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In this draft .. All 4 tackles were gone befor pick 10 .. I stood pat and drafted Simmons, then picked up Cleveland in the second round

Round 1 Pick 10: Isaiah Simmons, OLB/ILB, Clemson (A+)
Round 2 Pick 9: Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise St. (A)
Round 3 Pick 10: Antoine Winfield Jr., FS/SS, Minnesota (A+)
Round 3 Pick 33 (COMP): Malik Harrison, ILB/OLB, Ohio St. (A+)
Round 4 Pick 9: Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M (A+)
Round 6 Pick 8: Derrek Tuszka, DE, N. Dakota St. (A+)
Round 7 Pick 30: Quintez Cephus, WR, Wisconsin (A+)

I'd take this draft if every LT was available at 10...

Round 1 Pick 4 (NYG): Isaiah Simmons, OLB/ILB, Clemson (A+)
Round 2 Pick 20 (LAR): Ashtyn Davis, SS/FS, California (A+)
Round 3 Pick 20 (LAR): Trey Adams, OT, Washington (A+)
Round 4 Pick 2 (WASH): Davon Hamilton, DT, Ohio St. (A+)
Round 4 Pick 9: Damien Lewis, OG, LSU (A+)
Round 4 Pick 20 (LAR): Jeremy Chinn, FS/SS, S. Illinois (A+)
Round 4 Pick 36 (WASH): K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio St. (A+)
Round 5 Pick 16 (WASH): Larrell Murchison, DT, NC State (A+)
Round 6 Pick 8: Lavert Hill, CB, Michigan (A+)

Your Future Picks:
2022 Round 1 Pick

I like it even better now.

10 Andrew Thomas, OT,Georgia

41 Antoine Winfield Jr., S,Minnesota

74 Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

97 Matthew Peart, OT, UConn

115 Khalid Kareem, EDGE, Notre Dame

187 Francis Bernard, LB, Utah

244 Robert Landers, IDL, Ohio State

If we come away with Thomas and Winfield thats a win

Breaking down the Browns' haul in The Athletic's 7-round mock
https://brownswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/...s-7-round-mock/

One of the more prestigious and insightful mock drafts every year comes from Dane Brugler of The Athletic. Brugler produced his annual 7-round mock draft this week, and it’s got some changes from the norm for the Cleveland Browns across the board.

The Browns’ haul, as conveniently condensed by The Athletic:

1 (10) OT Mekhi Becton, Louisville
2 (41) DS Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois
3 (74) LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
3 (97) EDGE Trevis Gipson, Tulsa
4 (115) WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan
6 (187) CB John Reid, Penn State
7 (244) TE Cheyenne O’Grady, Arkansas

The Browns made a sizable upgrade at right tackle with the signing of Jack Conklin, but left tackle remains a large question mark. You could make an argument for any of these top tackles here or even a trade down for a player like Ezra Cleveland, but I think Becton fits what they want on offense.

It’s a divergent choice from what many pundits expect of the Browns. Becton’s size isn’t often seen as an optimal fit for the new scheme head coach Kevin Stefanski is expected to implement, but he sure made it work well in college.

Chinn is a great pick in the second round, a bundle of athleticism and energy that needs some refinement but has the potential to be the long-term impact solution at the problematic safety spot. Brooks in the third can help the run defense and blitzing from the middle.

Of the Day 3 picks, Peoples-Jones stands out. He never met expectations in his career at Michigan, but the athletic tools are all there. Peoples-Jones is also a potential high-end solution as a punt returner.

So I joined and am enjoying my 90 day free trial

For reference - here is the first round:

1. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

2. Washington Redskins – Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State

3. Detroit Lions – Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

4. New York Giants – Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

5. Miami Dolphins – Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

6. Los Angeles Chargers – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

7. Carolina Panthers – Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

8. Arizona Cardinals – Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

9. Jacksonville Jaguars – CJ Henderson, CB, Florida

10. Cleveland Browns – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

11. New York Jets – Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama

12. Las Vegas Raiders – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

13. San Francisco 49ers (from IND) – Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

15. Denver Broncos – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

16. Atlanta Falcons – K’Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU

17. Dallas Cowboys – Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

18. Miami Dolphins (from PIT) – Austin Jackson, OT, USC

19. Las Vegas Raiders (from CHI) – A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR) – Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

21. Philadelphia Eagles – Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

22. Minnesota Vikings (from BUF) – Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

23. New England Patriots – Marlon Davidson, DL, Auburn

24. New Orleans Saints – Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

25. Minnesota Vikings – Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State

26. Miami Dolphins (from HOU) – J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State

27. Seattle Seahawks – Josh Uche, Edge, Michigan

28. Baltimore Ravens – Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin

29. Tennessee Titans – Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State

30. Green Bay Packers – Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

31. San Francisco 49ers – Cesar Ruiz, iOL, Michigan

32. Kansas City Chiefs – Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah

I think there are a few things that jump out:

6 OT and a Center in the 1st round.

Becton as the #2 rated OT.

Josh Jones not pegged to go in the 1st round but Ezra and Austin Jackson are.

No safeties taken ANYWHERE in rnd 1 !

RB Dobbins taken in Rnd 1.

I am going to say other than 6 OT potentially being selected which could happen - I do not agree with most of the other things I have highlighted. Especially No safeties taken, and Josh Jones being taken after both Ezra and Jackson.

If Thomas is there and we select Becton instead ill be annoyed

I will be nervous. Thomas has been the top tackle all year. I get nervous when guys climb the draft boards after the season is over.

Saw an NFL network segment mock draft and thought that the highlights shown when talking about these players was telling.

