Browns upgrade defensive trenches in new 2024 NFL mock draft

The Browns get Jim Schwartz a new weapon in a new Draft Wire 2-round mock

As we turn to colder weather, the amount of 2024 NFL mock drafts will begin to uptick. And while the Cleveland Browns do not have a first round pick for one more year, Draft Wire’s latest two-round mock draft gets them in on the action. They are currently sitting with the no. 56 pick on the board, the Browns addressed the defensive trenches again, adding LSU’s talented defensive tackle Maason Smith.

After a dynamic freshman season in 2021, the LSU Tiger missed most of his sophomore season. While Smith got off to a slow start this season, the 6-foot-6 and 300-pound defensive tackle has seen his production take an uptick.

Thus far in 2023, Smith has only racked up one sack but sits with 14 pressures on the season. For his hype coming into the season, however, Smith has not had the season many anticipated. He is built like a first round defensive tackle and will test well at the combine.

With just Dalvin Tomlinson and rookie Siaki Ika as the only defensive tackles under contract beyond the 2023 season, it makes sense for the Browns to give defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz another interior big man.

The draft is far from here, but Smith would be a bit of a letdown.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=646863720]

2024 mock draft: 2-round projections prior to NFL Week 10

The second edition of the 2024 NFL mock draft from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon

It’s time to update the two-round mock draft ahead of one of the last big weekends of college football.

My first edition of the 2024 mock draft came out after Week 4. There has been quite a bit of football, both college and NFL, to impact the projections.

The draft order here is based on the current NFL standings entering Week 10. We’re still in the “presenting ideas and possibilities” phase of draft projections, too.

Lions full 2024 mock draft 2.0: The bye week projections

At this point, mock drafts are about ideas and getting more familiar with players who could intrigue the Lions during the 2024 NFL draft in April in Detroit.

Another quarter of the season has come and gone for the Detroit Lions. Just as they did in the first four weeks, the Lions went 3-1 in Weeks 5-8 and arrived at their bye week with a 6-2 record.

That makes it a good opportunity to produce another edition of the Lions Wire full 2024 mock draft.

The pick order is based on the current NFL standings and playoff seeding ladder. Detroit would pick 29th in the first round.

The first edition was completed prior to Week 5.

At this point, mock drafts are about ideas and getting more familiar with players who could intrigue the Lions during the 2024 NFL draft in April in Detroit.

Browns 2024 NFL mock draft: Re-tooling the offensive line

The Browns could look to address turnover on the offensive line

It looks like the Cleveland Browns have their right tackle of the future in rookie Dawand Jones out of Ohio State. But there could be even more turnover soon with Joel Bitonio getting older and Wyatt Teller’s contract situation. On top of that Jedrick Wills Jr. at left tackle hasn’t earned a second contract yet. Can they re-tool this Summer? That is what we attempt to do in this 2024 NFL mock draft.

For those reasons, I think an offensive lineman could likely be the top pick for Cleveland and they may even draft more than one. Andrew Berry has shown that he likes to draft answers a year or two in advance as opposed to the exact year you need to replace them.

For the upcoming year, Cleveland currently has a second-round pick, a third, two fifths, and three seventh-round picks. It s really early in the process with plenty of football and testing before any teams truly build their big boards. Here is a look at how I could see the Browns attack the first five rounds of next April’s draft.

Browns beef up defense with DT and S selections in new 2024 NFL Mock Draft

The Cleveland Browns take two SEC defensive players in DraftWire’s most recent mock draft.

The Cleveland Browns’ defense is one of the biggest bright spots of the 2023 season, and the most recent Draft Wire 2042 NFL Mock Draft has them adding to the already-stout unit with their first two selections.

The Browns still don’t have a first-round pick after handing it over to the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson, so Cleveland won’t draft anyone until the second round – barring any trades.

In this mock, Cleveland takes LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo with their second-round pick and Georgia safety Javon Bullard with their third-round pick.

Wingo is a 6-foot-1, 275-pound defensive lineman who began his college career at Missouri as a freshman in 2021. He transferred to LSU in 2022.

Wingo has tallied 5.5 sacks in 33 games with 95 total tackles and 11 tackles for a loss. In 2023, Wingo has 2.5 sacks and 22 total tackles. He is, however, dealing with a lower-body injury and, according to head coach Brian Kelly, will miss some time this season as he recovers.

Bullard, meanwhile, is in his third season for Georgia. He’s a 5-foot-11, 180-pound safety who had 3.5 sacks in 2022. Bullard was one of the biggest defensive standouts in Georgia’s win in this past season’s College Football Player National Championship when he picked off TCU quarterback Max Duggan twice and recovered a fumble in the Bulldogs’ 65-7 win over the Horned Frogs. This season, Bullard has 15 solo tackles and three defended passes in five games.

