Ranking the Browns biggest NFL draft gems of the last decade

4. Denzel Ward, CB

All eyes were on the Cleveland Browns during the 2018 NFL Draft. Following years of stockpiling picks, they went into this draft with four selections in the first 35 picks. That started with the No. 1 overall selection, which naturally received all the attention.

There was a healthy debate between Sam Darnold from USC and Baker Mayfield from Oklahoma. While nearly everyone though Darnold would be the choice, former Cleveland GM John Dorsey went with the brash Mayfield.

We all know how that went as Mayfield was up and down for four seasons before being replaced by Watson. As for the pick that came next, that's where Cleveland hit a home run.

With the fourth overall pick, the Browns added Denzel Ward from Ohio State. Naturally, Browns fans were thrilled to finally see a Buckeye get selected early and Ward didn't disappoaint.

In his debut, he put the clamps on Antonio Brown — and this was AB when he was still good, well before he froze his feet and tried to sneak a homemade Raiders helmet onto the practice field. Ward picked off Ben Roethlisberger twice in that game and even though it ended in a tie, Ward proved he was the real deal.

He's only improved since then and enters 2024 with 273 tackles, 15 interceptions, 76 pass defenses, and four defensive touchdowns on his resume. And at just 27 years of age, there's plenty of time for the Warden to do even more damage.