Browns Potential Targets in day 3 of the NFL Draft

With two days of outstanding picks in the books for Andrew Berry and company there is still more talent to be had. The Browns have three picks in the fourth round and one pick in each of the 5th, 6th and 7th rounds that all seem like gravy after the first three picks.

Fourth Round:

With three picks on the 4th round, the Browns have some potentially intriguing choices.

110.Cleveland Browns (5th of 4th round) There are a couple of good defensive tackles still on the board that could be inserted into the Browns' defensive line rotation right away.

Daviyon Nixon, DT. A run stuffer from Iowa who can pressure the quarterback but hasn't always played to his ability. Relative Athletic Score (RAS) = 8.38.

Jay Tufele, DT. Athletic defensive tackle from USC who sat out the 2020 season. RAS = 6.46.

113.Cleveland Browns (8th of 4th round): Shaun Wade, S. While Wade was exposed as an outside corner, he has proven he can effectively cover the slot. Wade's NFL position is likely free safety. He has the size at 6'1", 198 and is a very good tackler. He too has an impressive RAS of 9.60 and will turn out to be a steal in the fourth round.
    Alternative selection: Zech McPhearson, CB. Productive cornerback out of Texas Tech with great athleticism. RAS = 9.56.

132.Cleveland Browns (27th of 4th round): With Nick Harris and Drew Forbes in the fold as developmental interior linemen, a developmental swing tackle is in order.   There are at least two on the board who played their college ball here in Ohio that might entice in that role.  The Browns should take advantage of their time with the great Bill Callahan to develop a swing.

James Hudson, OT. Hudson is a former defensive lineman turned offensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bearcats. He is plenty big (6'5", 313 lbs.) with good movement skills and power. A work in progress who might be trained to have position flexibility.   He doesn't test as a great athlete, however.

Tommy Doyle, OT.  Doyle played at Miami of Ohio where he has experience on both tackle positions.   His athleticism is outstanding: RAS of 9.90.  He stands 6'8" and weighs 328 pounds, so he's likely a tackle only.

5th Round

159.Cleveland Browns: Drafting another wide receiver into an already crowded room might not be ideal, but if the Browns are going to exercise all of their picks, there are two players who, if available, would be too good to pass up.

Jalen Camp, WR. Camp is a freak with a RAS score of 9.75. He's 6'2" and weighs 225 pounds. He ran a limited route tree at Georgia Tech and will need time to develop. Think of a developmental A.J. Brown-type.  He has the body to contribute on special teams right away.   This is the kind of guy the Steelers seem to find over and over late in the draft process. 

Cornell Powell, WR. Tough, smart, accountable? That's Powell, who flashes good NFL measurables (6'1", 205) Powell has NFL-adequate speed and burst and run-after-the-catch ability. He was a later bloomer who saved his best for last, being the sole bright spot in the Tigers' loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. A guy who likely can contribute on special teams and compete for a roster spot. RAS = 7.58.

The Browns have 6 roster spots locked up if all are healthy: OBJ, Jarvis, Hollywood, Schwartz, Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge.  Hollywood is on a one-year deal, Schwartz is a situational receiver and OBJ and Jarvis are escalating in age and cap allocation.  The Browns need to be developing serviceable replacements now -- so this is tricky roster management.

  

6th Round

211.Cleveland Browns: Luke Farrell, TE.
An all-around tight end the Browns can draft and develop to replace either Njoku or Hooper in 2022. Stefanski loves his three tight end sets. The Browns say they like Steve Carlson, but more competition is always a good thing. If Hooper does not step up his game next season, moving on from his salary might be necessary to sound cap management. Ohio State does not use its tight ends in the passing game and never really has, so college production is not a fair barometer, Farrell is an adequate blocker with soft hands and an impressive RAS of 8.63.   I'd have no problem if the Browns exercised one of their fourth or fifth round picks to secure Farrell, but most have him slotted in rounds 6-7.

    Alternative selection: Jonathan Marshall, DT.  A freak-level athlete out of Arkansas who has not yet played to his athleticism. RAS = 9.99.  I would not lose any sleep if the Browns selected him with an earlier pick.

Seventh Round

257.Cleveland Browns: Elijah Mitchell, RB.
Mitchell is a smallish (5'10", 211 lbs.) running back with good speed and above-average ball skills who could eventually become the change-of-pace back when the Browns move on from either Hunt or, god forbid, Chubb. RAS = 9.50

    Alternative selection: Jordan Smith, Edge. Smith is a big (6'7" 255 lb), developmental pass rusher who needs to improve his functional strength and hand-fighting technique. Good small school production. Some character concerns lurk in his past. Also a surprisingly sub-standard RAS for a guy who looks much more athletic on the field than his numbers would indicate (2.97). A project for the practice squad.

The truth is that Browns do not have enough available roster spots to keep this many draft picks and the Browns would be smart to try to exercise some trade ups, to trade into next year, or to find some players that they had 1-3 round grades that have fallen because of injury that they can potentially IR. With the uncertainties in this draft, that may be difficult as it seems most teams have the same idea. Perhaps the abbreviated preseason will make it easier to move players to the practice squad?

The Browns have worked magic through two rounds, but there are still a few hidden gems to be uncovered.