Please be sure to check out our podcast with Jeff Obert-Thorn on the draft.
I apologize for the sound quality not being up to usual standards,but it was hard enough for me to do the show and there were some things that I just missed that day.I apologize for that.
The Cleveland Browns are in a difficult position of picking 12th in a draft that may not be able to hit their top needs.
In our mock draft (available on the podcast),none of the three elite wide receivers and the top defensive tackles were off the board and that could lead the Browns to want to trade down,if someone is interested.
I really like the top three wide receivers in Alabama's Amari Cooper,West Virginia's Kevin White and Louisville's DeVante Parker,but all three could be gone by the Browns selection.
If one of the three is available,it would likely be Parker and I'd be fine with the Louisville route runner.
If all three were available,I like Cooper the best of the three,despite not having the physical assets of White.
I would love to see the Browns have Ohio State's Devin Smith as a possibility in round two or even 19 if the board fell right.
Smith would provide the deep speed that none of the Browns current receivers possess.
I really like Washington's run stuffing defensive tackle Danny Shelton (pictured above) and think he would be an ideal fit for the Browns and the AFC North,but he may not fall to Cleveland.
I prefer Shelton,but Texas defensive tackle Malcolm Brown would a nice consolation prize.
Brown isn't quite as strong against the run as Shelton,but might be a better pass rusher.
If the Browns like Brown,I would hope to see a move down and maybe add a pick or two,but he should be productive.
On the outside,Kentucky's Bud Dupree might be a possibility in an attempt to provide the pass rush from the side opposite Paul Kruger as an end/linebacker.
I know that many observers think the Browns are loaded at running back with Terrence West and Isaiah Crowell,but I'm not convinced,especially if the intent is to run the football even more often than last season.I'm bigger on Crowell than West,but I love Todd Gurley,the running back from Georgia to be the type of three down back that neither of the current pair can be.
Gurley can put his shoulder down to run over defenders and has breakaway speed with pass catching ability as well.
The only question is a knee injury,but I think that if someone takes it slow in the summer with Gurley,they will be rewarded with an elite NFL back.
I haven't rated a back higher than Gurley since the arrival of Adrian Peterson,so if the Browns decide to take the best player on the board in Todd Gurley,despite the appearance of young backs on the roster-I'd be fine with the selection as I am generally a proponent of the best player on the board theory...
Some prefer Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon over Gurley,I don't,but I like Gordon a lot as being the exception to the rule on Badger backs.
I'd be OK with Gordon at 19...
I don't think the Browns have the need on the O-line that many do,but I wouldn't be against a versatile lineman early like Florida State's Cameron Irving that could play all three positions on the line.
Center would be a wedge against the possible loss of Alex Mack following 2015.so Irving would make sense,especially at 19.
If the Browns would consider current starting guard John Greco as a Mack replacement,Brandon Scherff of Iowa or La'el Collins of LSU would each be excellent additions.
If the Browns like Schreff,they may have to take him at 12.
At quarterback-I like Marcus Mariota of Oregon,but not enough to overpay for,I like UCLA's Brett Hundley almost as much and especially in round 2 or 3,I'd be more willing to select Hundley.
Hundley is loaded with physical skills,but will need some developmental time,so he is not a plug and play guy.
I doubt the Browns take another corner early in the draft,but using best player on the board-I really like three corners with Trae Waynes of Michigan State most of all,but Washington's Marcus Peters and LSU's Jalen Collins have appeal as well.
I think the Browns could consider the best safety on the board at 19 in Alabama's Landon Collins.
These are a few of the names for the Browns on day one,if I have time,I might try to add a post that looks at some players I like for the remainder of the draft..
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