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2021 Cleveland Browns NFL mock draft – Selecting all 9 picks

By Chad Porto

Cleveland Browns (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Cleveland Browns (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – AUGUST 31: Elijah Molden #3 of the Washington Huskies looks on in the second quarter against the Eastern Washington Eagles during their game at Husky Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – AUGUST 31: Elijah Molden #3 of the Washington Huskies looks on in the second quarter against the Eastern Washington Eagles during their game at Husky Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

Round 4, Pick 132: Elijah Molden, CB, Washington

Elijah Molden isn’t the fastest corner in the draft but he’s available in the 4th round when the Browns are picking and Cleveland needs some depth at corner. With Denzel Ward under contract for two more years, the signing of Troy Hill, and the hopeful return of Greedy Williams, Molden wouldn’t be expected to be a top-three corner on the Browns for at least two years. So he makes some sense as a pick here.

The problem is that he runs a 4.58 40-yard dash, and even though he has good hips to allow him to transition while covering, his flat speed just isn’t great. OSU’s Pete Werner is faster in a dead sprint than him. That’s either a knock on Molden or high praise for Werner.

He might be better served being moved to safety.

For the Browns though, they could do worse than a second-generation NFL player. Part of the big pitfalls of the NFL is the sudden rush of fame and the immense spotlight. Molden’s father Alex was a long-time starter in the NFL, playing for the Saints, Lions, and Chargers, starting 57 career games and playing in 90 total. That type of tutelage could help the younger Molden improve greatly and grow as a pro.

His son could be everything his father was. Elijah doesn’t need to be a Hall of Fame player for the Browns and heck, he doesn’t even need to earn a second contract; he just needs to play better than Terrance Mitchell and Kevin Johnson.

That shouldn’t be hard.

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