Thomas' hightights were against Tenn and Auburn
Becton's was against ETSU

It never ceases to amaze me how people seemingly forget about how players ranked on their play, the film, due to some gaudy numbers at a combine.

So, advantage Thomas. Seems clear cut to me.

Well Pit, unlike yourself, some of us do not (for whatever reason) watch tape or are otherwise unable to appreciate the finer technical aspect of the game, and therefore have to rely on the analysis/opinions of others to formulate our own thoughts. We simply take the information that is 'out there' and form a conclusion. You really need to appreciate that some posters (myself included) are not knowledgeable like a scout, but are more general manager types. We do like to participate in the discussions and such posts are no less valuable (notice I didn't say valid) to the community as a whole than anyone else...

It's actually much easier than that. I mean I do pick select players I really like to watch as much film as I can get on them, but it's not really a necessity.

All you really need to do is watch which players, "suddenly rise" with their combine numbers being highly touted by the media at, during or shortly after the combine.

My point is, it is very informative to read about their skill sets, listen to scouts and GM's as it pertains to their on the field attributes. What's not as helpful is to be swayed by combine numbers.

The key is to listen to what those people are saying in November and December about the various players, and ignore all the noise in January through early April.

If case nobody's ever noticed, not only do combine warriors and highlight reel warriors come out of the woodwork every winter to take away the limelight and top of the draft boards from the guys that earned those spots in August through December, but they also always fade back and give up the top of the boards to the original guys in the last week before the draft.

It is all nothing but a bunch of garbage noise generated by an industry. Literally. It is why - and How - the Draft is as large an event as the Super Bowl. It is the NFL's Second Season.

On the other hand (today) there is a good bit of misinformation (and hype) posted before the combine, lazily done in haste, based on assumptions and not facts. The combine makes those talking heads who did not do their homework and due diligence to reevaluate their position and actually go and look at the tape in many cases for the first time.

Fake news is not restricted to the so called news media, it's unfortunate, but it has polluted the sports world too.

I have revisited my thoughts on the draft and revised any previous mocks for this one based on Simmons being gone ....

#10 - Thomas OT

#41 - Chinn S -- Safety prospect with compelling size, speed and athletic ability. He has man cover skills. Very willing and able as a tackler

#74 - Hamilton OR Lawrence DT Plays with dog mentality and is ready to turn any rep into a street fight if he needs to

#97 - Stenberg OG Scrappy, blue-collar guard who plays an assignment-oriented, dependable brand of football

#115 - Wilson LB Ultra-productive three-year team captain with instincts and cover talent to find work as an every-down linebacker. His play recognition, burst and lateral agility help him play faster than his timed speed and his fundamentals as a tackler are as good as you'll find in this draft.

#187 - Muse S

#224 - McCulloch LB OR Highsmith Edge

I like Kinlaw as well. It would be a great addition.

I think we like Ezra Cleveland as well, but don't think we will wait until the 2nd round. My guess is we deal with Philly. Berry just came from there so he has connections. I think Roseman throws Berry a bone because they aren't looking for what we are looking for, and on a personal relationship basis you want to see your right hand man get off to a good start. It's still business, but, you know what I am talking about.

I think we move up to #21 to take Ezra Cleveland. In turn we ship our 2nd rounder..#41, the best of our two 3rd round picks, #74 and our 4th next year.

The numbers balance if you go by a draft value chart.


So we are basically giving up a high 3rd rounder and a unknown value 4th rounder to draft Cleveland.

Ezra will be our 2nd pick, so I don't consider this years 2nd rounder as giving up anything. We are simply giving up a bit more to draft a little earlier.

The beauty is we still have a 3rd round pick this year at #97.

This is why I am a fan of acquiring extra picks when we can. It gives you a chance to move up some and still not be nude in a round.

As for next years 4th, we will probably get a 4th round comp pick for Vernon if we don't cut him.

There are a lot of angles these guys need to think about. I am glad we have some high IQ people thinking it out.

I am thinking Philly, too, only trading back from #10 if our man is drafted beforehand.

A slow Sunday morning...

Trading down from 10 in exchange for 22, 25 and 89. . . . Sort of boils down to if Josh Jones, Patrick Queen and Josh Uche (or other project / 2 down LB) have a greater benefit to the team than Andrew Thomas .... I'd say yes because I think Jones helps in the Zone run scheme significantly, even if his pass blocking isn't as refined as Thomas ... and I think Queen is going to be very good.


Pick Team Player Position College
187 CLV Harrison Hand CB Temple
115 CLV Terrell Burgess S Utah
97 CLV Akeem Davis-Gaither LB Appalachian State
89 CLV Jonah Jackson G Ohio State
74 CLV Josh Uche ED Michigan
41 CLV Antoine Winfield Jr. S Minnesota
25 CLV Patrick Queen LB LSU
22 CLV Josh Jones T Houston

If that was the trade - 10 and 74 and a 7th next year to get Simmons ... honestly I think that'd be a no-brainer.

I think we are more likely to trade down than up - but Simmons has potential to be a game changing playmaker. Factor in the strength of our starting DL and Simmons can be used in so many highly influential ways.

Bored... Traded back in the 2nd to get an additional 3rd.

Your Picks:
Round 1 Pick 10: Isaiah Simmons, OLB/ILB, Clemson (A+)
Round 2 Pick 13 (T.B.): Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise St. (A)
Round 3 Pick 10: Jeremy Chinn, FS/SS, S. Illinois (A)
Round 3 Pick 12 (T.B.): Marlon Davidson, DT, Auburn (A+)
Round 3 Pick 33 (COMP): J.R. Reed, FS/SS, Georgia (A+)
Round 4 Pick 9: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma (A+)
Round 6 Pick 8: Derrek Tuszka, DE, N. Dakota St. (A+)
Round 7 Pick 30: Stephen Guidry, WR, Miss. State (A)

I posted that mock because it was different and I THought people might find it interesting.

