Browns 2023 NFL Draft: Top 5 prospects remaining on Day 2

The Cleveland Browns had to sit back and watch the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft unfold without a pick for the second year in a row. Thankfully, there was a lot of excitement for them to see take place — starting with the Houston Texans taking C.J. Stroud at No. 2 followed by Will Anderson at No. 3 following a trade up.

There were also some shocking selections, including Lukas Van Ness going at No. 13 and Emmanuel Forbes being selected before Joey Porter, Jr. and Christian Gonzalez.

Now with the dust settled on Day 1, let's take some time to look at the best five players Cleveland can target on Day 2.

Browns Prospect No. 5: Derick Hall, EDGE, Auburn

Cleveland had looked at Will McDonald from Iowa State but there was no way he was going to be there in Round 3. However, he went off the board at No. 15 which was a huge shocker.

McDonald wasn't ever going to be a pick for the Browns but his selection proves that it might be tough to hope for a starting-caliber defensive end to fall to pick 74. Still, we can hope and with Derrick Hall still on the board, the hope is alive.

Hall came into the Combine at 6-foot-3 and 254 pounds then showed off his speed with a 4.55 in the 40-yard dash. An explosive athlete with excellent length, he had 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Should he last until No. 74, he would be a tempting prospect for Cleveland to consider.

With Myles Garrett and Ogbo Okoronkwo as the starters, Hall could work alongside Alex Wright as the primary reserves, giving new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz a potentially elite rotation.

Browns Prospect No. 4: Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion

When watching Zack Kuntz' film from 2021, it was easy to see he would be a monster at the Scouting Combine. The Old Dominion product (who transferred from Penn State) missed much of the 2022 campaign but his last healthy season showed us all how gifted he was.

Leading up to the event, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com even said he would "light up" the Combine. However, he still called him a Day 3 pick that would need time to develop.

"Kuntz is expected to light up the NFL Scouting Combine with his speed and athleticism, but he’s not as fluid on tape as you might expect. He needs to keep filling out his extremely long frame, as he plays more like a big receiver than a tight end. His hands are subpar and he’s not strong enough to outwork grabby coverage or win contested catches right now. A team could view him as a Day 3 pick and stash him on the practice squad while he continues to develop."

Zierlein, NFL.com

Kuntz did exactly that as he posted some freakish numbers. That surely turned some heads in Berea since they love athletic traits they can develop.

They also wouldn't feel rushed to put him on the field since they have David Njoku and Jordan Akins. But eventually, he could become a huge weapon.

Browns Prospect No. 3: Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati

Throughout the draft process, Tyler Scott has been tied to the Cleveland Browns. A Norton High grad, Scott said he has his eyes on the Browns, and even stated that he models his game after Amari Cooper.

Scott is an undersized wideout at 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds but he has more than enough speed, evidenced by his 4.44 time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He's also a former Junior Olympic sprinter, meaning the 4.44 time is actually lower than expected — but he does display top-end speed when on the field.

He showed this by recording 10 of his 14 career touchdowns from 30 yards out. In all, he had 87 receptions for 1,439 yards in three seasons.

He was used sparingly as a return man, with 102 yards on five kickoff returns in 2021. Jakeem Grant will surely handle that role in 2023 for the Browns but having a backup plan is never a bad idea, especially when so many injuries have taken place in recent years.

If Cleveland were to draft Scott, he would be the No. 4 wideout at best — and that's only if he can beat out David Bell. Even if he secures the fifth spot, he could be a valuable player that gives them some much-needed depth.

Browns Prospect No. 2: Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin

There's no player in this class that I feel would fit Cleveland better than Keeanu Benton. Right now, the Browns defensive line is 3/4 of the way to being stacked. You can make an argument that they need more depth at defensive end but if they were to go into the season with Myles Garrett and Ogbo Okoronkwo as the starter with Alex Wright as the primary reserve, they would feel good about that.

At defensive tackle, they brought in Dalvin Tomlinson who is going to be a huge upgrade for them. But next to him, they're looking at Jordan Elliott who has yet to truly prove he's a difference-maker. That's why it would be huge for them if they could add another starter and while Benton might not be a flashy player, he's a legit starter.

Known for his long arms and power, Benton racked up 19 tackles for a loss and 9.0 sacks from his nose tackle position. In the NFL, he doesn't project to be a factor when rushing the passer but he wouldn't need to. Instead, he would be asked to play the 1-tech and shut down the run.

Such a move would be two-fold. Not only would it give a porous run defense a shot in the arm but Tomlinson actually played better as a 3-tech for Minnesota the past two seasons.

Browns Prospect No. 1: Trenton Simpson, LB

Cleveland has shown plenty of interest in Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson and it's easy to see why. He's a Swiss Army Knife that can play all over the field — and even has a background as a defensive back.

Since visiting with the Browns, he's been a favorite in many mock drafts — including one from Jacob Roach of Browns Wire. Roach has Cleveland trading up, saying he would be worth it since it would give them a dynamic pairing with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

"Drafting Trenton Simpson if he falls into the Browns’ range would give them a pair of dynamic and athletic linebackers pairing Simpson with Owusu-Koramoah. Simpson is an instinctual linebacker that has a high football IQ and the athleticism to react quickly to make a play. He has tremendous range roaming sideline to sideline and uses those tools to be a solid coverage player as well. He is a powerful hitter that doesn’t miss many tackles playing the middle linebacker spot."

Roach, Browns Wire

Entering Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft, Simpson is still on the board and the Browns might need to consider moving up to secure his services. General manager Andrew Berry made it sound as though a move up won't happen but he's been aggressive this offseason and has made moves when a player he likes falls into the right range.

Should Simpson continue to wait, Berry might finally decide it's worth it to bring him in.