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Breaking down three Browns first-round draft pick options with Mel Kiper Jr.

Breaking down three Browns first-round draft pick options with Mel Kiper Jr.
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Jake Trotter
ESPN Staff Writer
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BEREA, Ohio -- The NFL draft, set to take place in Cleveland for the first time ever, is now just two months away. For the Browns, this draft will be unique in other ways, too.

Unlike the majority of recent drafts, the Browns won’t have a high pick. Instead, after winning its first playoff game since 1994, Cleveland’s first selection is slated for No. 26 overall.

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Off the breakout season, the Browns clearly are headed in the right direction. Still, to become a genuine Super Bowl contender, they have work to do, especially on defense.

The Browns last year ranked seventh in offensive efficiency. But even with one of the game’s preeminent pass-rushers in Myles Garrett, Cleveland finished all the way down at 19th in efficiency on defense.

“In this AFC now, with these quarterbacks, they’re the ones you’ve got to beat in order to get to a Super Bowl,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said in a one-on-one phone conversation about the Browns' draft prospects. “You’ve got to get pass-rushers who can track these guys down and finish. You’ve got to have linebackers that can tackle in space and can cover. And you’ve got to have guys at the back end.”


Mel Kiper Jr. says because of today's quarterbacks in the AFC, a team needs elite pass-rushers like Myles Garrett. The Browns could use another one. Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire
The Browns definitely could use help in all three areas. Free agency will play a major role in how Cleveland utilizes its first selection. What players are taken above the Browns in the draft will obviously be a factor as well. But as Kiper outlines, here are the three directions the Browns could go with their first-round pick:

1. Draft a DB to solidify that back end

Safety was a problem spot for much of the season, though Ronnie Harrison, whom Cleveland landed in a preseason trade from Jacksonville, proved to be a viable starter despite starting just seven games.

After that, safety gets murky for the Browns long-term.

The wild card here is Grant Delpit, last year’s second-round pick out of LSU, who turned heads in training camp and was on his way to locking up a starting job before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury.

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Even though Delpit is scheduled to return in time for training camp, Kiper advocated for Cleveland to consider taking another defensive back, notably either TCU safety Trevon Moehrig or versatile UCF product Aaron Robinson with its first-round pick.

“Delpit's almost a bonus pick to me, you know? I mean, he'd be like having an extra draft choice,” Kiper said. “All of a sudden, you've really upgraded. You're getting an automatic upgrade at that spot. So yeah, I would think your defense is going to be a lot better with a healthy bump if you add a Moehrig.”

Kiper said he almost slotted Moehrig to Cleveland in his first mock draft before going with Robinson instead (in Kiper’s updated mock draft, he’s since changed Cleveland’s pick to Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins -- more on that later).

“Moering has got tremendous talent and plays hard, a consistent football player,” Kiper said. “His range, too, is so good. He can cover ground in a hurry. He makes up a lot of ground quickly. He's got good ball skills. He locates the ball well. He really has a high football IQ. He doesn't wait; he's always moving in the direction of the play. So run play, he's up there. He'll stick his nose in there. To me, he’s a good all-around safety. … if he tests as well, he's got the length, got the long arms, he's got all that going for him, I think he would be a guy who would certainly upgrade your defense in the middle of the field."


TCU safety Trevon Moehrig forced an incompletion on 32% of his 47 targets and intercepted four passes in 2019. Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Drafting Moehrig would give the Browns the last two Jim Thorpe Award winners, handed to college football’s top defensive back; Delpit won the award in 2019. Pairing two players with that elite ability at safety would certainly be enticing.

Yet drafting a more versatile defensive back, who could step into the Kevin Johnson role at slot corner in Joe Woods’ defense, line up outside opposite Denzel Ward, or fill in at safety as well, would be valuable. The Browns could’ve used such a player last season while dealing with a rash of injuries to their secondary.

“If you want the pure entity at safety, you take Moehrig. If you want a guy who can be a slot corner, outside corner, safety, it would be Aaron Robinson,” Kiper said. “You can move him outside, he can play safety, he can play a center-field role, he'll tackle. He doesn't have the length -- people might knock him a little bit for that.