My thoughts on Simmons is that good vs great will depend on how creatively his defensive coordinator.

Joe Thomas was selected to draft for the Browns in the NFL Network live draft. Wirfs and Becton were off the board when he selected Wills from Alabama. He commented on Twitter about the pick.

It's an easy transition from college to pros. Takes about 3 months of practice and it's like you never were on the other side. It's different from genetically being left handed or right handed; it's a learned skill, so it can be re-taught, it just takes some time.

All NFL GM's view a college tackle without prejudice to which side he played...a tackle is a tackle to them

@JoeThomas73


I will note that Joe doesn’t say anything about ability. He is talking about sides

Every year I spend way too much time researching for the NFL draft and do a series of mock. And every year my mocks are no better or worse than anyone else's. This year I didn't have the time, which means it'll likely be my best yet Anywhoo, I spent a couple hours compiling a few big boards and teams needs lists and came up with this mess as my guess for Thursday. I picked through 41 then used big boards/needs for the rest of the Browns picks. Methinks many people will not like it.

1 Cincinnati Bengals …....... Joe Burrow, QB
2 Washington Redskins …....... Chase Young, Edge
3 Detroit Lions …....... Jeff Okudah, CB
4 Los Angeles Chargers …....... Tua Tagovailoa, QB …....... LAC trade #6, #37 for #4, #150
5 Miami Dolphins …....... Jedrick Wills Jr., OT
6 New York Giants …....... Tristan Wirfs, OT …....... LAC trade #6, #37 for #4, #150
7 Carolina Panthers …....... Isaiah Simmons, LB
8 Arizona Cardinals …....... Andrew Thomas, OT
9 Jacksonville Jaguars …....... Derrick Brown, DT
10 Denver Broncos …....... Jerry Jeudy, WR …....... DEN trades #15, #77, #83 for #10
11 New York Jets …....... CeeDee Lamb, WR
12 Las Vegas Raiders …....... CJ Henderson, CB
13 Miami Dolphins …....... Justin Herbert, QB …....... MIA trades #18, #56 2021 5th rounder for #13
14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers …....... Mekhi Becton, OT
15 Cleveland Browns …....... Patrick Queen, LB …....... DEN trades #15, #77, #83 for #10
16 Atlanta Falcons …....... K'Lavon Chaisson, DE
17 Dallas Cowboys …....... Jeff Gladney, CB
18 San Francisco 49ers …....... Josh Jones, OT …....... MIA trades #18, #56 2021 5th rounder for #13
19 Las Vegas Raiders …....... Henry Ruggs III, WR
20 Jacksonville Jaguars …....... Jordan Love, QB
21 Philadelphia Eagles …....... Denzel Mims, WR
22 Minnesota Vikings …....... Justin Jefferson, WR
23 Tennessee Titans …....... Javon Kinlaw, DT …....... TEN trades #29, 93, 2021 4th rounder for #23
24 New Orleans Saints …....... Jaylon Johnson, CB
25 Minnesota Vikings …....... A.J. Terrell, CB
26 Miami Dolphins …....... Xavier McKinney, S
27 Seattle Seahawks …....... Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge
28 Baltimore Ravens …....... Kenneth Murray, LB
29 Indianapolis Colts …....... Tee Higgins, WR …....... IND trades #44, #75, #197 for #29
30 Green Bay Packers …....... Brandon Aiyuk, WR
31 San Francisco 49ers …....... Kristian Fulton, CB
32 Kansas City Chiefs …....... Trevon Diggs, CB
33 Cincinnati Bengals …....... A.J. Epenesa, Edge
34 Indianapolis Colts …....... Jacob Eason, QB
35 Detroit Lions …....... Ross Blacklock, DT
36 New York Giants …....... Grant Delpit, S
37 New York Giants …....... Zack Baun, LB …....... LAC trade #6, #37 for #4, #150
38 Carolina Panthers …....... Damon Arnette, CB
39 Miami Dolphins …....... Austin Jackson, OT
40 Houston Texans …....... Marlon Davidson, DT
41 Cleveland Browns …....... Ezra Cleveland, OT


Browns only

1 15 Cleveland Browns …....... Patrick Queen, MLB (LSU)
2 41 Cleveland Browns …....... Ezra Cleveland, LT (Boise State)
3 74 Cleveland Browns …....... Kyle Dugger, S (Lenoir-Rhyne)
3 77 Cleveland Browns …....... Akeem Davis-Gaither, OLB (App. St.)
3 83 Cleveland Browns …....... Raekwon Davis, DT (Alabama)
4 115 Cleveland Browns …....... Hakeem Adeniji, OG (Kansas)
6 187 Cleveland Browns …....... Jonathan Garvin, Edge (Miami (Fla))
7 244 Cleveland Browns …....... Isaiah Wright, WR (Temple)

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...t?cid=nbcsports
by Peter King

The Lead: Mock Draft
Different year for the mock draft. Even the well-connected guys are lost this year. One connected guy told me he thinks it’s because Pro Days are a fount of information exchange for sidling scouts and GMs and coaches each spring, and those mini-personnel conventions gut shut off by the league March 12. Too much other stuff happening to be concerned with chasing down Mike Mayock to compare notes on the receiver rankings.

Excuses are for losers, which I’ll be when my 2020 NFL mock draft is tallied late Thursday night. Here we go for the first round:

1. Cincinnati—Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
As Burrow whiled away the hours at home last week in southeast Ohio—throwing some to a couple of Athens tight-end buddies, watching “The Office” and playing video games—there didn’t seem to be much mystery about his fate. Coach Zac Taylor told Dan Patrick last week “it doesn’t look” like the Bengals will trade the pick. So look for Burrow to land with the home-state team.

