The Browns were a busy team on Friday night. While they still only made their three picks they began the night with, two of those original draft spots were traded away for later picks.
Sorting it all out, rookie GM Andrew Berry and his Browns crew managed to add three players:
No. 44 – Grant Delpit, safety, LSU
No. 88 – Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri
No. 97 – Jacob Phillips, LB, LSU
Berry did a great job parlaying the No. 41 pick into an extra fifth-rounder and still getting the same player at 44 he would have tabbed at 41 in Delpit. That’s value maximization and a smart move from the young GM. Filling a position of need with a potential long-term, high-upside solution at that range is a great pick.
Elliott is a boom/bust interior presence. Based on the players selected in his range and still on the board after the third round ended, it’s not a bad pick. He likely won’t play much as a rookie but could step into the rotation. For a late third-round pick, that’s an acceptable outcome.
Phillips has a chance to thrive playing the middle between last year’s rookies, Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki. He’s got some D’Qwell Jackson to his game, to throw it back a few Browns eras. At worst, he shares one of the LB roles with Wilson and/or free agent B.J. Goodson.
Talent and impact grade: B
Value grade: A-minus