“But tackling is very underrated in this league with defensive backs. It's a problem. You’ve got to be able to be a tackler in the open field, and he can do that. So I think there's value with him because of that and the versatility in his all-around game.”

2. Draft a DE to complement Garrett

Cleveland has plans of addressing this need in free agency. The Browns did miss out on J.J. Watt, who signed with the Arizona Cardinals on Monday. Cleveland, however, still has other free-agent pass-rushers on its radar. But if the Browns determine they need to add another defensive end to their young core, Kiper sees intriguing options, notably the Miami Hurricanes pair of Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau.

Phillips temporarily retired at UCLA due to concussion issues before transferring to and starring at Miami. He had 5.5 sacks in his final three games for the Hurricanes this past season. Rousseau, who had a big year in 2019, opted out of last season.


Jaelan Phillips started at UCLA but briefly retired after concussion issues, then eventually transferred to Miami. Michael Laughlin/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP
“You have two guys from the same school, both wore the same number [15], that both have great ability to get after the quarterback,” said Kiper, who currently has Rousseau (Colts) and Phillips (Titans) going No. 21 and 22 in his latest mock draft. “I think if one of those two guys were there [where the Browns pick at No. 26], it would be really interesting.”

3. Draft a playmaking LB who can cover and rush

In his updated mock draft released last week, Kiper now has the Browns taking Zaven Collins, the linebacker out of Tulsa.


In Mel Kiper's latest mock draft, he has the Browns picking Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins. AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio, File
“Collins could be used as a versatile player to exploit mismatches,” Kiper writes. “At 260 pounds, he could put his hand in the dirt and rush the passer, or he could play outside linebacker, fill run fits and even cover running backs out of the flat. He stuffed the statsheet.”

Collins, who had two pick-sixes last season and earned the Nagurski and Bednarik awards as college football’s defensive player of the year, is the type of playmaker the Browns desperately needed in the AFC divisional playoff loss to Kansas City, which exploited Cleveland at linebacker and over the middle.

Of course, that game also showed how far the Browns have come and how close they are to really contending. Nailing this first pick and bolstering the defense will get them even closer.

“They're right where they need to be, they don't have to force anything,” Kiper said. “Just go get the best defensive player on the board.”

How is this class of DT's?

Any beasts out there this year that might be sitting there at 26?

Barmore might be in reach .

I am hoping he falls to the Browns in the draft. I don't expect it but it is possible.

Agreed.

Zaven Collins feels like a Patriots coaching tree LBer. The Jamie Collins/Van Noy type of guy. He doesn't rush the passer or set the edge as well as though guys "sometimes" can, but he is better in coverage at the same time.

He's a slightly less talented version of Micah Parsons. Owusu-Koramoah is a slightly less talented version of Isaiah Simmons.

I doubt JOK runs 4.4's (well...pro day time, sure), hes more of a 4.5 guy (which is still crazy fast for a LBer).

I have been enjoying these pseudo pro day/ showcase times though

You can add 0.15 seconds to almost all 40 times. Even Rashad Bateman was "clocked" at a 4.39

I hope Kizer is right about Delpit. I’m not as confident in his impact, let alone his return at all.

That would be a big bonus though

I don't buy 40 times. Most are inflated, meaning reduced as you said, and guys can take some coaching to shave a little time off in a controlled sprint.

I would clock guys in pads to see how fast they are, though there probably is some factor teams add to come up with a close average.

I just think that pads impact players differently. Probably why you read about players playing fast. What I would want to know is who plays slower?

Very true. Fastest on-field clocked mph is almost always a RB making a dash for the end zone (the weight/balance issues that can come with pads certainly better not effect a RB).

As unreliable as 40 times are, this year is going to be hilarious, though.

Like..."the training facility that has potentially thousands on the line with future clients clocked me at 4.29" kind of bad. Or...the school that has future recruits considering them as a possible destination and could benefit greatly by having players drafted as early as possible clocked me at 4.32.

I mean, just wait on a nice breeze and run with it at your back.


Then again...maybe that CB from Georgia really did run a 4.25. Hay...it could happen.

Exactly. Let the draft come to us and take who we feel is the best D player on the board. Also, getting Delpit, Billings, and Greedy back is like having 3 extra draft picks. We can really retool our D and make it top 10 with the right moves.

