Browns: Tony Grossi mock draft 8.0 eyes trade up with Bears

Armed with nine draft picks, ESPN Cleveland Browns analyst Tony Grossi doesn’t see GM Andrew Berry remaining complacent on draft day.

The long-time scribe contends Berry’s been too aggressive in his short history as GM to sit around and wait for the fifth best corner, or the fifth best edge rusher.

With this in mind, Grossi’s latest mock draft (subscription) has the Browns trading with Bears, moving up form No. 26 to 20. Grossi wrote the Browns make the move, giving up “Extra picks in the third and fourth rounds” to select Norwestern corner Greg Newsome.

Newsome is certainly one of a few players in play in the first round, and Grossi has the Big-Ten’s top corner going head of Virginia Tech prospect Caleb Farley, a player who’s routinely been mocked ahead of Newsome.

The first corner off the board goes at No. 10, with Patrick Surtain going to the Cowboys. South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn goes 12th the Eagles. Then comes Newsome, while Farley rounds out cornerbacks in the first ro und.

If Newsome’s the pick, the Brown secondary will truly be re-vamped to contend with the vertical offense of the Kansas City Chiefs. We think Greedy Williams will be ready to play, and if he is, fine. That said, you better have four corners as team’s are more pass happy than ever.

With the 26th pick, Grossi mocked USC guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to the Bears.

Other thoughts on Grossi’s Browns mock

1. Grossi isn’t buying Mac Jones or Trey Lance at No. 3 to the 49ers. Rather, he’s sticking with Ohio State’s Justin Fields at No. 3. l don’t know how Fields got passed by Wilson, and I’ll admit, BYU games weren’t a fixture on my television this season.

All I know is that Fields was excellent in his two seasons with the Buckeyes and exceeded my expectations by a mile, and he’s probably the greatest pro quarterback prospect the Buckeyes have ever produced.

2. Alabama quarterback Mac Jones has routinely been mocked to the Patriots at NO. 15. This time, Grossi has Bill Belichick swapping spots with Atlanta to take the national champ with the fourth overall selection.

3. Trey Lance was mocked to the Panthers with the eighth pick. Grossi sees Sam Darnold as a two-year commitment, which gives the North Dakota State product time to incubate on the sideline.

4. LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase goes to the Bengals, again, while reigning Heisman winner DeVonta Smith falls all the way to the Cardinals at No. 16. Smith usually doesn’t get past the Dolphins with the sixth pick, but Grossi has Miami going for tight end Kyle Pitts in wake of the the quarterback movement within the four first picks.

5. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah caught everyone off guard when he mocked Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis to the Browns earlier this week. Grossi’s not buying him to the Browns, but he does have the prospect going in the first round, to the Packers with the 29th selection.

6. Here’s where the edge rushers go: Jaelen Phillips, Miami (14, Vikings); Azeez Ojulari, Georgia (15, Falcons, acquired in Grossi’s trade with Pats); Kwity Paye, Michigan (21, Colts); Gregory Rousseau, Miami (23, Seahawks); Jayson Oweh, Penn State (27, Ravens).

7. Tulsa’s Zaven Collins has been a lightning rod of discussion for Browns fans, as the debate over whether the Browns will use a first-round pick to select a linebacker rages on. Grossi no longer had him mocked in the first round. Collins was previously mocked to the Ravens, but they pass in version 8.0, going with Oweh.

8. Another name routinely tied to the Browns, Alabama’s Christian Barmore, goes 17th to the Raiders. I’m really looking for this to happen as I think Barmore’s been undervalued by the media.