The Cleveland Browns still have draftable options in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Cleveland Browns have a huge draft coming up. The team is in a state of flux as they move from one era to another. The new era seems to cater less to affordable, but good talent and more in line with massive guarantees, which will force the Browns to cut bait on some of their better players and replace them with guys they get in the draft.
This draft is going to be one of the most pivotal in recent Browns history, as the team is going to need a few starters from it this year, as well as in the coming years. Guys like Jack Conklin and Kareem Hunt are long for the team, and the team still needs guys on the defensive line who can chase after the quarterback.
It’s looking more and more likely that guys like Chase Winovich are going to be the starter opposite Myles Garrett, and that means the team needs speed on the edge anyway they can get it. They’re also going to need to get a guy who can go across from Amari Cooper, preferably a boundary guy who can out-jump smaller corners.
So I decided to see if we could create some mocks that address their biggest needs, minus that pivotal first-round pick. Each draft was compiled either on the PFF Mock Draft Simulator or on the Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine.
You may not agree with each pick but ya know, you can do your own mock. These are the four that I thought were best out of all the ones I did, and my lord, there were some really awful ones. So let’s get into it.
Mock #1
The Browns need a defensive tackle and why not Perrion Winfrey? He’s the best available defensive tackle in most drafts and the team needs some serious help inside. It’s not like you can just look at guys like Jordan Elliot and Tommy Togiai and expect these projects to actually pan out. They are projects for a reason and projects fail more than they succeed in the NFL. Winfrey instantly becomes one of the best tackles on the team, right next to recently signed Taven Bryan.
Ignore the fact he’s a linebacker, that doesn’t matter in today’s NFL. He’s the same exact size as Chase Wniovich but he’s faster. If Winovich is big enough to play the line, so is Chenal. Chenal is also a great coverage linebacker, so he’s multi-faceted and if he pans out, could be a great compliment not only to Myles Garrett but to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
Alec Pierce is someone I’m hoping is still there come the third round but if he’s not the Browns may have missed out on a great passing option. He’s a far more athletic Brian Finneran, a tall option that you can count on to be a real player in jump-ball scenarios.
Justyn Ross isn’t fast for an NFL receiver, pulling in a 4.63 to 4.87 40-time, but he’s 6’4 and 200 lbs. That’s pretty good for a receiver. May be all you need to get something out of him.
The Browns need depth at the defensive line position and one tackle isn’t enough. Jeffrey Gunter isn’t going to be Myles Garrett but he could give you depth at defensive end but also big enough to play a smaller defensive tackle role.
At this point, you’re just hoping for a project or two that pans out. The Browns are going to be moving on from higher-priced guys in 2023 when these extensions start coming in, and that means guys like John Johnson may be on the chopping block. You’re going to need someone like Amari Carter to compete.
Joel Bitonio is going to be 32 and making a lot of money by the time these new deals kick in. While Bitonio is a borderline Hall of Famer right now, this Brown’s front office cares little about guys and their reputations on the team. They’ll quite literally sell their soul to win. So a guy like Wattenberg makes sense if they intend on moving on from the Hall of Fame candidate sooner rather than later.
Mock #2
Alec Pierce was the best available in this second raft, and all the reasons to get him in the first mock are still true here.
I’m not old on the Browns’ depth at linebacker. Sione Takitaki has shown to be wildly inconsistent and while Anthony Walker impressed me last year, he’s on the block as are so many other veterans due to these new contracts. Maybe Anderson doesn’t play much as a rookie but in 2023 both Takitaki and Walker may be gone for good. The team needs to prepare for that.
Many believe that Deangelo Malone would fit best in a 3-4 as an outside linebacker but considering the Browns have a few undersized ends already, why not add another? Who knows what happens with Chase Winovich, and this young man has had seasons where he tallied 20 and 17 tackles for a loss respectively. He’s had some good sack-filled seasons as well, but it’s his ability to get deep on the line that you should for, not just sacks. Malone could be a steal.
The Browns need to replace Austin Hooper since Kevin Stefanski wants to have 40 tight ends on the field at the same time. He’s a big boy, standing 6’5 with a nearly 80” wingspan. He’s not fast, coming in just shy of a 4.8 according to some outlets but he’s got tremendous upside.
