2017 NFL Draft: 5 Ohio State Buckeyes The Cleveland Browns Should Draft

Pat Elflein, C

Wow, the center position is a disaster that keeps reminding us how bad our Browns are at making first-round picks. In 2015, we thought the Browns were conservative when Cameron Erving was plucked off the board. Now he’s a constant reminder of why the Browns are flirting with an 0-16 record.

Erving failed in his rookie season at guard, and has been just as bad at center in year two. Pro Football Focus ranks him as one of the worst center’s in the game.

Pat Elflein would bring versatility to the position, as he played guard before jumping over to center in his senior season.

While at center, Elflein’s been indispensable.

“Elflein’s leadership was arguably every bit as important as his largely error-free snapping, powerful blocking and ability to make adjustments up front for the Buckeyes,” according to ESPN’s Austin Ward.

The argument could be made that Elflein could go anywhere from late in the first round, to somewhere in the second.

Not a whole lot of teams pick centers in the first round–except the Browns. But because Cleveland burned their center in the first round on Cam Erving, the team simply can’t afford to do it again, especially since it looks like they’ll have two picks in the top 15.

Ideally, Elflein would slip somewhere into the late second round and the Browns could use their glut of picks to move up to select him.