2022 NFL Draft, Day 3

I'm going to make my selections based on the picks the Browns had coming into the draft, as I wouldn't have made that ridiculous trade and passed up the 2nd Round talent. To say that I'm disappointed in this year's draft would be a major understatement. My main objective for today is solving the Browns' problems with the kicking game.

 4th Round, Pick 118 - 1) Matt Araiza P AZ 2) Zyon McCollum CB Sam Houston St 3) Bailey Zappe QB Western Kentucky

6th Round, Pick 202 - 1) Cade York K LSU 2) Andrew Mevis K Iowa State 3) Cameron Dicker K Texas

7th Round, Pick 223 - 1) Grant Calcaterra TE SMU 2) Andrew Stueber G Michigan 3) Damone Clark LB LSU

7th Round, Pick 246 - 1) Britain Covey WR/KR Utah

2022 NFL Draft, Round 2 & Round 3

I wanted to get my Day 2 picks published before the Draft starts. I'll flesh it out later. It's very difficult to project who will be available when the Browns make their selections, as this is a very volatile draft. It's quite possible that none of my choices will still be available at hte time that the Browns go on the clock, especially for the 2 picks in Round 3. So far, all of my candidates have fallen to the 2nd Round. Needless to say, with the Browns not having a First Round pick, this is a less exciting year, but we can still add talent that will help the team.

My choices for Rounds 2 & 3:

2nd round, Pick 44 - 1) David Ojabo Edge Michigan 2) Travis Jones DT UConn 3) Cameron Thomas DE San Diego St 4) John Metchie III WR Alabama 5) Christian Watson WR North Dakota St. 6) Perrion Winfrey DT Oklahoma 7) Drake Jackson DE USC

3rd Round, Pick 78 - 1) John Metchie III WR Alabama 2) Logan Hall DL Houston 3) David Bell WR Purdue  4) Myjai Sanders Edge Cincinnatti

3rd Round, Pick 99 - 1) Troy Andersen LB Montana St 2) Channing Tindall LB Georgia 3) Cam Taylor-Britt CB Nebraska 4) Nick Bonitto Edge/OLB Oklahoma 5) Isaiah Spiller RB Texas A&M

Cleanup On Aisle 21

 I never came back and posted which of my picks from 2021 were actually on the board when the Browns made their picks, and after figuring it out, it was not pretty. Most of the players I was targeting first in a particular round came off the board by the time the Browns pick came up.

Here's how it sorted out:

Round 1 / No. 26: (LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa) LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame

Round 2 / No. 59: DE Joseph Ossai, Texas

Round 3 / No. 89: (DT Milton Williams, Louisiana Tech) CB  Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse

Round 3 / No. 91 (from Saints): (LB Chazz Surratt , North Carolina) LB Jabril Cox, LSU

Round 4 / No. 110 (from Eagles): (CB Benjamin St-Juste, Minnesota) OL Deonte Brown, Alabama  6'3"

Round 4 / No. 132: DE Joshua Kaindoh, Florida St.

Round 5 / No. 169 (from Rams): (S Divine Deablo, Virginia Tech) S Trill Williams, Syracuse

Round 6 / No. 211: (S Darrick Forrest, Cincinnati)  Not On Board

Round 7 / No. 257 (from Bills): K Jose Borregales, Miami

2 LB, 2 DE, CB, OL, S, K

The names in parentheses are my original selections for those rounds, followed by names not in parentheses of my alternate choices who were available when the Browns selected their picks. For the 6th Round, neither my original choice, nor my alternates were on the board. Since I originally had 2 Kicker options for Round 7, and one was already taken by the Bengals, there was no one to bump up to Round 6, leaving the slot blank. 😒

There's no doubt that Andrew Berry had a much better Draft than I had, but in all fairness, he's making picks as the Draft comes to him, and I'm doing it all at once. Also, there was no way to reasonably predict JOK's slide into the 2nd Round.

Rounds 2 Through 7

 

                                                          Rounds Two & Three

Round 2 / Pick Number 59

1) DE Joseph Ossai, Texas  6'3 5/8"  256  4.65/40  A Young pass rusher / edge defender who's a bit undersized but is only scratching the surface of his potential. Great upside. Might not contribute a lot right away, but could develop into a star. I don't think he will be on the board at 59.

