Mel Kiper Jr. has the Cleveland Browns trading up to take a WR

Mel Kiper has the Cleveland Browns trading up for a receiver.

The Cleveland Browns need speed, they need size but mostly, they need someone who can make the game bend to their will. A great pair of receivers make good quarterbacks great. When defenses can no longer stack up in one area of the field and are forced to spread themselves thin, that’s when quarterbacks shine brightest. So it’s not surprising that Mel Kiper has the Browns taking receiver Drake London of USC with their first pick

It is surprising that he has the Browns trading up to get him, however. There are a lot of players in the NFL Draft the Browns could use, so it’s curious why Kiper has the Browns trading up four slots to get him.

Kiper revealed his prediction on ESPN (via Yahoo.com):

"9. Cleveland Browns (via mock trade with DEN)Drake London, WR, USCThe Browns have a void at wide receiver and have to add better players around Baker Mayfield.London is a 6-foot-5 aerial threat with the traits to be an end zone weapon. He averaged 11 catches and 136 yards per game last season, before he broke his ankle in late October. He would make Mayfield better."

The Cleveland Browns should take Drake London but not trade up for him

The Cleveland Browns have no reason to trade up for Drake London. The receiver is good and has huge upside, but that doesn’t mean he’s a perfect prospect. He’s had some injury issues, and if you take him at No. 13, where the Browns are originally picking, and he gets hurt. So be it. You can’t change that. If you trade up, however, and he gets hurt, then not only did you waste that one pick on an injured player but you waste two, maybe even three more high-level picks.

Picks the team can’t afford to lose at this juncture.

They’ll most likely be second or third rounders at least, plus a fourth or a fifth. Probably over two years. Is that really worth it to move up four picks for a guy you don’t know can stay healthy?

And this is coming from a guy who likes London and thinks the Browns should take him. He’s just too risky of a pick to take him with so much draft capital on the line.