Cleveland Browns: Three Players That Shouldn’t Be Drafted 12th Overall
By Ryan Rosko
The Cleveland Browns will have another of options all through the first round, but who should be passed over?
There’s been plenty of attention surrounding what the Cleveland Browns will do with their first pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. For good reasons that is the case and the focus will only continue to increase as we get closer to the draft.
However, not much has been focused on their second first round pick, 12th overall. Given how Cleveland has run their drafts, a trade down is always a possibility. Due to their long list of needs this offseason, acquiring the best talent must be the priority rather than maneuvering for quantity over quality.
So at 12, the Browns could be in a position to draft Tennessee EDGE Derek Barnett, Auburn defensive end Carl Lawson, or (sigh) even one of the many quarterbacks. However they go about adding talent, there are three players who must be passed over.
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The first of the trio that stands out is Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers. He was a Heisman Finalist, mainly due to hype, but Peppers is a very talented athlete.
Yet, where does he play? Peppers doesn’t a secured position in the NFL, but his best entering the draft is a free safety. If Cleveland would be interested in drafting peppers, it would be with their 12th overall pick.
Had Peppers done more in his jack of trades role at Michigan, along with filling out the box score more, perhaps he could be viewed as one of the more promising prospects. 66 total tackles in 2016 was very solid, but one interception and pass deflection does not cut it. There are too many holes in his game and actually should not be considered a first round selection.
The second is actually not a player at all. Instead, it is even better via a position in general: Quarterback. I get why some people want Cleveland to draft a quarterback first overall or even at 12. However, if there is not enough talent elsewhere on the field, it would not matter which quarterback would be drafted.
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After all, the Browns only had one offensive lineman play every snap last season in Joe Thomas. I have stressed before that their line is set on the left side, but the rest are filled with question marks. Not to mention, the receivers and running backs are not the greatest in the world.
What seems to be the case yearly, one or more quarterbacks ends up getting drafted much higher than should be. The top two quarterbacks for many are UNC’s Mitch Trubisky and Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and either or both will end up in this category.
On one hand, teams could draft them for potential in the top 10, while others, possibly Cleveland, could draft them just because they don’t have an answer there yet. Both have a lot of things teams will like, but both of them also have characteristics that will hurt their transition to the NFL.
As far as I am concerned, let some other franchise draft them. As tempting as it may be, especially if one were to somehow be there at 12, Cleveland must pass. They need to add talent regardless of position, rather than feel obligated to draft one of them just because they are a signal caller.
Last, but not least is Wisconsin offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk. He is on this list more as a precaution until more is known later in the draft process with his recovery from right hip surgery.
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Assuming all progresses well, removing him from not being a top-15 draft pick for the Browns is very possible. On Cleveland’s roster, he would start from day one at right tackle and eventually make his way over to left tackle after Thomas retires.