Cleveland Browns 2021 Tony Grossi mock draft 9.0 sees big trade for CB

The perception that the Cleveland Browns will select in a defensive end is still holding up nationally.

However, locally, the topic continues to be cornerbacks, as more and more prognosticators wonder how the Browns can go into the season with Greedy Williams as it’s No. 2 outside corner.

It’s for this reason, ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi (subscription) has the Browns trading three picks in the 2021 NFL Draft to move up and select Northwestern product Greg Newsome 20th overall. To get this deal done, Cleveland would send the Bears pick Nos. 26, 91 and 132.

It’s the second week in a row that Grossi has predicted a trade a trade up with Chicago.

Edge rusher shouldn’t be ruled out, but with the signings of Jadeveon Clowney and Takk McKinley, I don’t see how it make sense to take a project at No. 26. Hopefully the Browns will be picking later in the draft next season. They’ll have the same opportunity to take a similar player in 2022.

I’m interested in winning now, and corner’s the most glaring need. We all like Williams, but his healthy is a concern. Plus, what we saw on his 12-game rookie resume wasn’t all that impressive.

A corner could still come via trade, perhaps during the draft, as I can’t get the idea of acquiring Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore out of my head. The Browns have the assets to do it and Bill Belichick’s never been shy about trading away veterans.

Other notes from Grossi’s latest mock draft.

1. Patrick Surtain is the first corner off the board (12, Eagles), while Jaycee Horn and Caleb Farley go 16th and 17th, respectively, to the Cardinals and the Raiders.

That makes Newsome the fourth corner off the board.

2. Michigan’s Kwity Paye is first defensive end off the board (14, Vikings). At No, 18, Grossi mocked  Georgia’s Azeez Ojulari to the Dolphins. Miami’s Jaelen Phillips goes 21st to the Colts, while fellow Hurrican Gregory Rousseau goes 23rd to the Jets. Jayson Oweh, a popular Browns mock draft pick goes 27th to the Ravens.

3. Zaven Collins,  another popular name during the offseason, goes 29th to the Packers.

4. Jamin Davis, an unknown name to casual Browns fans, has seen his stock rise so much that national mock drafters have tapped him for Cleveland at No. 26. Davis made Grossi’s last two mock drafts, but falls out of the first round in the latest version.

5. Cincinnati’s really in an interesting position. Some photos came out of the team’s uniform reveal and the scar on Joe Burrow’s knee is begging the front office to draft Oregon’s Penei Sewell. Grossi sees the Bengals re-uniting Burrow with his college teammate, Ja’Marr Chase, while Sewell falls to the Lions with the seventh pick.

6. The top three remains unchanged: Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields. The first non-quarterback off the board would be Florida “unicorn” tight end Kyle Pitts, who goes fourth to the Falcons.

7. As for the rest of the quarterbacks, Grossi continues to forecast a scenario where the Patriots move up. He does it again here, predicting the Patriots move up from No. 15 to No. 10 to select Alabama’s Mac Jones.

8. Trey Lance was mocked sixth to the Panthers.

9.Heisman winner DeVonta Smith falls all the way to No. 11 (Giants).