Browns wait too long to go offensive line, settles for IL Nick Harris

The Cleveland Browns made the gamble of holding off on upgrading the interior line until the 5th round and it bit them in the rear

The Cleveland Browns settled for Washington center Nick Harris, who will more than likely play guard as well at times, in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. Harris is a solid blocker but isn’t overly strong, nor does he show great quickness attributes that lead one to believe he can be a quality starter. He could be, that’s always the point to be made. Harris could be the greatest center/guard of all time.

Odds are he won’t be.

The Browns chose a tight end in round four, which was not a position of need after the signing of Austin Hooper. With Hooper and incumbent starter David Njoku, to go with tight end Harrison Bryant over someone like Logan Stenbeck or Tyler Biadasz shows that the Browns aren’t worried about a known position of weakness as they should be.

Considering the teams’ desire to trade all over the board on day two, it’s hard not to wonder why the Browns didn’t take Stenback in the fourth and traded to get back up to take one of the four tight ends who fell from day two.

Harris might be a good selection, he might not. That’s really impossible to tell, yet the interior part of the line was a bigger need than acquiring a third-string tight end and that fact has tanked the score on this draft pick. It’s unfortunate but it’s true, the Browns simply waited too long to address the need.

Pro Football Focus gives him a 79.0 score and had him as their 93rd best player on their board. Might be overvaluing him some, but if you think PFF is pretty accurate, their score should give you hope.

Grade: C-