3 players who could fall into Cleveland Browns lap in 2023 NFL draft

Throughout his tenure as general manager of the Cleveland Browns, Andrew Berry has been able to land some highly sought after talent in the NFL Draft. He gets credit for being shrewd but even he would surely admit a lot of luck goes into the process.

Berry can put whatever grade he wants on players such as Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah or Donovan Peoples-Jones but it takes just one team to ruin his plans. But thankfully, some talented players — such as JOK and DPJ —  have either fallen to their selection — or at least far enough that a trade-up seems feasible.

Here, we look at three players that would fit perfectly on the Browns roster and could wind up falling into Cleveland's lap.

Browns target No. 3: Parker Washington, WR, Penn State

One of the players to recently meet with the Browns ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft is Penn State wideout Parker Washington. The cousin of Josh Dobbs, Washington would be a perfect fit in this offense.

Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Elijah Moore are all versatile and can move around the field but they're also all best on the outside. As for Washington, he's a prototypical slot receiver.

Listed at 5-foot-10 and 204 pounds, he's a smooth route runner but what really stands out is how good he can be once the ball is in his hands. Washington, who is built like a running back, is excellent at breaking tackles and can turn a short pass into a long gain in a hurry.

He was unable to work out at the Combine due to an injury, and that being coupled with modest collegiate numbers could lead to Washington falling perfectly into Cleveland's lap in the middle rounds.

Browns target No. 2: Isaiah McGuire, EDGE, Missouri

Cleveland signed Ogbo Okoronkwo to replace one of their two exiting defensive ends. They do believe in Alex Wright, who has the potential to be a starter but still shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on another pass rusher should one fall into their lap during the draft.

One such potential player is Isaiah McGuire from Missouri. After two seasons where he didn't see the field much, McGuire broke out in 2021 with 55 tackles and six sacks. He then followed that up with 40 tackles and 8.5 sacks as a senior — and for good measure, he had 14 tackles for a loss in each of those years.

At the Scouting Combine, he then stood out as one of the more athletic EDGE players in the class. He put up respectable numbers in every drill as he had a 4.76 in the 40-yard dash, a 1.72 in the 10-yard split, and a 36.5-inch vertical jump. Even so, he remains an under-the-radar player that doesn't get the same love as players such as Nolan Smith, Isaiah Foskey, or Will McDonald.

What really makes McGuire intriguing for Cleveland is how powerful he is on the edge. He's a fierce bull rusher that creates havoc in the backfield, much like Jadeveon Clowney who is gone now.

He might not always be flirting with 10 sacks each season but he would rack up the tackles for a loss while proving to be a capable starter if needed.

Browns target No. 1: Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida

With Dalvin Tomlinson signed this offseason, the Browns have one of their starting defensive tackles figured out. The other spot is up for grabs and they've thrown a few names into the mix there.

Jordan Elliott is the favorite right now but Cleveland added Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill to the roster and they'll be given the chance to compete. They're likely not done either as they met with veteran Al Woods but will probably wait to make a move on any more free agents until after the draft.

One player who could be selected and given a shot to compete for a starting gig right away is Gervon Dexter, Sr. out of Florida. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Dexter was in Berea on Friday meeting with the Browns who are continuing to kick the tires on any defender they believe will help round out their roster.

Dexter is a powerful player that can bully offensive linemen when he gets his hands right. He will need to improve upon his technique, which is typically true of all rookies, but the sky is the limit due to his mix of power and athleticism.

Even with his impressive traits, Dexter might not go very early in the draft at all. His lack of production as a pass rusher could push him into the the third round, which means a potential starter could end up falling to the Browns.