The Cleveland Browns swung on their fifth overall pick, newly acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars after they paid heavily for the right to take Travis Hunter at second overall, and they selected defensive tackle Mason Graham out of Michigan.
Graham, a 6-3 tackle who has been seen as one of the best defenders in this year's draft, will add and contribute immediately to a very strong Browns defensive line helmed by All-Pro and future Hall of Famer Myles Garrett. The tandem is set to wreak some major havoc on opposing teams' run and passing game.
Graham is a former wrestler who brings a ridiculously strong rush to any line, but he'll need to improve upon his pass rushing to continue to grow while in the NFL. What better situation to do so than alongside the best pass rusher in the league?
Earlier today, the Browns were reportedly listening to calls on one of their DE's, Ogbo Okoronkwo. Now, it makes sense that they'd be seeking to move on from him considering they were likely planning on targetting Graham for some time now.
Read more: Browns reportedly open to moving two key defenders ahead of NFL draft
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported after the Browns' big trade with the Jaguars that they had been discussing the move for weeks leading up to the draft itself. That means that Cleveland definitely had an idea of where they were leaning in the draft, and it was seemingly never towards Hunter to begin with.
As they still look to land a franchise quarterback to lead the team in the future, it makes sense that they're leaning in on building out their trenches prior to figuring out their long term quarterback solution. Next year's draft is going to be a lot friendlier to the Browns in terms of their search for a quarterback, so why not add depth to your lines when you can nab someone as talented as Graham?
This pick isn't terrible at all, and it definitely satiates Browns fans' appetite for the team to add a star-caliber player early in the draft.