Now the question: Will he be ready to play opening day, whenever that is? Well, the last time Burrow was in this situation, he transferred to LSU in the summer of 2018, reported to summer practice Aug. 4, and started the LSU opener four weeks later. He played all 28 LSU games in ’18 and ’19, and won the Heisman and the national title last season. So he’ll learn the Cincinnati offense virtually this spring—I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s started already—and may not even meet top targets A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd till August. Of course it’s not the best for Burrow or the Bengals. But Burrow spent the last year blowing away Louisiana, the SEC, the nation. Nothing much seems to bother him. My money’s on him starting from the jump in Cincinnati.

2. Washington—Chase Young, edge rusher, Ohio State
So after the national anthem and some (my best guess) canned booing of home-bound Roger Goodell live from his basement in New York, expect 20 minutes of zero drama. As much as Washington tried to create a market for the second pick in the draft, Tua Tagovailoa’s hip and the signing of Kyle Allen ruined that. Washington shan’t overthink. Building the NFC’s best pass-rush east of Santa Clara (Young, Montez Sweat and maybe vet Ryan Kerrigan) is the way to go for a team that needs to win back a royally ticked-off fan base.

3. Miami (trade with Detroit)—Justin Herbert, quarterback, Oregon
It’s funny. Whether Miami makes the trade or not, I think Miami and Detroit will make the same picks. I do think, for the peace of mind and to prevent anyone from leapfrogging them, the Dolphins would be smart to deal the 39th overall pick to Detroit to move up two slots here. Anyway, I don’t know if Herbert’s going to be Miami’s pick. My pick is based on Miami choosing to go conservative here instead of trying to hit a triple in the gap by picking Tua Tagovailoa. Because the Dolphins have done a good job hiding their intentions, I won’t be shocked either way—if they go the risky way with Tua, or if they repeat 2006 and make the safe call with Herbert. Daunte Culpepper, 2006; Herbert, 2020. And they’ll hope it’s a better result this time. My theory is that Tagovailoa would have been the pick had he not dislocated his hip last November. But if it is Herbert, he’ll get to sit behind a pro’s pro, Ryan Fitzpatrick, for a year or most of a year, and be in position to take over in a more normal 2021 season.

4. New York Giants—Tristan Wirfs, tackle, Iowa
I would bet there are 25 different rankings of the top five tackles on the 32 NFL draft boards—Wirfs, Jedrick Wills of Alabama, Mekhi Becton of Louisville, Andrew Thomas of Georgia, Josh Jones of Houston. The Giants, by the way, would trade down for a good offer; Dave Gettleman has said no to draft trades for so long, but this year those in the top 10 tell me he’d definitely do it. I don’t think there’s a great demand to move up. The Giants need a lot of help on defense, and you probably could defend an Isaiah Simmons pick here. But these are Gettleman’s own words from Friday: “You know my theory. It’s very, very difficult for Saquon [Barkley] to run the ball if he doesn’t have holes. It’s going to be difficult for Daniel [Jones] to throw the ball when he’s on his back. We’ll continue to build the offense line.” Cam Fleming is the band aid right tackle for New York, but he’s more likely a swing tackle and insurance policy, with 26 starts in six years. Wirfs or Jerrick Wills of Alabama would likely play right away at right tackle for New York.

5. Detroit (trade with Miami)—Jeff Okudah, cornerback, Ohio State
Not sure of the return for Detroit, but let’s say Lions GM Bob Quinn deals the third overall pick for the fifth and 39th. Most Lions’ fans will scream and say, “Quinn should have gotten one of the other Miami first-rounders, either at 18 or 26.” I’m going to ask you this, Lions fans: If I told you before the draft that you could exit the weekend with CB1 on your first pick (Okudah), RB3 (Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor) on the second and G1 (Louisiana’s Robert Hunt) on the third, would you be doing cartwheels about that? Acquiring the 39th overall pick while still ensuring you’d get the corner you want would likely allow that.

One last thing: In the first draft in Carolina Panthers history, GM Bill Polian traded down with Cincinnati from one to five in the first round and acquired the 36th pick (only) in return. Polian didn’t have another trade option, and he didn’t want to pay the player he really wanted, quarterback Kerry Collins, first-pick money. So he picked the player he’d have taken at one, Collins, fifth, and had a bonus second-round pick. The point is, sometimes you take a deal even if it’s not the one the trade chart says you should make, because you’re going to improve your team by doing it.

6. Los Angeles Chargers—Andrew Thomas, tackle, Georgia
For four days, until 4 p.m. Sunday, I had Tua Tagovailoa in this spot. I truly don’t know if GM Tom Telesco loves the well-scarred Tagovailoa enough to take him. He might, and it would make sense. The Chargers are in a megastar market, and they do not have one on the roster, and Tua would immediately become the billboard on the 405 owner Dean Spanos would love.

But I made the switch for a couple of reasons. Anthony Lynn doesn’t view—at least now—Tyrod Taylor as a bridge quarterback. He thinks he can be a good NFL starter. And with the business side of football so up in the air in 2020 because of the pandemic, I think it’s more important to build the best football team rather than have the best marketing plan. The Chargers have 31-year-old Bryan Bulaga—who has missed 13 games in the last three years—at one of the tackles, and no other solid guy on the roster. I hear the Chargers are planning to use Bulaga at right tackle. So they’re absolutely denuded on the left side of the line, and here’s the first-team all-American left tackle from the SEC sitting there for them. A Telesco team to be so bereft of building blocks at tackle is not good. And the Chargers have loved Thomas, a legit two-year left tackle at Georgia against the highest level of competition in the college game, throughout the fall and winter.

