Grading Dane Brugler’s 2021 Browns 7-round mock draft

Round 1, Pick 1: Greg Newsome, Northwestern

Grade: A+

The fact that the Browns could get him, just standing pat at No. 26 is an added bonus, as Cleveland comes away with the Big-Ten’s best corner. Newsome was the third corner off the board, behind Patrick Surtain II and Jaycee Horn.

Some may wonder why the Browns passed on defensive end here, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Prognosticators point out that Jadeveon Clowney and Takk McKinley are only on one-year contracts as a reason for keeping the edge position in play.

Well, yeah, so what? If there was an edge player available at No. 26 that was soooooo good, you couldn’t pass him up, so be it. It looks unlikely, though, as the players expected to available are all guys with “great physical tools” and no one really stands out above the other. At this point, the Dawg Pound would like to win this franchise a Super Bowl and potentially drafting another Emmanuel Ogbah ruins the recipe.

That said, the Browns have the position covered for 2021. In addition to McKinley and Clowney, they have Curtis Weaver, a player they reportedly are really high on. After all, Cleveland kept him around after he was waived by Miami (following an injury) at the end of 2020 training camp.

This pick is also superb because currently, there’s no guarantee the Browns other outside corner, Greedy Williams, can make it through a tackling drill healthy.

We’re all rooting for Williams to ball out, but there’s still a great deal of uncertainty concerning his availability.