2) S Andre Cisco, Syracuse  6'0"  209 lbs  Playmaker with excellent ball skills. Plays without control at times, and can give up the big play. Coaching needed, but the raw material is there for an excellent playmaking safety. Like most that I favor, a lot of upside. He should be available at 59.

3) CB  Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse  6'2 1/2" 205 lbs  4.48/40  Ideal Cornerback body. Does all aspects well, but not the elite player that the top corners are. Will likely go early in the 2nd, and not available at 59.

4) LB Jabril Cox, LSU  6'3 1/8"  232 lbs  Top coverage linebacker in the draft. Needs work on run defense and attacking the quarterback. Likely a situational player. 50-50 he'll be on the board at 59.

5) C Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater 6'3"  320 lbs  4.86/40  Athletic AF center from a small school. Great upside, and probably not there at 59.

Round 3 / Picks 89 & 91

1) DT Milton Williams, Louisiana Tech  6'3"  284 lbs  4.62/40  Undersized but very athletic Defensive Tackle. Could develop into a top penetrator in the middle of the line. May not be on the board at 89.

2) LB Chazz Surratt , North Carolina  6'2 1/8"  229 lbs  4.58/40  Smallish, fast linebacker. Developmental player with some upside. May not be on the board at 91.

3) OG Ben Cleveland, Georgia  6'6"  354 lbs  5.05/40  Offensive Line depth that might be able to start in a couple years. 50-50 that he's still there when we pick.

4) OL Deonte Brown, Alabama  6'3"  344 lbs  5.45/40  Offensive Line depth. Should be on the board at 89 or 91.

5) S Jamar Johnson, Indiana  6'2"  205 lbs  4.58/40  Solid safety. Does everything reasonably well. Probably gone by 89-91.

                                                     Rounds Four, Five, Six & Seven

Round 4 / Picks 110 & 132

1) CB Benjamin St-Juste, Minnesota  6'3"  202 lbs  4.51/40  Cornerback with size. Not a burner, but plays the ball and receiver well.

 

2) DE Joshua Kaindoh, Florida St.  6'5 3/4" 260 lbs 4.70/40  Former 5 star recruit that has battled injuries his entire college career. Boom or bust pick.

3) S Divine Deablo, Virginia Tech  6'3"  226 lbs  4.42/40  Big safety who can play some linebacker. Lots of upside, but will need time and polish. I've seen him mocked anywhere between the 3rd and 5th rounds.

4) DE Jordan Smith, UAB  6'6"  264 lbs  4.79/40  Big Edge defender with upside. Raw, developmental player.

5) CB Shaun Wade, Ohio State  6'5/8"  196 lbs  4.43/40  Athletic. Terrible ball skills. Can play the slot. Will need a lot of coaching.

Round 5 / Pick 169

1) S Divine Deablo, Virginia Tech  6'3"  226 lbs  4.42/40  See above.

2) CB Shaun Wade, Ohio State  6'5/8"  196 lbs  4.43/40  See above. He may fall this far, so...

3) S Trill Williams, Syracuse  6'2"  198 lbs  4.42/40  Another Syracuse DB with upside that needs development. Could be long gone by 169.

Round 6 / Pick 211

1) S Darrick Forrest, Cincinnati  5'11 1/2"  206 lbs  4.42/40  Safety / Special Teams depth. Good value at this point in the draft.

2) DT Tedarrell Slaton, Florida  6'4"  330 lbs  5.09/40  Big defensive line depth. Probably would be a practice squad guy.

Round 7 / Pick 257

1) K Jose Borregales, Miami  We need to draft a kicker in case Cody Parkey goes Cody Parkey on us. He's the top kicker in the draft and probably won't be there this close to the end of the draft.

2) K Evan McPherson, Florida  This one may be more realistic.

Needless to say, if someone who was a secondary choice in the previous round is still on the board in a round, they take precedence over the players I listed for that round. I repeated a couple guys in Rounds 4 & 5 due to the difficulty in guessing which round they'll be drafted in.

