Georgia receiver George Pickens might be the Browns' preferred pick at No. 44, but a run on receivers might force them to choose a defensive end instead.
Mock draft 6.0: A run on receivers leaves the Browns trending to defensive line at No. 44
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Editor’s note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
This draft season started with the Browns pledging to go forward with a healed-up Baker Mayfield at quarterback and the real possibility of supplementing him with an elite receiver with the 13th pick of the first round.
It is ending with the Browns suffering the short-term consequences of a controversial, all-in trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The Browns don’t have first- and fourth-round picks in the draft per the first of three payment installments to the Houston Texans for Watson. They are also without a fifth-round pick given to the Dallas Cowboys in a salary-dump trade of receiver Amari Cooper.
Perhaps the worse consequence of the Watson trade is the cold-shoulder treatment given the Browns in seeking a taker for Mayfield to recoup some future draft asset. This may be due to owner Jimmy Haslam’s exuberance in fully guaranteeing an NFL-record $230 million in a new, five-year contract for Watson. Mayfield’s own guaranteed $18.858 million contract also is impeding a trade.
So while the Browns sit out the first round of the draft on Thursday, they will be riveted to see what Carolina does with the sixth pick in the draft.
If the Panthers use the pick on a quarterback or are fortunate enough to trade down and use a later pick on a quarterback, then the Panthers would probably not be interested in a trade for Mayfield. But if Carolina stays pat and uses the pick on a non-quarterback, the Panthers are a more likely destination for Mayfield, perhaps during the weekend.
As for that elite receiver the Browns sought in the draft, it’s far less likely with the 44th overall pick in the second round because of an expected run on the premier NFL offensive position after quarterback.
Defensive end remains a possibility with the Browns’ first pick – unless the Browns have the parameters of a deal in place to bring back Jadeveon Clowney.
First round
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
2. Detroit Lions: DE Travon Walker, Georgia
3. Houston Texans: OT Evan Neal, Alabama
4. New York Jets: OT Icky Ekwonu, North Carolina State
5. New York Giants: DE Keyvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
6. Carolina Panthers: OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State
If this happens, a Baker Mayfield post-draft trade stays alive.
7. New York Giants: CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Cincinnati
8. Atlanta Falcons: QB Malik Willis, Liberty
First quarterback off the board is no surprise, but team taking him is a surprise.
9. Seattle Seahawks: CB Derek Stingley, LSU
10: New York Jets: DE Jermaine Johnson, Florida State
11. Washington Commanders: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
12. Minnesota Vikings: S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
13. Houston Texans: WR Jameson Williams, Alabama
Browns forfeited this possibility in Deshaun Watson trade.
14. Baltimore Ravens: DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
Tough choice over next-best cornerback.
15. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
16. New Orleans Saints: OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
17. Los Angeles Chargers: DT Devonte Wyatt, Georgia
18. Philadelphia Eagles: WR Drake London, USC
19. New Orleans Saints: WR Chris Olave, Ohio State
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
Steelers succumb to AFC arms race, still haunted by memory of passing on Dan Marino in 1983.
21. New England Patriots: LB Devin Lloyd, Utah
22. Green Bay Packers: WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas
23. Arizona Cardinals: DE George Karlaftis, Purdue
24. Dallas Cowboys: C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
25. Buffalo Bills: CB-S Daxton Hill, Michigan
26. Tennessee Titans: OG Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OG Zion Johnson, Boston College
28. Green Bay Packers: LB Quay Walker, Georgia
29. Kansas City Chiefs: DE Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State
30. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State
31. Cincinnati Bengals: CB Andrew Booth, Clemson
Bengals turn to defense with offense bolstered through free agency.
32. Detroit Lions: S Lewis Cine, Georgia
Second round
33. Jacksonville Jaguars: LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia
34. Detroit Lions: QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
35. New York Jets: CB Kaiir Elam, Florida
36. New York Giants: OT Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan
37. Houston Texans: RB Kenneth Walker, Michigan State
38. New York Jets: OT Tyler Smith, Tulsa
39. Chicago Bears: WR George Pickens, Georgia
40. Seattle Seahawks: QB Matt Corral, Mississippi
41. Seattle Seahawks: S Jaquan Brisker, Penn State
42. Indianapolis Colts: WR Skyy Moore, Western Michigan
43. Atlanta Falcons: DT Travis Jones, UConn
44. Cleveland Browns: DE Logan Hall, Houston
Hall’s the highest-rated player at a position of need, so they’d come back with a receiver in Round 3.
