One of the more prestigious and insightful mock drafts every year comes from Dane Brugler of The Athletic. Brugler produced his annual 7-round mock draft this week, and it’s got some changes from the norm for the Cleveland Browns across the board.
The Browns’ haul, as conveniently condensed by The Athletic:
1 (10) OT Mekhi Becton, Louisville
2 (41) DS Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois
3 (74) LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
3 (97) EDGE Trevis Gipson, Tulsa
4 (115) WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan
6 (187) CB John Reid, Penn State
7 (244) TE Cheyenne O’Grady, Arkansas
The Browns made a sizable upgrade at right tackle with the signing of Jack Conklin, but left tackle remains a large question mark. You could make an argument for any of these top tackles here or even a trade down for a player like Ezra Cleveland, but I think Becton fits what they want on offense.
It’s a divergent choice from what many pundits expect of the Browns. Becton’s size isn’t often seen as an optimal fit for the new scheme head coach Kevin Stefanski is expected to implement, but he sure made it work well in college.
Chinn is a great pick in the second round, a bundle of athleticism and energy that needs some refinement but has the potential to be the long-term impact solution at the problematic safety spot. Brooks in the third can help the run defense and blitzing from the middle.
Of the Day 3 picks, Peoples-Jones stands out. He never met expectations in his career at Michigan, but the athletic tools are all there. Peoples-Jones is also a potential high-end solution as a punt returner.
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