Browns select Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

   I hoped that with some luck one of the four players that I thought would be great fits for the Cleveland Browns in the second round would fall to them, but I didn't think that it was possible.

Wide Receivers Elijah Moore of Ole Miss and Rondale Moore of Purdue were off the board as the Browns pick at 59 began to be in sight, but two linebackers that I really (REALLY) liked were still available in Jabril Cox from LSU and my favorite Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah out of Notre Dame.

As a side note, I was looking up my persons of interest and discovered to my horror that the linebacker section was missing!

I'll be trying to find that and if so, add it to that post with an editor's note.

Andrew Berry decided enough was enough and for the front office that has been rumored as undervaluing linebackers, the Browns decided to strike and trade up from 59 to 52 with the Carolina Panthers to select Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

The cost was reasonable, sending Carolina their third-round pick (89) and getting Carolina's fourth-rounder (113) in return and at the press conference discussing the pick, Paul DePodesta stated that Owusu-Koramoah was heavily considered in the first round when the Browns tabbed cornerback Greg Newsome.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is the type of player that is part of a new wave of defender- hitting hard enough to knockdown backs like a linebacker, yet fast enough to cover receivers out of the slot or tight ends.

At 6'1 and 225 pounds, Owusu-Koramoah brings the type of versatility that will give Cleveland defensive coordinator Joe Woods many options in how he chooses to line him up and choices in execution.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah brings me thoughts of last year's draft when the player that I wanted most was Isaiah Simmons of Clemson, whom the Cardinals selected before Cleveland was on the clock as a player that can do almost anything that you need in today's game.

Dane Brugler had Owusu-Koramoah rated only behind Micah Parsons of Penn State at linebacker, ahead of two players that were picked in the first round (Zaven Collins and Jamin Davis), and rated him as the 15th best player overall in the entire draft.

That is a steal to draft a player that has no injury or character questions at the cost of a third-rounder for a fourth-rounder.

A final note on Owusu-Koramoah (I'll have more in the draft recap), this could be the Browns' answer to Lamar Jackson's running ability out of the pocket.

This is the type of player and athlete that can be used as Jackson's spy and has the speed to run Jackson down and if Owusu-Koramoah can do that- in this division that could mean a division title.

Love the pick, love the aggressive nature of going to get the player that you want, and love the value as well!

The Browns still have a third-rounder at 91, which was a pick obtained from New Orleans during last year's draft, so I will have a report on that player later tonight.