Even without a first-round pick (again), the Cleveland Browns feel good about the draft class they’re bringing in this year. Not many of the players will be relied upon too heavily in year one, which isn’t a bad approach.
Instead, players such as Michael Hall, Jr., and Zak Zinter will serve as backups while learning the speed of the pro game. They could eventually start, which is what you want from your early picks.
As for the final rounds, those are always tougher. Here we look at a few late-round picks for the Browns and identify three that might not make the 53-man roster.
3. Jowon Briggs, DT, Cincinnati (7th round)
Cleveland’s top pick was Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall, Jr. Their final pick was Jowon Briggs from Cincinnati.
Even before adding Hall, this group was crowded. Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris are projected starters with Maurice Hurst and Quinton Jefferson in the mix as reserves. Throw in 2023 third-round pick Siaki Ika, and that’s five deep before adding the two rookies.
Hall is a lock for the roster but Briggs might not be. He has plenty of potential but is undersized for the nose tackle at 6-foot-1 and 313 pounds. He’s not exactly a 3-tech either which means he has to find the right fit.
Briggs is a powerful player and if any coach can get the most out of him, it’s Jim Schwartz. But it might not be that easy since he’s on the wrong side of a numbers game.
2. Nathaniel Watson, LB, Mississippi State (6th round)
The Browns needed linebacker depth and they went for that in Round 6. Considering how late they landed him, it was excellent value as well for Nathaniel Watson out of Mississippi State. The 206th overall pick, Watson stands 6-foot-2 and 233 pounds and is known for being a hard hitter.
He’s considered a throwback linebacker who will make a living stuffing the run and can get after the quarterback when the blitz is dialed up. Over the past three seasons, he’s racked up 35 tackles for a loss with 21 sacks — 10 this past season. He also crossed the 100-tackle mark in each of his final two years with the Bulldogs.
As impressive as all this is, his athletic testing didn’t blow anyone away and there’s going to be more competition than we realize at linebacker this year.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Jordan Hicks, and Devin Bush are the top three guys. Behind them is an underrated Tony Fields II and former undrafted free agent Mohamoud Diabate. In order for Watson to make the team, he needs them to keep six linebackers. Perhaps they do but considering how often they play with three safeties, that might not be the case.
1. Myles Harden, CB, South Dakota (7th round)
It was already going to be hard for any young cornerback to make this roster but it became more difficult on Tuesday. The Browns officially exercised the fifth-year option on Greg Newsome’s rookie deal which keeps him under contract through 2025.
There were whispers early in the offseason that the front office was balking at paying Newsome with so many others due for a raise soon but in the end, they kept their guy.
That means seventh-round pick Myles Harden will enter camp behind Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson, Newsom, Cam Mitchell, Justin Hardee, and Tony Brown. Making matters worse, Brown and Hardee are special teams studs who might be kept around even if Harden proves to be a better defensive back.
What Harden has in his favor is toughness in the run game. He didn’t play slot much during college but he has the build and grit to handle this in the NFL. He could also provide a boost on the blitz and it would be a surprise if he turned out to be a special team’s ace as well.
As is the case with each of these picks, the Browns would surely wish to retain them via the practice squad. All are talented enough to carve out an NFL career but Cleveland has enough depth to make it a tough battle for them all.