The Cleveland Browns hold the No. 2 draft pick in this year’s NFL draft, starting on April 24th. There will continue to be speculation about whether the Browns actually pick at two and then who they take if they stay put there.
Two and a half months out, we’re going to share our first mock draft. This mock draft will only have the first three round projections, which include four picks for Cleveland. Depending on what the team does with that No. 2 pick, which could involve a trade down, there might be more picks coming in those first three rounds.
There have been a few changes in Browns analyst on the draft mostly due to the fact that defensive edge rusher Myles Garrett requested a trade last week, even though he has two years left on his contract.
Depending on what the team does with Garrett and what they do in the upcoming free agency market, which opens in early March a lot of shifting could happen with this upcoming NFL draft.
So with that as the current backstory, here’s our first mock draft for the Browns through three rounds.
First round, No. 2 pick overall, Browns select:
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado quarterback
We still believe that Sanders will be the pick by the Browns at No. 2. His pocket presence, accuracy, and ability to make good decisions under pressure all speak to his ability to be a good fit with the team and coach Kevin Stefanski.
Sanders has talked about his ability to be a good decision-maker, which is what the Browns coaches continue to talk about seeking with whoever is their next quarterback. When you watch the film on him, you can see a young quarterback with that talent.
Sander’s father Deion Sanders, NFL, Hall of Famer, and current coach of the Colorado Buffaloes has come out recently and mentioned that he has been talking to several teams about his son, and from all indications it does not sound like he would be against the Browns drafting his son.
With the team looking at a potential rebuild, especially if Garrett parts ways with the team Sanders is a win-win for the organization.
The team still has a very talented squad, with players like Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Denzel Ward, and Jerry Jeudy all returning.
2nd Round, Pick 33 overall, Browns select:
Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M, Edge Rusher
Browns don’t select Abdul Carter, the edge rusher out of Penn State who some predicted the team would take in the early first round. Instead, the team goes with Stewart out of Texas A&M.
The former Florida high school standout who was highly recruited coming into college hasn’t knocked the socks off of things when you look at his stats with only 4 1/2 sacks in his career. However, his big 6’5 frame and huge wingspan make him an intriguing prospect a little bit like current Cleveland player Alex Wright, who the team originally drafted out of Baylor a couple of years ago.
He has great leg movement and drive. He’s smart and understands what opponents are doing against him and can do well against things like screen passes from the opposing offense. He also is very good at sniffing out the run game.He’s been good at creating havoc in the backfield too. While the sacks haven’t been there yet, look for that to change in the NFL.
Stewart is currently projected as a late first-round pick or early second-round pick and I think the Browns would be smart at considering him at No.33.
It worked out the last time the Browns took a high-profile Texas A&M player eight years ago. This could be the start of something great again for a new Aggie in a Cleveland Browns uniform.
3rd round, Pick 67 overall, Browns select:
Darien Porter, CB Iowa State
The Iowa State standout cornerback played wide receiver for a few seasons of his college career. He shifted to cornerback in the last three years. His 6’4 tall frame and quickness have made him a rising prospect to consider drafting.
He was a stand-out high school athlete having won the state championship in Iowa at the 400 meter race where he ran it under 47 seconds.
So his closing ability and previous wide receiver experience make him a very smart and savvy corner. He’s done well and zone schemes over his career defensively and could be an appealing player for the Browns to consider as they need more help in the secondary of their defense.
He recorded three interceptions this past season as well. He could be a game changer for the Cleveland defense. He’s projected as one of the best corners to take in this year’s draft.
3rd round, Pick 94 overall, Browns select:
DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State
The Kansas State running back has had three very good seasons as a Wildcat. This past year he finished with 1,343 yards and scored 7 touchdowns. His impressive 6.6 yards per carry make him a very intriguing prospect for the Browns to consider at running back.
Giddens hasn’t gotten a lot of chatter about him, but he has been projected to be picked anywhere between the third and fifth rounds of the draft.
He’s a bigger running back at 6’0 and has a consistent and smooth look to his run game. He has good vision and has a knack for breaking tackles and moving the ball up the field.
The Browns are looking to upgrade their run game and in this deep field of running backs in the draft Giddens by some accounts might be the “sleeper” of the group.
He’s also been a reliable receiver out of the backfield while at Kansas State. Over the last two seasons, he’s caught 29 passes and 21 passes respectively for 581 yards and four touchdowns.
We don’t know if the Browns will have Nick Chubb back with them as he’s a free agent this off-season. Current Cleveland back Jerome Ford will hopefully continue to improve, but drafting someone like Giddens can only strengthen one of the weaker parts of the Browns offense.
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