If it goes this way, this is the kind of decision that defines careers—Telesco and Thomas . . . and even Tua.

7. Carolina—Derrick Brown, defensive tackle, Auburn
Man. Would the Panthers pass on Tua? I’m saying yes, because they’d have to take a $20-million cap hit to dump Teddy Bridgewater next offseason . . . and they really like Bridgewater. Plus, the Panthers have a slew of major needs on defense. They could take C.J. Henderson here and be happy because of a desperate corner need. But this team is dying on the interior defensive line, and all you have to do is watch a few Derrick Brown plays to know what a crucial addition he’d be. There’s one play where he man-against-boys an LSU guard and Joe Burrow is so flustered by the specter of Brown that he falls down before Brown makes it to him in the backfield.

So a few people in the league would say they’re a little down on Brown because of a so-so combine performance. But I don’t see that stopping a smart team in the top 10 from making him a defensive centerpiece for six or eight years. Panthers also love Isaiah Simmons.

8. Arizona—Isaiah Simmons, defensive player, Clemson
This is a first in Peter King Mock Draft History. I’ve never before labeled a player “defensive player.” Simmons has played strong safety, cornerback, slot corner, inside linebacker and outside linebacker, and he’s likely going to be a hybrid safety/linebacker/edge player in the NFL. Could be an instinctive pass-rusher too, which the Cardinals lack in a big way; he had 23 pressures on 70 pass-rushes. Now, the Cards have other needs, and Simmons doesn’t have a singular position. But he was a great and instinctive college player.

I believe GM Steve Keim just might look at this pick and remember the 2007 draft. Keim, the director of college scouting in Arizona at the time, reportedly wanted Adrian Peterson when the Cards picked at number five in the first round. But the Arizona pick ended up being a tackle, Levi Brown, and Peterson came off the board two slots later, to Minnesota. Brown was an abject disaster with Arizona. Peterson is, well, the best back of the past 15 years. I’ve always seen Keim as a pick-the-best-player guy. And with the multiple defensive gifts of Simmons, he’d qualify as that if there at eight.

9. Jacksonville—C.J. Henderson, cornerback, Florida
Not sure if the Jags will do it, but I hear they’ve been talking about trading up—and I assume it’s for one of the two corners at the top of the CB market. This would be a solid pick for the Jacksonville rebuild. They’ve lost nearly every defensive player of value except Myles Jack in recent months (with franchised defensive end Yannick Ngakoue being shopped this week too), and adding Henderson would give them a potential premier player at each level of the defense—pass-rusher Josh Allen, linebacker Jack, and Henderson in the back end. Who knows if GM Dave Caldwell and coach Doug Marrone will be around to oversee the remaking of the Jags, but someone’s got to do it.

10. Cleveland—Jedrick Wills, tackle, Alabama
Andrew Thomas is the preferred player here, and the Browns have been actively trying to trade down, which they could do. That’s the thing about the Browns: They crave picks, and if, say, Miami wants come up from 18 because of the major need at tackle, I could see the Browns being happy to move down eight slots and find some equitable value from the Miami treasure trove of high picks (26, 39, 56, 70, plus two first and two second-round picks in 2021).

Wills is a more natural right tackle as opposed to Thomas being a two-year left tackle at Georgia. There are some teams that have Wills the top-rated tackle in a good class of them, so if Cleveland gets him, it’s a good pick. He allowed one sack over the past two seasons at Alabama.

11. New York Jets—Mekhi Becton, tackle, Louisville
And the run on tackles ends after 11 picks, right about where the football world thinks it will—with GM Joe Douglas’ first draft choice as Jets GM. Becton is 6-7 ½ and 365 pounds. He will be the Andre the Giant of the AFC East. “The most impressive thing about him,” his former college coach at Louisville, Bobby Petrino, said, “is he can reverse-dunk.” Yikes. I do believe that Sam Darnold would find the most impressive thing about his left tackle for the next eight years would be keeping him clean 16 Sundays each fall. This would be a solid pick for Douglas, and not just because Becton can block out the sun. He’s competitive and feisty.

12. Las Vegas—CeeDee Lamb, wide receiver, Oklahoma
Maybe the toughest call I had to make Sunday evening, having the Raiders bypass Tua Tagovailoa for Lamb. I did it because I keep hearing both Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden are intrigued with new backup Marcus Mariota; adding Tagovailoa might be the best thing for 2023, but it’s not so great for 2020. But they could do it. As for Lamb: Mayock loves him, thinks he’s the most complete receiver in the draft, and even though I think Gruden likely would prefer the take-the-top-off speed of Henry Ruggs, he’s happy to have a true number one receiver who can win consistently against NFL-caliber corners.

13. New England (trade with San Francisco)—Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback, Alabama
So Tagovailoa could drop, and Bill Belichick really doesn’t want to take a quarterback now, with one draft pick in the top 85 this year and needs all over his roster. And truly: I have no indication, no inside information, that says he’d do this. It’s simply a guess. But think if you’re Belichick. Because your team never finishes 3-13, you never have a chance to get one of the best quarterbacks in the college game. Until Tagovailoa’s hip popped out of the socket last November, forcing immediate and urgent surgery, he was 1/1A with the transcendent Joe Burrow to be the first pick in this draft. And you don’t want to pillage the lone first or lone second-round pick from next year’s draft. But do you do it for a great but pockmarked talent such as Tagovailoa five months after major hip surgery? I do know Belichick would have confidence in his player-procurement skills.