Looking at the mocks, it's looking like the Cardinals may have their eyes on Zaven Collins. :-(  Enough have mocked that in the last few days (and only the last few days,) that I have to wonder if they have inside information.

Round 1 / Pick Number 26

 

                                                            Round One

Let's take a look at Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft. It's possible that my top choice will be off the board when we pick, so alternate choices need to be named, in case of that eventuality.

1) LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa  6'5"  259 lbs  4.67/40  This guy is an athletic freak. Great size, speed and instincts. He is a playmaker, and would add elite talent to our Linebacker corps. Is he a finished product? No, none of these guys are. Zaven represents the highest ceiling among players likely to be on the board when the Browns pick at 26. He's a 3 down player, being excellent in coverage. He also can put pressure on the QB, takes good angles on running backs, and has enough speed to make up for mistakes. He's the kind of player that an OC has to scheme for, and can disrupt an offense like few others in this draft. I think that he will turn out to be a Top 10 player from this draft, looking back, and will be a perennial Pro Bowl selection, giving us elite talent at all 3 levels of our defense. He's been comped to Brian Urlacher, but I think he's more fluid. Definitely my choice in the first round for the Browns, and I expect him to be available at 26.

2) LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame  6'1 1/2" 221 lbs  He's undersized, but fast, smart, and fierce. This guy is a heat seeking missile. His speed allows him to cover a lot of area, and he also excels at several phases of the game. He's a quality coverage guy, good against the run, and can get to the quarterback. If the Browns end up taking him, I'll still be thrilled. I do not think that he will be on the board at 26.

3) LB Jamin Davis, Kentucky  6'3 1/2" 234 lbs  4.47/40  Another very athletic guy, he's a bit more raw than the above 2, but like them, has a very high ceiling. Potential to be a big-time disruptor in the middle of the Browns defense. I think picking Jamin carries a little more risk than some of the others, but the upside makes it a risk worth taking. I won't be disappointed if he is our pick. I expect him to be available at 26.

4) DT Christian Barmore, Alabama  6'4 1/8" 310 lbs  4.93/40  This guy destroyed my Buckeyes in the NC title game, and was initially my choice at 26, after I decided that the defensive ends all carried flaws that were a bigger risk than I would want to take at 26. Barmore is a man. Way faster than anyone his size has a right to be, with good technique to be an excellent penetrator and pressure the QB from the middle of the line. Not consistent, and not always motivated, but he's someone I expect to be a force at the next level. I won't be disappointed if he is our pick. 50-50 that he'll be available at 26.

5) LB Azeez Ojulari, Georgia  6'2"  249 lbs  4.60/40  Can set the edge well, and is strong against the run. Has the speed to develop into an excellent pass rusher. I see him more as an OLB in a 3-4 though, and so not an ideal fit for the Browns. Can become a star in the right system. 50-50 that he'll be available at 26.

6) CB Greg Newsome, Northwestern  6'0"  192 lbs  4.37/40  Doesn't jump off the screen at you, but when the game's over, you notice that he didn't give up catches or yardage. I don't think that Greedy Williams can be counted on as the answer at CB opposite Ward, who himself has durability issues. Newsome would be a nice pick, but I don't think he'll be on the board at 26.

-----

7) S Trevon Moehrig, TCU  6'1"  202 lbs  4.50/40  Excellent safety prospect, reminds me a lot of Earl Thomas, and having had an Achilles injury, there's no guarantee that Grant Delpit will ever be as good as he might have been had that injury never happened. Still, I'm planning on safety depth down draft, and would prefer not to use my first pick on that position. I do think Moehrig will be available at 26.

8) DE Jaelan Phillips, Miami (FL)  6'5 1/2" 260 lbs  4.58/40  Solid pass rusher in college, and a good football player period. Is a risk due to concussion history, and may have a shorter career than the other guys in this list. Also, he plays a premium position as a Defensive End, but like the other edge rushers in this draft, he's slotted towards the back half of the first round. Elite talents at that position go Top 5. There's a reason that none of the Edge rushers in this draft are expected to go that high. All have flaws, and many have relatively high floors but relatively low ceilings. I don't expect any of the DEs from this draft to become dominant at their position, and that is why, despite it being the Browns number 1 need, I'm not using a first round pick on any of these guys. I do think Jaelan Phillips will be on the board at 26, and I predict that he will be the first round pick of the Cleveland Browns. I will be mildly disappointed.