Luke Wattenberg was taken earlier in this draft. Same reasons to take him as in the first mock.
The Browns need better special teams and the Bengals proved that you can draft special team players and make the Super Bowl. So why not try that same logic with arguably the best punting prospect in Penn State’s Jordan Stout?
The Browns still need depth at receiver and Malachi Carter is 6’3 and runs a 4.48 40-time. He’s not a Randy Moss, can’t-miss-prospect but he’s someone you can at least put some time into to see if he pans out.
Mock Draft #3
I’ve prioritized defensive tackle and receiver first and second, clearly but the next position, at least for me, would be the interior line. The team just lost JC Tretter and signed Ethan Pocic to replace him. This is a huge sign that not only do they not trust Nick Harris, that they don’t think either Pocic or Harris are long-term options at the position. With Tretter gone and Joel Bitonio probably on the chopping block soon, Tyler Linderbaum makes total sense considering the priority the Browns place on the o-line.
Leo Chenal is back for all the reasons listed before. He’s too good a prospect to skip.
Jake Ferguson isn’t as long or as fast as Cade Otton, but he may be a better blocker and has better hands. Since the Browns need to keep that tight talent pool deep, Ferguson makes a lot of sense. Especially since we don’t know the long-term viability of David Njoku.
He’s a bit undersized at just 6’3, and slowish with a 40-time of 4.8, but Smith has a motor that doesn’t quit. He’s not going to be a big playmaker but you also won’t see him getting blown up too much (hopefully). He’s not a fancy pick but he’ll hopefully be the blue-collar grinder you need in the winter.
Ask yourself this, did I pick the last three players specifically due to their names? Yes. Yes, I did. Turns out that drafting guys based on their name is as successful as picking the team with the best uniform to win whichever big game you’re watching. Stanley Berryhill III is a fast option at receiver, clocking in with a 4.48 40-time, and standing at about 5’10. He’s not anything breathtaking as far as a prospect goes but we’re looking at projects, so why not Berryhill? If for no other reasons than his name.
The team needs two receivers from this draft/free agent period, so I’m solving that with John Rambo. I mean Charleston Rambo. Though, if he does get drafted, I’m more than willing to offer a bonus to change his first name to John. He’s got a 4.57 40-time and stands at about 6’1. He also proved in Miami that he was capable of being the number one option for a club, and while that’s a stretch to say he could be in the NFL, it’s possible he finds a spot somewhere on the team. Crazier things have happened.
He ran a 4.36 at the combine. That’s the only reason you need.
Mock Draft #4
See Mock #1
See Mocks #1 and #3
Greg Dulcich is arguably the best tight end prospect we’ve taken in these mocks. He’s got a 4.70 40-time, stands at 6’4, and has an 81” wingspan. He’s also proven to be a big-play maker for UCLA, something you could say isn’t the case based on what we saw from Cade Otton and Jake Ferguson. This was the only mock that Dulcich fell to the third round, so I don’t know if he’ll actually be there come the day of.
See Mock #3.
When I conducted these mocks, I really didn’t think Denzel Ward would be kept around, and not at the number he was. That said, it still works because that means that Troy Hill will likely be gone after 2022, and that means the Browns will need to replace him anyway, so Chase Lucas still makes sense as a replacement. He’s fast enough to be a good fourth or third cornerback in a four-back set, pulling in a respectable 4.48 40-time. He’s had some injury issues in college but nothing to worry too much about. He’s a solid tackler and may fit in well.
Remember when I said “He ran a 4.36 at the combine. That’s the only reason you need.” Well, Tanner Conner ran a 4.37 40-time and has a 39.5” vertical leap. Did I mention he’s 6’3 and 230 lbs? He had three straight seasons of 680+ yards and averaged 17 yards per catch. Yeah, his tape is against Idaho, Montana, and Sacramento State, but that’s no reason not to go get him.
Tre Turner is less exciting than Tanner Conner but the Browns need multiple receivers from this offseason period, and he makes sense. He has a 4.51 40-time, and ideal size at 6’2. He’s a project for sure but he may be able to turn into something if trained the right way.