I also don’t know what the New England orthopods will say about him. I do know one respected team doctor for an NFL team who gave Tagovailoa the once-over at the combine, and I asked him what he thought about Tagovailoa’s propensity for injury while at Alabama—a broken hand, two high-ankle sprains, and a hip dislocation most recently. This is what this doctor—whose team is not in the market for a first-round quarterback—told me Thursday:

“These contact injuries are part of the game. You ask yourself, ‘Is this guy injury-prone, or does he have a bullseye on him because he’s a crucial player on his team?’ I’ve seen a few of the hip dislocations in football, and my experience is that if you lose blood supply to the hip for a long-enough period of time, you’re in trouble. I don’t think that was the case here. As I see it, the effects of the dislocation might show up when he’s 35, but not when he’s 25.”

Cautiously optimistic then. Tough call for a franchise, but when would the Patriots ever get a shot at a potential superstar quarterback? Even if they had to throw in next year’s first-rounder, I think this would be a risk worth taking for the Patriots.

14. Tampa Bay—Javon Kinlaw, defensive tackle, South Carolina
Heard a few things here—that Tampa would love to get a complete running back who can catch to complement Tom Brady, and that they’re jonesing for a top corner. With Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh big bodies on the defensive front, they’re not desperate for a disruptive defensive tackle here, but the value is excellent. I can also tell you that if Kinlaw is around at 14, Tampa will get some calls from teams—and not just for Kinlaw, but for Jerry Jeudy and maybe Henry Ruggs. One of the things the Bucs would love about adding an impact player along the front seven: Suh is 33 and Jason Pierre-Paul is 31, and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is very big on disrupting the pocket. You can’t have enough impact players up front.

15. Denver—Jerry Jeudy, wide receiver, Alabama
John Elway looks around his living room in Cherry Hills Village a few spirals from the Broncos complex, and says to the scouts and coaches tethered to him via teleconference: “Are you freakin’ kidding me? Jeudy falls to us at 15?” It’s a gift, he thinks, and it takes him a minute to type in Jeudy and send it on the Microsoft Teams channel to draft central. Sometimes the draft falls weird, and the incredible excess at receiver in this draft makes so many teams with wideout needs say they’ll wait till the second and third rounds. Elway could sit back after a pick like this and think about Drew Lock, Courtland Sutton, Jeudy and Phillip Lindsay: I’ve got a quarterback I feel pretty good about, two top-20 NFL receivers, a 1,000-yard back, and none are 26 years old yet. We’re pretty good at the explosive offensive positions.

16. Atlanta—K’Lavon Chaisson, edge rusher, LSU
Worst-kept secret in draft rooms around the league: GM Thomas Dimitroff wants to trade up for one of the two top corners in the draft, Jeff Okudah or C.J. Henderson. He just might. He knows his secondary has to do better than allow 66 percent completions, 28 touchdowns and 7.7 yards per pass play. But if it goes this way, he’d likely get a second-tier corner with the 47th overall pick, and hope Chaisson and Dante Fowler can provide the sort of consistent edge presence his pass rush has been missing.

17. Dallas—Xavier McKinney, safety, Alabama
Trading down low into the round, or even high into round two, and taking Michigan center Cesar Ruiz as a long-term replacement for the retired Travis Frederick wouldn’t surprise me. But there’s a big hole at safety that must be filled, and McKinney’s the top safety on most boards (apologies, Grant Delpit). McKinney is a sure tackler, proficient in coverage and a very smart player. He’s the type of back-end player who could be the leader of a needy secondary for five or six years.

18. Miami—A.J. Epenesa, edge rusher, Iowa
Might be a bit of reach for the one-year Iowa starter, but this is a big need position, and Epenesa is a solid person and productive player, with 22 sacks and 31 tackles for loss over the last two seasons. You’d like to see him faster than 5.04-seconds in the 40, but such is the story of this year’s edge-rush crowd. It’s just okay. He’d be well-coached in Brian Flores’ scheme, and he’d have a very good mentor in Kyle Van Noy.

19. Las Vegas—Kristian Fulton, cornerback, LSU
After the first two corners go, the rest are in a hug mosh pit. Fulton is a PFF darling, rated the 12th-best player in the draft—ahead of C.J. Henderson, Derrick Brown and Javon Kinlaw—and trailing only Jeff Okudah in the cornerback class. He falls into the class of player GM Mike Mayock loves: big-time player in a national championship program, though some have been down on him for cheating on a drug test, which led to a one-year ban in 2017. He’d be the kind of competitive and tested player Jon Gruden loves.

20. Jacksonville—Justin Jefferson, wide receiver, LSU
When you ask about Jefferson, you hear lots of NFL people talk about his elite mechanics and route-running. “His speed is good enough, he runs a 12-yard out at exactly 12 yards, and he’s got pro tools,” said a coach who loves him. A playoff team in the twenties is calculating whether to move up to the teens to get him—and to bypass Henry Ruggs to do so. He’s fearless too, the kind of building-block player a good offense should froth over. Jefferson’s going to have a good pro career, and he’d be the kind of alternative to deep-threat D.J. Chark the Jaguars could feature, regardless of the coach or quarterback, for five or six years.

21. Philadelphia—Henry Ruggs III, wide receiver, Alabama
Maybe Eagles GM Howie Roseman will find a taker for Alshon Jeffery and his hefty salary (maybe by paying a good chunk of it), or maybe the Eagles have to play with Jeffery and his injury bug for one more season; when he’s on the field he’s effective if not a star. But the thing I heard about the Eagles in the last few days is, Henry Ruggs will not get past 21. So here we are. Ruggs and his 4.27 40-speed are obviously tempting, and 24 touchdowns on only 98 career catches is explosive stuff. But a couple of things make me wonder. Three years, 41 games, 2.4 catches per game, 41.9 receiving yards per game. The most dangerous weapon in your offense gets 42 yards a game? The other side of that is some very smart offensive minds—Sean Payton, Andy Reid—love Ruggs. He’s competitive, and he doesn’t drop many. If he goes to Philadelphia, he’ll be the deep weapon Carson Wentz has imagined with DeSean Jackson.

