holes in the run game. The one drawback to selecting a player like Roy could be his age as he’ll be 23 years old come next October. Cleveland likes younger players so we shall see if Roy jumps onto their radar.
Roy had a steady career at LSU as he finished with 97 tackles including 13.5 for losses and four sacks this past season. He had some really outstanding performances, including a game late in the season against Texas A&M where he scored a season-high 12 tackles and was heavily involved in the game.
No. 3 Cleveland Browns draft prospect contender: Rashee Rice, WR SMU
SMU wideout Rashee Rice has the size, speed, and agility, to go along with good hands which makes him an attractive option for the Browns. Cleveland drafted David Bell a year ago out of Purdue, and he had a decent start to his career — of course, he’ll need to do more in year two.
The scouting reports on Rice suggest he won’t blow by his defender initially, but instead has an excellent ability to get away from his defender and create separation by making quick moves with good cuts and angles, especially in the middle of the field. Giving Deshaun Watson another weapon in the offense, like Rice who has great height at 6-2, could be an intriguing prospect to consider.
Rice played all four seasons with the Mustangs, and again like some of these college prospects, his age could be a factor in the Browns’ decision to draft him or not. Last year, he caught 96 passes for 1,355 yards that included scoring 10 touchdowns. For his career, he finished with 3,111 yards and 25 touchdowns. His yards per catch for his career finished at 13.4.
When you continue to read the scouting reports on Rice the other point of emphasis is how he is excellent at catching the short ball and extending plays with yards after the catch. Obviously, players take a big step from college to the NFL and that could be seen this past year with David Bell and his adjustment in the league with the Browns. However, Rice’s upside seems to be very high as he continues to rise up most rankings and wide receiver draft boards.
No. 2 Cleveland Browns draft prospect contender: Jack Campbell, LB
Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Jack Campbell had a stellar career in college. He’s a giant standing at 6-4 and has the natural ability to create problems for his opponent with his knack for finding the ball. He could fit in well in that middle linebacker position for the Browns if they were to draft one. He’s projected to be drafted anywhere between the second and third rounds.
Campbell has really good length and agility and is known for tackling through the player. He’s very aware of quarterback tendencies and has had some outstanding games against some high-profile quarterbacks in the past like C.J. Stroud of Ohio State.
Cleveland has a respectable linebacker crew but has suffered many injuries in that department in the past, including to Anthony Walker and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Campbell seems like a really outstanding fit for this defense and is considered strong against the run.
While at Iowa, he racked up a ton of tackles and was a menace to opponent offenses. He finished with 299 tackles, including three sacks, had 12 tackles for losses, forced three fumbles, and recovered another three more. His great length and long arms also allowed him to deflect 10 passes. He was awarded the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Award and also won the Dick Butkus Award for being the best linebacker in the country,
In this season’s Ohio State game, Campbell was able to intercept a pass by Stroud and racked up nine tackles. It seems that Campbell has a knack for big moments and that’s something that the Browns should be looking for in a player.
No. 1 Cleveland Browns draft prospect contender: Darnell Wright, OL, Tennessee
Darnell Wright is from the University of Tennessee and is probably already on the radar since the Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is a big fan of the Volunteers. Cleveland has a pretty established offensive line; however, they have a few potential holes.
The Browns drafted Jedrick Wills a few seasons ago to play left tackle and while he’s had a semi-decent career to this point, he hasn’t jumped off the page and truly proven himself. Some even believe that Wills could be traded.
Regardless of Will’s future with the team, Cleveland still needs to make their offensive line even stronger to help protect Deshaun Watson. Wright has had a very good career with the Volunteers and is considered one of the top prospects rising on most draft boards. Even so, he could very well be available when the Browns are on the board in Round 2.
Wright has good mobility and anticipation but what stands out most is his sheer size. The Tennessee lineman stands 6-foot-6, and 335 pounds, but can still move.
He’s also just 21 years old and can be hopefully molded into a great offensive lineman. Wright will be playing at the Senior Bowl upcoming in Mobile Alabama in two weeks so keep an eye out for him.
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