Cleveland Browns: 5 safeties in the 2023 NFL Draft who could replace John Johnson III

3. Christopher Smith II, Georgia

Another redshirt-senior, Christopher Smith II was a huge part of one of the best defensive units in the county the past two seasons at Georgia. Smith doesn't quite have the experience of Johnson Jr. from earlier, spending time behind some other top recruits and draft picks, but he was vital to the team's back-to-back championships that past two seasons.

At 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, Smith is a little on the lighter end, struggling to battle through blocks and bang in the box and around the line of scrimmage. But the dude can cover. He is such a cerebral player, always seeming to be exactly where he needs to be to make a play on the ball.

In his last two seasons at Georgia, he racked up three interceptions in each campaign and totaled 95 tackles. This includes six for loss, so he has shown that he is not afraid to fly downhill to come and make a play in the run game as well.

Combining his smaller frame with his recent poor testing at the Combine could cause Smith's draft stock to fall a bit, possibly right into the laps of the Cleveland Browns with great value, although the Senior Bowl's Jim Nagy doesn't think a slow 40-time will change teams' opinions on Smith much at all:

Christopher Smith II has been a hot name at points throughout this 2023 NFL Draft process, with the stock trending downwards leading up to draft day. The Browns may need to take him at pick 42 if they want to ensure they can land Smith, which I'm not sure that I would do.

But if you can get him in the third or fourth round, I would absolutely take a flier on the upside and production of the 22-year-old Bulldog.