9) LB Nick Bolton, Missouri 5'11 1/8"  237 lbs  4.59/40  A tackling machine, but not a big-time playmaker. We've had guys like that before. We need a disruptor. Will likely be on the board at 26.

My top 3 picks are Linebackers, but I didn't approach this draft targeting Linebacker as the top position I'd want to address. My first choice would have been to draft a Defensive End. The crop of DEs in this draft are probably serviceable, but not elite. I think we have a chance to get an elite, Pro Bowl level talent at 26, and you win with elite talent. Food for thought: What if Caleb Farley's back surgeries cause him to tumble all the way down to him still being on the board at 26? I would really have to consider it if he checks out well with our medical staff. He's the best CB in the draft at playing the ball in the air. Elite talent. He would be excellent value at a needed position, and for me, it would come down to Farley or Collins. I would probably still go Collins, but oh that would be an interesting situation to have to consider. (I don't think Farley will drop that far.)

Cleveland Browns Draft 2021

 

If I were the Browns GM, and the guys who I think will be available when we pick are available, my 2021 Browns Draft would look like this:

Round 1 / No. 26: LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa

Round 2 / No. 59: DE Joseph Ossai, Texas

Round 3 / No. 89: DT Milton Williams, Louisiana Tech 

Round 3 / No. 91 (from Saints): LB Chazz Surratt , North Carolina

Round 4 / No. 110 (from Eagles): CB Benjamin St-Juste, Minnesota

Round 4 / No. 132: DE Joshua Kaindoh, Florida St.

Round 5 / No. 169 (from Rams): S Divine Deablo, Virginia Tech

Round 6 / No. 211: S Darrick Forrest, Cincinnati

Round 7 / No. 257 (from Bills): K Jose Borregales, Miami

Almost entirely centered on the Defense, some of these guys would start and some would add depth. I would be using this draft to try to shore up the Defense and Special Teams, understanding that some of the guys at the bottom of my draft would likely be placed on the Practice Squad. It's heavy on the secondary because our defensive coaches say they want to play a 4-2-5 Defense much of the time, and also because these guys are athletic and would translate well to Special Teams. It's very unlikely that I would be willing to trade any of my picks in order to move up in any round. This is a draft where I'd stand pat. As for who I would take if the above are not available at those selections in the Draft, I'll address that in the coming days leading up to the First Round on Thursday.

2020 Browns Draft Day 3

Obviously, I'm quite pleased with the selection of Grant Delpit in the 2nd Round. I'm (much) less enthused with our 3rd Round picks. I expect that our two 3rd Round picks are going to be depth and/or Special Teams, and while you need that, the 3rd Round is too early to be drafting for those particular needs.

Anyway, onward.

Round 4  (115)

I don't think he'll be available at 115, and I didn't have him in my picks yesterday because I didn't think he would be on the board when the Browns picked. But, there he is, so...

Akeem Davis-Gaither LB Appalachian St.
Michael Divinity, LB LSU

Davis-Gaither could turn out to be a play maker, and would be excellent value at this point in the draft. Divinity has issues, but also has talent. He would admittedly be a gamble.


Round 5  (160)

We're at the "let's try to catch lightning in a bottle" phase of the draft, so a receiver with size from a small school fits that description nicely. Yes, not a position of great need, but defensive depth/Special Teams can be added to with UFAs. I'd rather try and draft someone who might develop into a weapon. He should be useful in the Red Zone, at a minimum, with his 6' 4" height.

Antonio Gandy-Golden  WR Liberty


Round 6  (187)

Well, I don't expect him to set the world on fire, but he'll be a solid, sneaky possession receiver who will give depth to the receiving corps. and represent excellent value at this point in the draft.

Austin Mack WR Ohio St