2014 Cleveland Browns Draft Picks
1st Round, 8th Overall – CB Justin Gilbert (Oklahoma State)
1st Round, 22nd Overall – QB Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)
2nd Round, 35th Overall – OL Joel Bitonio (Nevada)
3rd Round, 71st Overall – LB Christian Kirksey (Iowa)
3rd Round, 94th Overall – RB Terrance West (Towson)
4th Round, 127th Overall – CB Pierre Desir (Lindenwood)
Cleveland Browns Draft Grade 8.5/10
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Cleveland Browns Draft Review
The Best Player: CB Justin Gilbert
Just when everybody and their mother thought the Browns were going to take Johnny Manziel at #8, Cleveland nabbed arguably the best cornerback in the draft instead. Gilbert will have a great opportunity to succeed playing alongside Joe Haden. In Gilbert and Haden, the Browns have a cornerback duo that can match up well against any receiving corps. When you play in a division with the likes of Antonio Brown and A.J. Green, you can never have enough good corners.
The Head-Scratcher: The third round
Each of Cleveland’s two third round picks, Kirksey and West, raise some questions. Kirksey’s small frame has some wondering about his durability in the NFL, and West’s stats were padded by soft competition in the Atlantic 10. Instead of rolling the dice on these guys in the third round, the Browns should have looked to reinforce the defensive line, as Louis Nix was still available at #71. Or, if they really wanted to bolster the running back position, they would’ve been wise to take a more established guy like Auburn’s Tre Mason, who was also still on the board early in the third round.
The Surprise Pick: OL Joel Bitonio
Bitonio is one of the more intriguing players in the entire draft class, as he can play all three offensive line positions. What’s surprising, however, is that the Browns passed on wide receiver Marquis Lee at this juncture early in the second round. Picking Bitonio wasn’t exactly a bad decision, but the Browns failed to address a gaping hole in their offense by letting Lee drop to the Jaguars a few picks later.
The Steal: CB Pierre Desir
After making some noise pre-draft by appearing on ESPN’s “Draft Academy”, it was a bit unexpected to see Desir drop this late in the fourth round. The Browns were smart to halt his fall; Cleveland now boasts one of the deepest, and youngest, secondaries in the entire league. Not only is Desir a big corner (6’1’’, 198 pounds), but he has remarkable ball skills, and could become a Charles Woodson-type ballhawk. Oh, and he just happened to have the second-best broad jump at the combine (11 feet, 1 inch).
Most Likely to Make an Impact in 2014: QB Johnny Manziel
Sure, the starting quarterback job is Brian Hoyer’s to lose. But can you really imagine a scenario in which Johnny Football doesn’t start at least a few games this season? Come on, the guy is selling season tickets faster than Dwight Shrute could.
Most Likely to Turn Heads in Camp: RB Terrance West
Say what you want about small-school competition, but West is a very solid back. He thrives between the tackles, and as long as he holds on to the ball (he fumbled five times in his junior year at Towson), he has a shot at some decent playing time. With most of the attention on newly-acquired free agent Ben Tate, West should raise some eyebrows in August.
OVERALL GRADE: 8.5/10. In the first round alone, the Browns snagged the draft’s top corner and found their quarterback of the future. Picking the versatile Bitonio and the small-school hero Desir were also smart moves. However, the questionable decision-making in the third round keeps this class from eclipsing the “B” grade.
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