As things start to ramp up for the 2024 draft, the Cleveland Browns coaching staff and Andrew Berry are deep in their draft board preparation. And while there was a stretch where the Browns had a handful of picks in the top 100, this year, they will only have five total picks because of recent trade activities.
The good news for fans, this is the final year of not having a first-round pick because of the Deshaun Watson trade. But as we take a deeper dive at last year's draft class, it’s impressive that the team performed as well as they did. The organization only drafted one player last year who had an impact on the season.
Here is a breakdown of every pick from 2023.
Cleveland Browns Pick No. 190 and 142
Round 6: Luke Wypler, C
Locals are familiar with Luke Wypler as he was a two-year starter for Ohio State. Truthfully, that’s a huge advantage with this fan base and you’re instantly given a little more slack when it comes to development.
Wypler saw the field for a few snaps in 2023 because the injuries were so horrific, but he was really just a depth piece and will likely remain the same this upcoming year. Reports are that the potential is there, so for such a late-round pick, it feels like a decent chance that Berry got some strong value.
Round 5: Cameron Mitchell, CB
Now I must admit when Cameron Mitchell got thrown into a few games because of the injuries in the secondary last year I was terrified, but he did get some valuable experience with all the issues at safety.
It doesn’t appear that Mitchell is ever going to be a lockdown NFL corner, but he appears to have good ball skills and the ability to step in at safety when needed. It’s also worth mentioning that Mitchell got a lot of snaps on special teams and was a much better performer at the end of the year.
Again, we haven’t seen enough to really come to a conclusion, but it certainly feels like there is some upside.
Cleveland Browns Pick No. 140, 126, and 11
Round 5: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB
There's no doubt that DTR got thrown into a bad situation this season when he was all but told he was starting vs. the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday morning. In that game, we saw a rookie fifth-round pick look just like that.
But then just a few weeks later DTR got another shot and made the best of it. He certainly has a lot to work and improve on, but for the time being he is a great fit to have behind Watson.
DTR can make a lot of plays with his legs which puts a lot of stress on the defense and opens the field.
Round 4: Isaiah McGuire, DE
Honestly, defensive end was a position that the Cleveland Browns were loaded at last season. With Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith once again anchored the group with Ogbo Okoronkwo as the rotational player.
I can’t call this a bad pick, but he’s yet to be active which tells me he isn’t showing that much at practice.
Round 4: Dawand Jones, OT
I remember when Berry drafted Jones who played for Ohio State and I felt familiar, and I wasn’t pleased with the pick initially. Jones was always a decent collegiate player but never lived up to his hype in my opinion.
But after the injury to Jack Conklin, Jones not only stepped up and filled in, but he also showed that he is a very capable player and likely the future of the Browns offensive line at tackle. Jones later dealt with a knee injury that sidelined him for the season and the entire offensive line took a blow.
As I continue with my breakdown of this draft you’ll quickly get the feeling that Berry missed more than he connected in 2023, but the Jones draft pick was a home run.
Cleveland Browns Picks No. 98 and 74
Round 3: Siaki Ika, DT
Heading into the last offseason, there is no doubt that defensive tackle was the biggest need. Not only did Berry bring in multiple veterans including Dalvin Tomlinson, but he also took a big man early in the draft.
Ika is a massive body who had a lot of success at Baylor, but also had some red flags. For his size, he grades as athletic, but you must remember that he is 335 pounds. And while we saw a little bit of Ika during the preseason, he was only active a few weeks and only played meaningful snaps vs. the Bengals in Week 18 which was a meaningless game.
Again, it’s too soon to call Ika a bust, but without a first or second-round pick (Elijah Moore Trade), it was a bummer to see Berry draft someone who wasn’t even active on most Sundays. Let’s hope the development curve is big this offseason.
Round 3: Cedric Tillman, WR
I have only seen one panic move from Berry during his tenure with the Cleveland Browns, but when Jalin Hyatt went at pick No. 73, he panicked and drafted his teammate, Cedric Tillman.
Tillman put up big numbers in 2021 with more than 1,000 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns but missed half of the 2022 college season with an ankle injury. Tillman certainly has the tools to be a capable NFL wide receiver, but it always felt like a stretch with that pick.
Now that the Browns have Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and Moore on the roster, it’s going to be tough sledding for Tillman to even see the field unless there is an injury. There's still time for him to develop, but based on last year's production my hopes aren’t high.