Browns Seven-Round Mock Draft 1.0
A realistic look at how the Browns can take the next step
Isn’t it great for the Browns to have an offseason without intrigue? No debates over who the new head coach or GM should be, no angry mobs coming for the starting QB, and no incoming coordinators implementing new schemes our players need to learn from scratch. Instead, the Browns’ only focus this offseason is to add quality, depth, and competition. With considerable cap space and an excellent stash of draft capital, the Browns are ready and willing to take the next step, asserting themselves among the elite in the NFL.
Free Agency
William Jackson III, CB
The Player
While never a superstar player, William Jackson III has been a solid coverage player with sub-4.4 speed that helps him recover even if the receiver gains the upper hand early in a rep. He has the size to play man on the outside and has racked up 41 pass deflections over the first four years of his career.
The Fit
The Browns’ secondary was a bit of a disaster in 2020 after season-ending injuries to Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit. While the Browns will surely add defensive backs through the draft, the Browns would benefit immensely from having a known quantity opposite Denzel Ward rather than depending on Greedy Williams or a rookie to put it all together. They’ll have youth in there, but they could really use a plug-and-play, set-and-forget veteran.
First Round
Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami
The Player
Despite the hype generated by his impressive measurables and 15.5-sack reshirt freshman 2019 season, Gregory Rousseau’s draft stock has been all over the place. A lot of his production was of the cleanup variety or from kicking inside on third down. While you can’t blame a player for that, there aren’t a ton of reps on tape of Rousseau cleanly beating tackles for a sack. He sticks to blocks more often than you want, and it’s unclear if he has the bend to take advantage of his speed around the edge. At 6'7", 265 pounds with the wingspan of a windmill, however, Rousseau can overwhelm tackles and guards who aren’t up to the challenge. His potential will see him go in the first round, and since he’ll turn 21 shortly before draft day, teams will bank on developing him while getting immediate production on pure talent. Rousseau could be the first edge taken, or he could go behind the likes of Kwity Paye, Azeez Ojulari, Jayson Oweh, and Joseph Ossai, but in this mock he’s available at 26.
The Fit
With stud Myles Garrett under contract for the foreseeable future, the Browns need to find his running mate, preferably one who doesn’t come with a free agent price tag. Rousseau will fit their preferences with his youth and measurables, and as Myles’ running mate the pressure will be off him to be a DE1 his rookie season. He can take on offensive tackles on an island while developing his game in a lower pressure situation. The Browns ask their edge rushers to play with their hands in the dirt, so Rousseau is a better fit size-wise than a player like Ojulari.
Second Round
Jevon Holland, S, Oregon
The Player
Double-dipping with star players who opted out this season, the Browns get an absolute steal in Jevon Holland. I see Holland as a Minkah Fitzpatrick style of player, with the ability to stick with receivers in the slot, drop into a deep zone, and lay the wood in the run game. With 9 interceptions and 10 pass deflections in only two years, the Oregon Ducks’ defensive playmaker can also tackle like a fiend, racking up 40 solo tackles in 2019. Holland allows the Browns to stifle 11-personnel, blanketing slot corners while beating them for run stops if they dare to block him.
The Fit
The Browns need a player like Holland in the worst way. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods wants to modernize the Browns’ defense, utilizing three safeties practically full-time and playing with fewer linebackers on the field. Holland gives the Browns some desperately needed versaility and playmaking, while having sufficient tackling to keep a linebacker off the field. In the best case scenario, hope for a Minkah Fitzpatrick-like middle of the field presence. The dream scenario of Grant Delpit, Jevon Holland, and Ronnie Harrison Jr. all patrolling the middle of the field together for Cleveland has the potential to completely turn around the Browns’ defense.
Third Round
Jaylen Twyman, DT, Pittsburgh
The Player
At 6'2", 290 pounds, Jaylen Twyman is the best slightly undersized but highly productive defensive tackle to come out of Pitt since… no pressure kid. Jokes aside, Twyman was excellent his sophomore 2019 season before opting out in 2020, racking up 12 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. He shows a new move with seemingly every sack, using swim moves, push-pull moves, swipes, and club-rips in his sophomore season. He has violent hands and a non-stop motor that he uses to collapse the pocket even when he hasn’t beaten the offensive lineman clean. He also has insane core strength, which allows him to torque and deny guards clean hand placement, blowing by them as they try to redirect half-a-man.
