For the second consecutive year, the Cleveland Browns landed a steal early in the second round of the NFL Draft. This time, however, they were a bit lucky, as the San Francisco 49ers couldn't get out of their own way.
In a surprising turn of events, the 49ers, who traded out of the first round on Day 1, used the No. 33 overall pick on Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling. That left the door wide open for the Browns to land Washington's Denzel Boston just six selections later.
Boston was projected to be a late first-round pick, so having him available in the second round was a steal on its own. That's why watching another wide receiver — and especially Stribling — go before him was a bit of a shocker.
One surprising pick changed everything for the Browns in Round 2
Most big boards had Stribling going in the third round. NFL Mock Draft Database had him at No. 85, 60 spots below Boston. As many as 10 wide receivers were projected to be taken between the two players.
Of course, projections only work on paper, and those guys still need to earn their stripes in the pros. Nevertheless, that pick has the word "reach" written all over it, as San Francisco took an unpolished, big-bodied wide receiver who's known more for his blocking than his pass-catching.
The 49ers could've taken Boston, a physical specimen and a perennial mismatch in the end zone. He's strong, has an absurd catch radius, and is a prototypical possession receiver who's going to make contested catches and keep the chains in motion.
Even with KC Concepcion also on the team, Boston has a legitimate chance to lead the Browns in targets right out of the gate. His body control and ball-tracking skills will give whoever is under center in Cleveland a reliable option to get those difficult yards.
While he's tailor-made for a classic X-receiver role, Boston knows how to punish smaller defensive backs in the slot on the few times he's not lined up outside. A creative offensive mind like Todd Monken's will certainly figure out a way to make the most of his skill set and bring out the best in him.
The 49ers, on the other hand, will most likely watch Stribling be a rotational guy in obvious pass play situations. It's either that or they don't trust Ricky Pearsall and Mike Evans to stay healthy. Even if that's the case, there were literally 10 players they could gotten who would've been better for them, including the best wide receiver on the board.
Thank you for that, John Lynch, who later in Round 2 swapped picks with the Browns to allow them to trade up and land dynamic Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at pick No. 58 overall. Dinner is on Andrew Berry, Mr. Lynch, the next time you're in town.
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