The Browns don’t necessarily have hard needs at defensive tackle or safety right now, but they could in 2024. Three interior defensive linemen – Shelby Harris, Maurice Hurst and Jordan Elliott – and two safeties – Grant Delpit and Rodney McLeod – are impending free agents. Delpit is the most likely of the five to return, but Harris and McLeod will be 33 and 34 by next season, respectively.

Wingo and/or Bullard might not be starting-caliber players now, but they’d at least be solid depth players who could turn into quality contributors in Jim Schwartz’s defense.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=646863956]

Lions full 2024 NFL mock draft: The first set of projections

The first edition of the Lions’ 2024 mock draft projections

With four games in the books and a better idea of both needs and projected draft order, it’s time for the first edition of the Lions Wire’s 2024 mock draft.

Detroit is 3-1 and currently holds the No. 25 overall pick in the first round, based on the NFL standings after Week 4. This projection covers all the rounds. Obviously, it’s still early in the draft process, making this more about ideas and prospects than predictions. The players here are ballparked in terms of where they appear to project (as of October 5th) in the 2024 NFL draft, which will be held in Detroit in April.

The first two rounds are taken directly from my first full NFL mock draft for 2024 over at Draft Wire. This should help sort out some questions about player availability for those picks.

Browns replace Jedrick Wills in latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft with Arizona’s Jordan Morgan

The Browns land a new offensive tackle in a new mock draft.

The Cleveland Browns have an offensive tackle issue as former first round pick Jedrick Wills has failed to develop after what was a promising start to his career. And because of that Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon has mocked Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan to the Browns in the second round of his latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft.

Morgan, a fifth-year senior, has been a standout for the Wildcats over the past two seasons as he has seen his draft stock rise.

For a second round pick, however, Morgan does not check the typical boxes the Browns look for. For starters, they have never drafted a player who was going to be 23 before taking an NFL snap earlier than the third round under general manager Andrew Berry.

However, seven offensive tackles went before Morgan in this mock draft, so the options were wearing thin. While Wills is guaranteed in 2024, it feels unlikely the Browns will run it back with him at left tackle at this current trajectory.

Offensive tackle remains a high priority.

2024 mock draft: Updated projections after NFL Week 4

2024 mock draft: Updated projections for NFL Week 5 from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon

For the first few weeks of the college football season, Curt Popejoy has handled the mock draft projection duties here at Draft Wire. This week, it’s my turn to crank out my very first set of 2024 projections.

As with all of the mock drafts I do with one exception every year, these projections represent what I think the team might do with the pick at each selection. It does not necessarily reflect the choices I would make.

[lawrence-related id=647666]

The draft order here is the current NFL draft order after the conclusion of Week 4. There are some players included who are underclassmen that might not declare, most notably QBs Caleb Williams and Shedeur Sanders.

Browns land talented in-state defensive tackle in 2024 NFL Mock Draft

The Browns add another piece to the interior of their defensive line in a new mock draft.

As the college football season is in full swing, so are 2024 NFL Mock Drafts. And in a new one done by Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy, the Cleveland Browns stay in-state to add another piece to the interior defensive line. With the 52nd overall pick in this two-round mock draft, the Browns were mocked the Cincinnati Bearcats’ standout defensive tackle Dontay Corleone.

On the season so far for the Bearcats, Corleone has been credited with a massive nine stop tackles from his interior post. He is one of the very best run-stuffing defensive tackles in college football. As a pass rusher, Corleone has registered one sack and five total pressures along the Cincinnati front.

Another defensive tackle makes sense for the Browns as they currently only have two under contract beyond 2023 in Dalvin Tomlinson and Siaki Ika. Where this doesn’t make sense, however, is that the Browns will more than likely be looking for a gap-shooting three-tech rather than another stuffer like both Tomlinson and Ika are.

It is still far too early to tell, but it is so good to have football back in full swing.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1361]

Browns land explosive Western Kentucky WR in 2024 2-round mock draft

Mock drafts are back as football returns to our screen. Who did the Browns take in a recent simulation?

Football is officially back. And whether you like it or not, that means mock drafts are back in full swing as analysts and draftniks look to sort through a talented crop of talented players. In a recent mock draft done by Curt Popejoy of Touchdown Wire, the Cleveland Browns were given yet another receiver in the form of Western Kentucky’s explosive YAC machine, Malachi Corley.

The Browns, of course, have one last year without a first round pick after the trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson. In this simulation, they come on the clock with the 17th pick in the second round. If that is indeed where the Browns are picking, then the 2023 season would be a massive disappointment in Northeast Ohio.

Corley, a fourth-year player for the Hilltoppers, is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the country with the football in his hands. In 2022, he racked up nearly 1,000 yards after the catch alone. He started his 2023 season with a 55-yard performance on four catches.

The Browns have invested resources in their wide receiver room over the past few years. However, with the contract situation of Amari Cooper, and with Donovan Peoples-Jones entering the last year of his deal, there is room for the Browns to continue to use valuable assets to make moves in the wide receiver room.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]