Later this month, the NFL will conduct its first ever virtual draft. It will be a unique experience, but it holds its importance for teams attempting to fill out their rosters before the season. The Cleveland Browns have had an impressive offseason, but the team still has holes. This mock draft shows what the Browns can do to fill them.
Cleveland Browns 2020 7 Round Mock Draft
First Browns Mock Draft Pick: Round 1, Pick No. 10: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Cleveland signed former Tennessee Titan tackle Jack Conklin to a big three-year deal this offseason to address one side of the tackle group. However, they still need to end the draft with a starting left tackle, and round one is the best time for it. Andrew Thomas has good size, strength, and versatility. He could plug in and start immediately, and with the right coaching, could be the franchise left tackle.
Andrew Thomas NFL Draft Profile
Round 2, Pick No. 41: Grant Delpit, S, LSU
Safety is still one of the biggest holes on the Browns’ roster. They signed former Oakland Raider Karl Joseph to a deal, but he’s fairly one dimensional, and better against the run than the pass. Delpit is the opposite. They could work in tandem for a season while Delpit gets his bearings. With development in the run game and with tackling, specifically, he can become a very good NFL safety. He’s quick, excellent in coverage and reads offenses well.
Grant Delpit NFL Draft Profile
Round 3, Pick No. 74: Malik Harrison, LB, Ohio State
Both Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey are gone. The Browns have a young, albeit talented linebacker group. Mack Wilson is looking to become a defensive leader in his second season. Malik Harrison could add a lot to this group right away. He’s an above-average coverage linebacker and has shown some prowess in both the run and in pass-rushing. As a former Buckeye, he would start his Browns career as a fan favorite, and could contribute in a meaningful way early on.
Malik Harrison NFL Draft Profile
Round 3, Pick No. 97: Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
Cleveland signed former Atlanta Falcon tight end Austin Hooper to a four-year deal in the offseason. Hooper should do wonders for the Browns’ offense and Baker Mayfield. However, new Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski likes to imply two tight ends in his offense more than any other coordinator in the NFL. The Browns still have David Njoku, but he’s been plagued by injuries and drops early on. If he doesn’t work out, it would be helpful to have a backup plan already in place. Moss can be that guy. He’s athletic, makes contested catches and would benefit from not having to do too much with Hooper already in place.
Thaddeus Moss NFL Draft Profile
Round 4, Pick No. 115: A.J. Green, CB, Oklahoma State
Cleveland needs a third viable cornerback. Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams have shown promise as an excellent duo in the future, but they need help. Green would benefit greatly from not having to start on the outside. He has fluid hips, good technical skills at the top of the route and with some coaching, can become a better tackler. He also projects as an immediate contributor as a gunner on special teams.
Round 6, Pick No. 187: Kalija Lipscomb, WR, Vanderbilt
Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry both had productive seasons for the Browns in 2019. If the Browns decide against re-signing Rashard Higgins, they’ll need another body out there to catch passes from Mayfield. Lipscomb is a polished route-runner, has good size at 6’1, 207 lbs and led the SEC in receptions is 2018, before Vanderbilt’s offense tanked in 2019. He can play both in the slot and outside, which would allow Cleveland to continue to move Landry and Beckham around as they please. If Lipscomb can find his 2018 form, Cleveland would have one of the more dangerous receiver corps in the NFL.
Final Browns Mock Draft Pick: Round 7, Pick No. 244: Tyler Clark, DL, Georgia
Cleveland needs depth all over the defensive line. Clark has good size and technical skill at tackle. He wouldn’t be a plug and play by any means, but he’d be an excellent depth pickup for a group that struggled even with the signings of Sheldon Richardson and Olivier Vernon last season. Clark could learn from the veterans on the line, and projects as a potential starter down the road.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