The Fit
The Browns need more disruption from their interior defensive line. Sheldon Richardson is a solid player but not a game-changer, and Jordan Elliott was meh (although he still has time to develop, of course). I would keep both while adding Twyman to the defensive interior, with all three in a healthy competition for reps. Twyman likely slots in as Richardson’s eventual replacement. Elliott can also play reps at 1T to get him on the field, assuming he earns it. Long-term, I’m betting on Twyman. At only 21 years old on draft day, odds are the Browns will like him, too.
Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State
The Player
A long-time darling of #BrownsTwitter, Tylan Wallace has been a highly productive receiver for the past three years. Wallace opted to return to school for his senior season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2019 and was excellent in a COVID-shortened 2020 season, putting up 59 catches for 922 yards in ten games (a sterling 15.6 yards per catch). In his breakout 2018 season, Wallace put up 1491 yards and 12 TDs at 17.3 yards per catch. Wallace will be available this late because of his underwhelming measurables, checking in at 6'0" 190 with projected mediocre athletic testing. However, Wallace has reps on tape where he accelerates past defensive backs for long touchdowns, and there is more to being a deep threat than your 40 time. Wallace knows how to stack DBs to get them firmly in his rearview mirror, and has excellent ball tracking and body control to come out on top of 50–50 balls.
The Fit
The Kansas City Chiefs exposed this offense, plain and simple. They were able stop the Browns’ run game (for three quarters) and passing game by clogging the middle of the field while playing tight man coverage outside with only a single deep safety. Baker Mayfield was constantly under durress and having to make pinpoint throws while the Chiefs blitzed and dared Cleveland’s receivers to beat man coverage quickly.
It’s clear the Browns need to add an explosive element to this offense, somebody who can get separation against man converage and force teams to account for deep passing concepts. Odell Beckham Jr. coming back from injury should help, but the Browns still need an additional explosive threat to complement him. Assuming both Beckham and Jarvis Landry are brought back next year, adding such a player in free agency is out of the question, and Day 2 of the draft seems likelier than Day 1. Despite being around seemingly forever, Wallace will still be 21 years old on draft day, and is likely to be coveted by the Browns’ front office.
Fourth Round
Bobby Brown III, DT, Texas A&M
The Player
Unfortunately for the former Aggie, Bobby Brown III is perhaps best known for injuring his knee during a sack celebration. Don’t let that faux pas fool you though: he has a lot to offer an NFL team. At 6'4", 325 pounds and strong as an ox, Brown is a massive human being who will clog two gaps at the NFL level. Brown carries that weight quite well, and shows surprising ability to cross the face of the center or guard on pass rush reps. In only 9 games last year, Brown put up 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, showing the ability to make splash plays.
The Fit
With Larry Ogunjobi likely leaving in free agency and Andrew Billings slotting in to replace him as the starting 1T on only a one-year contract, the Browns will need a second 1T who can slide into the starting job long term. In 2020 the Browns’ defensive interior was unable to stand up at the point of attack, often ceding far too many yards before contact to opposing running backs. Their linebackers weren’t allowed to keep their gap assignments, instead having to scramble around blockers and defensive linemen who were being pushed back into the second level. Brown will clog up the interior while still retaining enough pass rush ability to provide value here and there on first down passes.
Garret Wallow, LB, TCU
The Player
At 6'2", 230 pounds, Garret Wallow is one of those converted safety types who is quickly becoming all the rage at the college level. While quarterbacking the TCU defense, Wallow put up an absurd 2019 junior season with 77 solo tackles and 125 total tackles. In addition to being a tackling machine, Wallow shows excellent straight-line speed to cut off players trying to get around the corner. (Plus he wears a neck brace so you know he’s a menace.) His agility is a weakness, as he can sometimes blow by a player who throttles down. As a converted safety, he has some solid instincts in coverage but will struggle to stay with quicker players.
The Fit
The Browns need more speed at linebacker. A lot more. Aside from Jacob Phillips, nobody in that room was able to chase a play down and cut off a big gain. Players like Sione Takitaki, BJ Goodson and Malcolm Smith give it their all and execute their assignments, but they aren’t capable of making a rangy tackle that prevents a big play. Instead, any QB who escaped the pocket or any runner who found the corner could count on an easy big gain without linebackers chasing them to the sideline.
