Cleveland Browns: Grading the Monday Morning Quarterback mock draft
By Chad Porto
"10. Cleveland Browns: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville Even though the Browns have agreed to a three-year deal with free-agent right tackle Jack Conklin, the team could be in the market to upgrade both tackle spots. Not only is left tackle Greg Robinson a free agent, but right tackle Chris Hubbard graded out as PFF’s 76th-best offensive tackle (among 81 qualifiers) last season. A mountain of a man at 6′ 7″ and 364 pounds with vines for arms (35 5/8″), the 20-year-old Becton has work to do on technique, but he has unique movement skills for a man his size."
I don’t pretend that I know everything. I’m not Mel Kiper or Todd McShay or any other pundit with fingers. Draft prospects are impossible to predict, there is no such thing as a ‘sure thing’ and most of these draft evaluators who are at the top of their industry are wrong so often that they’d make a baseball player hitting below the Mendoza Line look consistent.
I say all that to say this; Mekhi Becton is someone I’m not very high on and someone I don’t think will transition well to the NFL. He’s big, sure. He’s also not quick. He’s also not as strong as others in this Draft. He’s also not the best blocker either. So why is he this high in the draft?
Cus he’s big.
Hansen though seems to like what Becton could be but, “Unique movement skills”?
He can run a 40-yard dash in 5.1 seconds. That’s not really unique. It’s a skill he’ll never need. That’s like saying Joe Borrow is really good at quarterback and man, he can sure punt the ball. Why would you need your quarterback to punt? Why would you need your offensive left tackle to sprint 40-yards downfield? Lateral quickness and strength are the most important things here.
The best player in my opinion at the tackle position is Ezra Cleveland from Boise State, with Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs. Cleveland is the type of player who can get around on a defensive end during passing attempts and have the strength to open up holes in the running game. Wirfs is an equally good run blocker but isn’t as mobile as Cleveland. though just barely.
Grade: C
– There are better options on the board.