If it were up to me I'm still drafting/signing players at each of those positions.

Agreed. Greedy's injury makes him a ? mark and we should always be looking to upgrade and find depth.

Assuming we've got "blues" to pick from, I'm guessing we'll look to go CB or pass rusher early.

It looks like we've finally got QB and OTs settled.

I'm starting to lean towards Oweh at the moment. His (production) numbers aren't ideal, but his athleticism is evident. It's hard to rack up stats when opponents are getting the ball out quickly, running mostly away from you, and your team was frequently playing from behind. He wasn't the heaviest, but his speed to power was moving some big fellas. I'm eager to see his Pro Day.

That and I hate trying to evaluate DBs.

j/c:

One of the options Kiper listed should have included is a trade down. I think there is decent chance of the Browns doing this predicated on where they have guys at the bottom of the first through the top half of the second while being able to accumulate and extra pick(s).

I'll add .....based on what they do in FA could be a factor as well.

I'm just excited by not having the 1st pick or for that matter,, any top 10 picks.. Means we are a better team....

I have said pretty much the same thing a few times. With I guess 9 picks in this draft, the FO knows it is going to be impossible for 9 guys to make the team.

They have also show they like to acquire future picks to give us draft flexibility.

I can see some trading down and trading up to get players we really want and picking up a few picks for next year.
I could see us only selecting 5-6 players this year and gaining 1-2 for next year.

Reviewed a draft value chart - https://gbnreport.com/2015-nfl-draft/nfl-draft-trade-value-chart/

To move from #26 to #20 it looks like it would take #92 (our 2nd 3rd round pick ) + #187 (6th round) +/- #222 (our 7th round)

I keep seeing Moehrig's name and reading great things but don't really know anything about this year's class. That Walter football site (which I've liked in years past) doesn't have great things to say about this year's Edge rushers and tackles. According to them just a few first rounders but then it's raw talent but not many day 1 starters.

This is the first year in probably 10 years where we have such a deadeye'd bead on what we need. It's 4, maybe 5 positions on the whole team with an emphasis on speed and durability, that's it. Edge, DT, LB, S & maybe a burner at WR an we're ready to go.

And Wr's too.

I'm hoping any of these 6 Defensive player's are available at #26 ... I will list them in the order I would take them if they are all on the Board:

1. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
2. Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU
3. Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
4. Christian Barmore, DE/DT, Alabama
5. Daviyon Nixon, DT, Iowa
6. Greg Newsome, CB, Northwestern

agree... best defensive play on the board for the first round... we really need to improve the secondary or LBs... but best defensive player in the first round makes sense...

I agree mostly, but there are offensive players who could make us stop to think if they fell.

I don't think our front office is cemented in to a defender come hell or high water. At minimum, we would consider a trade down.

I think most of us hope that after the FA process is complete we won't be cornered into reaching for any one position or one side of the ball in the draft.

I don't think this will be an easy draft. We have picked high for years and being in the to p5 is always easier IMO. Slotting a pick in the top 5 just involves running about 5 scenarios. Plus you then have about 15 hours to plot your first second round pick knowing who is available.

Picking at 26 I think you stick to your board and select best player available but it is impossible to know who will be available and then you can't account for teams that reach about 10-15 spots ahead ie the old Raiders seemed to pick a speed receiver way higher than graded.

You could on the other hand get a break if a guy you value drops for a non-concerning reason.

I will hate waiting that long for our first pick, but am overjoyed because of the reason we are picking low.

Would you trade up for this, Purp? I am not sure I would for this as a draft filler, but I agree that you pointed put a need for us to address early on yet.

If there was a guy there that we felt could be really special, and by that I mean he's a perfect fit for what we want from our DT's, then yes, I would - within reason.


This defense is way better at the top of the roster than it was last year, but the depth still needs work, and we need all the lower picks to take care of that.

I'm not sure if I'd trade up in the fist more than a handful of spots. Maybe if Caleb Farley is still there at 19 and the QB's are gone, I'd give Washington one of our late 3rd round picks.
Or give Indy our first 4th round pick, that sort of thing. But I doubt a non-QB with the value to trade up will still be floating around.

I'm all for moving around on day 2, though. There's a pretty good cluster of talented guys in that 30-65 range, IMO.