22. Minnesota—Trevon Diggs, cornerback, Alabama
The type of big cornerback GMs crave these days to face the bigger receivers colleges are churning out. With only Mike Hughes left in a once-rich secondary, the Vikings have no choice but to use first-round replenishment on a corner. This might be overthinking, but I wonder if being Stefon Diggs’ younger brother would bug GM Rick Spielman or coach Mike Zimmer. It certainly would be the first question I’d ask at the post-draft press conference.

23. San Francisco (trade with New England)—Josh Jones, offensive tackle, Houston
In this projection, I’d have the Niners moving to 23 and getting New England’s first-round pick in 2021. Good value, but it won’t help John Lynch trying to get a pick or two in the two-day gulf between picks 31 and 156. So I think the Niners look to trade one of their two first-rounders again, so they can add an extra pick in round two or three. If they stay here, tackle’s the right call. With Joe Staley having either one year or zero years left, it’s a good time to pick a long-term tackle. Jones started for four years at left tackle—45 games—and that’s not something you can say for many collegiate tackles these days.

24. New Orleans—A.J. Terrell, cornerback, Clemson
I think defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s going to love the maturity and competitiveness of his defensive backfield, with Malcolm Jenkins—one of the smartest and most mature players in football—added to Marshon Lattimore, Marcus Wilson, and Terrell, if he’s the pick. I like the fit with the Saints because Terrell is a good competitor and very coachable. When you start 30 straight games in a program like Clemson, you’re ready to take the next step.

25. Minnesota—Tee Higgins, wide receiver, Clemson
Most receiving touchdowns in Clemson history: Higgins 27, DeAndre Hopkins 27, Sammy Watkins 27. Higgins needs to get stronger (6-3 ½, 216), but he’s the kind of receivers scouts think will improve at the 50-50 balls when he learns to be more physical. At 4.58 in the 40-yard dash, he’s no burner, but with a career average of 18.1 yards per catch, he’s got the kind of run-after-the-catch instincts that will serve him well at the pro level.

26. Miami—Austin Jackson, offensive tackle, USC
The Dolphins could trade out to the thirties here, and maybe get Boise’s Ezra Cleveland (three years, 40 starts at left tackle) to be their Laremy Tunsil heir. But Jackson, 6-5 and 325 pounds, has basketball-type quickness and the ability to project as an NFL left tackle. If the Dolphins love a tackle here, they’ve got so many picks they’re wise to just sit and select.

27. Seattle—Yetur Gross-Matos, defensive end, Penn State
There’s not much of a chance Seattle sits and makes this pick, honestly; GM John Schneider has traded down in the first round eight straight years. I still think he could deal down, particularly if there’s a lesser-light big corner he likes available high in the second round. But I couldn’t find a logical dance partner for the Seahawks. My feeling is Seattle is doling out hope for Jadeveon Clowney in the $15-million-a-year range, or maybe Everson Griffen; they’re the kind of veteran rushers Seattle thinks are necessary in a high-powered NFC West. But Gross-Matos is a good alternative as a backfield disruptor.

28. Baltimore—Kenneth Murray, linebacker, Oklahoma
My bet is the Ravens might try to move up a few slots to steal Murray; he’s the best pure linebacker in the draft, a sideline to sideline menace, and would be a godsend for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to use as a chess piece. He’s also a future NFL Man of the Year, a totally too-good-to-be-true guy who helps his parents raise three siblings with special needs. Murray to the Ravens is a football match made in heaven. I’d love to see it happen.

29. Tennessee—Isaiah Wilson, tackle, Georgia
Imagine that: two Georgia tackles in the first round. The difference is that Andrew Thomas will be counted on as plug-and-play, and Wilson could take a year of grooming, particularly in a year with a weird offseason program like this one. The natural inclination will be to expect Wilson to step in for the departed Jack Conklin, and he may. Wilson’s the kind of edgy, angry player who will fit well on the feisty Titans line. I’m just not sure that fit will begin in 2020.

30. Green Bay—Michael Pittman Jr., wide receiver, USC
Professional receiver. Most have him in the second round. But the Packers don’t pick again till 62, and they see a solid but unspectacular disciplined route-runner and competitive 50-50-ball player. “He’s so reliable,” one coach told me Saturday. “He might get lost in a crop of receivers this good, but he shouldn’t. He’ll be a good receiver in the league for a long time.” Speaking of competitive receivers who were a quarterback’s best friend: Jordy Nelson, 6-3, 220 — Michael Pittman, 6-4, 222.

31. Dallas (trade with San Francisco)—Cesar Ruiz, center, Michigan
I said at pick 18 that the Cowboys wanted to replace Travis Frederick with a solid rock in this draft, and it could well be that he’d be on the board midway through the second round with the 51st overall pick. But the Cowboys surrender their third-round pick (82 overall) to move up for a long-term center. The Niners wanted two picks—possibly one for a big-body plugger in the middle of the defensive line, one for a receiver—and this deal does the trick.

