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Grading the Cleveland Browns 2021 NFL Draft picks

By Chad Porto

Apr 29, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Greg Newsome II (Northwestern) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell over video call after being selected by the Cleveland Browns as the number 26 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft at First Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 29, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Greg Newsome II (Northwestern) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell over video call after being selected by the Cleveland Browns as the number 26 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft at First Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 26: Demetric Felton #10 of the UCLA Bruins eludes Khaylan Kearse-Thomas #20 of the Arizona State Sun Devils on a short pass play during the first half of a game on October 26, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 26: Demetric Felton #10 of the UCLA Bruins eludes Khaylan Kearse-Thomas #20 of the Arizona State Sun Devils on a short pass play during the first half of a game on October 26, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Round 6, Pick 27 – RB/WR Demetric Felton

With the final pick of the Browns 2021 NFL Draft class, Cleveland took a running back, wide receiver combo, Demetric Felton. Felton joins a loaded backfield and an even more loaded receiver corp, and with unimpressive speed, will have a hard time finding playing time. He’s behind arguably the best (very least top-three) running backs in the NFL with Nick Chubb, as well as a viable backup in Kareem Hunt. Not to forget D’Ernest Johnson. Then he’s behind Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr. KhaDarrell Hodge, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and fellow rookie Anthony Schwartz on the receiver side of things. So either the Browns are going to cut or trade certain players or Felton’s going to have a hard time getting on the field when not on special teams.

Part of the issue of why Felton won’t get a great grade is due to the needs of the team. The Browns didn’t need another guy who needs the ball on offense. They needed a defensive end or another defensive tackle. Going with a player at a position(s) of abundance is fine, but only after you make sure you address all of your holes.

The saving grace for why he won’t get an awful grade, on the other hand, is that the Browns have secured their top-four defensive ends already and any pick would’ve been a project pick, a guy the team needs to build and get ready to be a starter after Clowney leaves. So with that in mind, it’s not like they have a gaping hole at defensive end either.

That’s why this is a fine, but not great, draft pick.

Grade: C

Not taking one defensive end will hurt this pick more than others, because “need” should always come before “want” when drafting.

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