The Browns will upgrade at linebacker simply by taking one off the field and living in nickel and dime. After that, put Jacob Phillips and Garret Wallow on the field and you don’t have to worry about a speed deficit anymore. Ideally you simplify their roles and allow them to “see ball get ball” and chase players down. More complex assignments are best left to Goodson and Smith (if they come back) or Takitaki while Phillips and Wallow continue developing.
Fifth Round
Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn
The Player
A former track star and arguably the fastest wide receiver in college football, Anthony Schwartz is an explosive athlete who can take the ball to the house from anywhere. Listed at only 179 pounds and often struggling against physical corner play, Schwartz may be best served moving into the slot. He can stretch defenses vertically, running right by safeties as if they weren’t there. NFL offenses will also have a lot of fun using him on jet motion and end-arounds, straining defenses horizontally.
The Fit
The Browns don’t strictly need Schwartz, but the value here was too good to pass up. They can deploy him sparingly as a returner and in special packages where he can stress defenses while he learns the nuances of the game. Before Odell’s injury, the Browns offense utilized frequent jet motion, but after he went down that element was phased out of the offense. Think of how the Chiefs use Mecole Hardman, and how he was an automatic first down several times against the Browns. Maybe there is room for Schwartz on the roster and maybe not, but as a team with high aspirations, the Browns can afford to swing for the fences and let the chips fall where they may in training camp. Fifth-round picks don’t always make the roster on playoff teams, but I think Schwartz has a good chance of opening the season in Jojo Natson’s role.
Sixth Round
Shaun Jolly, CB/S, App State
The Player
A do-it-all defensive back from the Group of 5, Shaun Jolly had one of the best seasons of any corner in college football in 2019 when he racked up 5 interceptions and 8 pass deflections. Fast and fluid, Jolly is available this late because he is undersized. Listed at 5'9" and 180, Jolly’s future is not at outside corner. App State moved Jolly around a lot more in 2020, perhaps for the sake of his NFL future. This adjustment saw Jolly’s interceptions drop, but his tackle numbers improve. In 2020, he matched his 28 solo tackles from 2019 but in five fewer games.
At the NFL level, his future is either going to be at slot corner or at safety, where his click and close can be maximized. Jolly is a heck of a football player, and I sure wouldn’t want to be the one betting against him ending up with a Budda Baker or Tyrann Mathieu type of trajectory.
The Fit
In late Day 3, the Browns aren’t drafting players to come in and play big roles. Instead, they can bring Jolly to camp and move him around, seeing what roles he takes to. Jolly is a football player through and through, and he may stick and becoming a versatile chess piece on the defense.
Seventh Round
Tre Norwood, CB, Oklahoma
The Player
Much like Jolly, Tre Norwood has spent a lot of time at corner before being asked to play a more versatile role in 2020. Unlike Jolly, Norwood has the requisite size to play outside corner at the NFL level. Listed at 6'0" 194, he has sufficient length to man up with outside wide receivers. Norwood is also a good tackler, racking up 38 solo tackles in 2019. While the tackle production tapered off in 2020, he added 5 interceptions to his CV, balancing out a solid profile.
The Fit
A 7th-round corner is always a total dart throw, but in Norwood the Browns snag somebody who checks enough boxes that you want to bring him in to camp and see if he sticks. In the 7th round, you’re really just grabbing your highest priority UDFA, and in Norwood they could add a player with meaurables, production, and versatility.
Summary
In free agency, the Browns address the primary need they can’t afford to swing and miss on by signing William Jackson III, balancing out a group of defensive backs that is going to be overwhelmingly young and inexperienced. Then, they grab a raw but high-ceiling running mate for Myles Garrett in Gregory Rousseau who can be brought along at his own pace, and they beef up their interior run defense and pass rush with Bobby Brown III and Jaylen Twyman. At wide receiver, the Browns will finally be able to trot out a group that stretches defenses vertically and horizontally after adding Tylan Wallace and Anthony Schwartz, meaning opposing defensive coordinators can no longer have their cake and eat it too by clogging the middle of the field to defend our run and pass game. Most importantly, the Browns give Joe Woods the ingredients he needs to trot out a fast, physical, and versatile back seven with the additions of Jevon Holland, Garret Wallow, Shaun Jolly, and Tre Norwood. Oozing potential and with a lot of healthy competition, expect the Browns’ defense to take a massive step forward in 2021.