32. Kansas City—Jeff Gladney, cornerback, TCU
Craziest rumor of the first round: Chiefs want to trade up for Henry Ruggs if he falls into the twenties. Insane. Do they want every sub 4.35 guy in the National Football League? A couple of theories: There are only two very good cover corners in this draft, Okudah and Henderson, and they’d be long gone by the time the Chiefs could make a reasonable offer. Sammy Watkins is a short-termer, probably only one more year in KC, so another quick-twitch guy would fit either this year or next. Finally, fast guys with slight builds who collide with defenders tend to get hurt, so Ruggs would be good insurance for that in 2020 and a stalwart beyond that.

Anyhoo, the Chiefs’ biggest position of need right now is corner, and Gladney is a competitive and tough player who would fit in Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme.

A few final notes:

• Teams that could take quarterback Jordan Love: Green Bay (62), Pittsburgh (49).

• Teams that could take quarterback Jalen Hurts: Baltimore (55), Atlanta (47).

• Best player I don’t have in round one: Wisconsin LB Zack Baun (32 sacks/TFLs in 2019).

• Players likely to get traded during the draft, in order: Washington T Trent Williams, Jacksonville DE Yannick Ngakoue, New England G Joe Thuney, Cincinnati QB Andy Dalton, Jacksonville RB Leonard Fournette, Philadelphia WR Alshon Jeffery.

• For the record, last year I hit on 26 of 32 first-rounders (meh), had nine players picked by the right team (good), and nailed the slot of eight players (good). I’d sign for those results any year.

CLE 15 - Andrew Thomas OT Georgia
CLE 41 - Antoine Winfield Jr. S Minnesota
CLE 74 - Logan Wilson ILB Wyoming
CLE 77 - Ashtyn Davis S Cal
CLE 80 - Malik Harrison OLB Ohio State
CLE 91 - Matt Peart OT UConn
CLE 115 - Davon Hamilton DT Ohio State


Traded down from 10 to 12 with the Raiders ... and then from 12 to 15 with the Broncos

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-three-rou...love-in-round-3

I would be pretty happy with this outcome tbh.

CLE 10- T JEDRICK WILLS, ALABAMA
CLE 41- LB WILLIE GAY JR., MISSISSIPPI STATE
CLE 74- WR CHASE CLAYPOOL, NOTRE DAME
CLE 97- G NICK HARRIS, WASHINGTON

Round 1 Pick 14 (T.B.): Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia (A)
Round 2 Pick 5 (LAC): Grant Delpit, FS/SS, LSU (A+)
Round 2 Pick 9: Patrick Queen, ILB, LSU (A)
Round 3 Pick 7 (LAC): Jeremy Chinn, FS/SS, S. Illinois (A-)
Round 3 Pick 10: Jabari Zuniga, DE/OLB, Florida (A)
Round 3 Pick 12 (T.B.): Van Jefferson, WR, Florida (A)
Round 3 Pick 33 (COMP): Davon Hamilton, DT, Ohio St. (A+)
Round 4 Pick 9: Calvin Throckmorton, OT/OG, Oregon (A+)
Round 4 Pick 11 (T.B.): Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri (A+)
Round 6 Pick 8: Robert Landers, DT, Ohio St. (A+)
Round 7 Pick 30: Carter Coughlin, OLB, Minnesota (A+)

Your Future Picks:
2021 Round 1 Pick
2022 Round 1 Pick

I so have zero confidence in the Current Coaching GM and whatever on the Browns, that they could put anybody on this roster and I still wouldn't think they could win, not a winning season in 2020.

Get this draft over with.

The following came from Cleveland Browns app. It is a list of picks various sites have us taking


Stay tuned for the third and final ClevelandBrowns.com Mock Draft that will feature predictions for all seven of Cleveland's picks.

Peter King - NBC Sports: OT Jedrick Wills Jr. (Alabama)


Of note: King writes there are some teams who have Wills rated as the best tackle in the draft but has him as the third tackle off the board in his one and only mock draft.

Mel Kiper Jr. - ESPN.com: OT Mekhi Becton (Louisville)

Of note: Kiper has maintained Becton as the pick for the Browns for a while now, and he pegs him to come off the board one spot ahead of Wills.

Bucky Brooks - NFL.com: Becton

Of note: Brooks calls Becton a "natural" at left tackle.

Peter Schrager - NFL.com: Wills

Of note: Wills would be the second tackle off the board in Schrager's mock. Rhett Lewis - NFL.com: OT Tristan Wirfs (Iowa)

Of note: Lewis calls Wirfs "perhaps the most athletically gifted OT in this class."

Chad Reuter - NFL.com: OT Austin Jackson (USC)

Of note: Reuter projects the Browns to trade down to No. 24 with the Saints, allowing New Orleans to come up and grab QB Jordan Love.

Ryan Wilson - CBSSports.com: Becton

Of note: In this three-round projection, Wilson sees the Browns addressing the defense with each of their next three picks.

Chris Trapasso - CBSSports.com: Becton

Of note: Trapasso projects the Browns to trade down two spots to No. 12 with the Raiders before making this pick.

CBSSports.com Expert panel: Becton

Of note: In this simulation, Becton would be the third of three straight tackles picked.

Mike Tanier - Bleacher Report: Becton

Of note: Tanier writes Becton is "roughly the size of a hillock, is surprisingly quick and just loves flattening defenders." USA TODAY Experts: Becton

Of note: This mock draft pooled beat reporters for every team to make their picks.

Walter Cherepinsky - WalterFootball.com: OT Ezra Cleveland (Boise State)

Of note: In this projection, the Browns would be trading down to No. 21 with the Eagles.

Steve Palazzolo - Pro Football Focus: WR CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma)

Of note: Palazzolo pegs three tackles to come off the board before the Browns are on the clock.

Los Angeles Times team reporter draft: OT Andrew Thomas (Georgia)

Of note: Thomas is the second tackle off the board in this scenario behind Wirfs.