3 hits and 3 misses from Browns GM Andrew Berry in the NFL Draft
Andrew Berry is entering his fourth draft as general manager of the Cleveland Browns and here are some players he has hit and missed on in the first three years.
Of course, not every player drafted will be a hit and that goes for any franchise in any sport. If history has taught us anything and what Berry said that the Browns will likely be more inclined to trade back in the draft rather than up.
With Cleveland having an excellent free agency period, it sets them up for the perfect draft strategy. They can gain future draft capital if they do not like how the board is shaking out. Or they could find some middle-round players that can slowly be integrated into their respective side of the ball.
As aforementioned, Berry will be at the helm of the Browns draft room for a fourth time. This list will take a look at players that have been hits and others that might not even make the roster this season.
Here are three players that were hits and three that were misses from Andrew Berry in the NFL Draft.
Browns Draft Hit: Martin Emerson Jr., CB, 3rd Round, 2022
When Martin Emerson Jr. was drafted with the 68th pick in last year's NFL Draft, it was met with a mix of intrigue and confusion. Cornerback wasn't necessarily a need last year, but then the next day it was announced that the Browns were trading Troy Hill to the Rams.
Hill came over a season prior with his secondary mate from the Rams, John Johnson III, but the duo never panned out for Cleveland. Emerson was drafted to take the place of Hill and ended up having a solid rookie campaign.
Emerson played in all 17 games, making six starts. He finished with 63 tackles, 51 being solo, and 15 pass defenses, including four against Tom Brady in a Week 11 matchup. He allowed a 50.5 completion percentage surrendering 46 catches in 91 tries for 490 yards and three touchdowns.
Typically, you can't call a rookie a hit or a miss as they need time to develop, but Emerson emerged as a guy who can contribute right off that bat. His physical size and ability to hang with any receiver will be a good thing for the Browns for years to come.
Browns Draft Miss: Perrion Winfrey, DT, 4th Round, 2022
Sticking with the 2022 draft class of the Browns, Perrion Winfrey was their guy in the fourth round. He instantly became a folklore legend in Cleveland when he barked after being drafted. He gets us.
Unfortunately for Winfrey, he struggled with maturity issues and now, he is facing misdemeanor assault charges after an incident involving his girlfriend. Berry was noncommital on Winfrey's status with the team as it is a "pending legal matter."
Winfrey was benched for a couple of games and sent home for disciplinary reasons and was even called out by Myles Garrett. That's not ideal for someone wanting to remain on a roster and get playing time.
By the time the September season opener gets here, Winfrey could be looking for a new place to call home. Berry went out and signed Dalvin Tomlinson, Trysten Hill, and Maurice Hurst to help fix the defensive line, so Winfrey could be on his way out especially with Tommy Tommy Togiai and Jordan Elliot also vying for a roster spot and any potential rookies drafted this weekend.