LSU safety Grant Delpit continued a run of four consecutive Browns picks from the SEC. (tigerdroppings.com)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from second day of Browns draft …
1.The Browns’ moratorium on trading down lasted 24 hours. They began their second day by moving down from No. 41 to No. 44 in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 160) from the Colts. Indianapolis took running back Jonathan Taylor at No. 41, followed by receiver Laviska Shenault (Jacksonville) and tight end Cole Kmet (Chicago). At No. 44, the Browns selected LSU safety Grant Delpit to address their biggest existing need. They filled the top priority on Thursday with offensive tackle Jedrick Wills of Alabama.
2.Then they did it again. In the third round, the Browns traded No. 74 plus No. 244 (seventh-round) to the Saints for No. 88 and a third-round pick in 2021. The Saints took Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun at No. 74. The Browns used the No. 88 pick on defensive tackle Jordan Elliott of Missouri – yet another member of the Southeastern Conference.
3.With the No. 97 pick, they chose inside linebacker Jacob Phillips of LSU. So that made it 4 for 4 from the SEC over two days.
4.After selecting Delpit, GM Andrew Berry claimed the Browns aren’t hording players from the Power 5 powerhouse. “It just happened to work out this way, but there are good football players across all college football conferences and across all college football levels. We won’t be bound to just Power 5 conferences or the SEC,” Berry said. After selecting two more later in the night, he said on his return to the Zoom room media conference, “I can assure you we did not plan it. These are all really good football players in arguably the best conference in football.” Elliott, who transferred from Texas, offered, “The SEC I feel is more of a pro-style league.”
5.Delpit won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2019 as the nation’s top college defensive back, even though he had a better season in 2018. Playing through a high ankle sprain impacted his production. He reportedly was credited with 38 missed tackles over the last two seasons, and that large wart probably dropped him out of the first round. On his Zoom conference call with media, Delpit quipped, “I’m so tired of hearing I can’t tackle, I might tackle you for asking that question.” Berry said, “No player is going to be perfect. It is actually something that we talked about really in February at the combine. The one thing was Grant was accountable. He never made an excuse for it or anything along those lines.”
6.At 6-2 ½ and 213 pounds, Delpit has desirable size and has shown the range to roam as a deep safety. In the configuration of the Browns’ new roster at safety, he would figure to compete at free safety with veteran pickup Andrew Sendejo with free agent pickup Karl Joseph the strong safety. But Berry won’t typecast him, or anoint him a front-runner to start. “No jobs are given,” Berry said. “Everybody is going to have to compete for their playing time in the fall. In terms of Grant’s skillset, one of the things is we really feel like he can fit in any safety role because of his versatility. I think it would be unfair to task him as just a free, just a strong or just what we would call a big nickel. The appeal is that he really does have the modern-day safety skillset from a coverage standpoint because of that versatility. That is something that we are really excited to have.”
7.So Delpit joins LSU alums Greedy Williams, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. on what he said is being called “the LSU of the north … It is turning into big tigers are up there … Now, that is really turning into truth. I can’t wait to compete against those guys and seeing we are so close – we are so close to winning. We just need a championship mentality. I am going to bring that to the defense, for sure.” Like the others, Delpit brings that LSU swagger. A year ago, Williams said the Browns were going to the Super Bowl. Now, Delpit said, “Without a doubt. [We will be] top dogs in the NFL. We are coming in with that swagger, with that mentality and really a dog mentality – pun intended. I think that we are going to have the best secondary in the NFL with Greedy, Denzel [Ward]. I am coming in with that mentality and win as a team and defense.”
8.How does Delpit feel about winding up in the same division with LSU championship teammate and quarterback Joe Burrow, who was the overall first pick of the Bengals? “I’m very excited to pick Joe off twice a year, three times a year, however many times we meet,” he said with a laugh. In truth, Burrow’s arrival will do more for the Browns-Bengals rivalry since Baker Mayfield stared down Hue Jackson.