Grading the Cleveland Browns draft class for 2022
By Chad Porto
Round 5, Pick 155 – RB Jerome Ford (Cincinnati)
This is an interesting pick, as Jerome Ford was a workhorse in Cincinnati. For one year. That’s actually the trend with this draft, most of these guys had just one year of solid to good play. Ford isn’t that fast and he isn’t the duel threat that adds to a running game. Ford really just feels like a long-term replacement.
To whom, though? He’s not here to replace Demetric Felton, moving on from him after one year would be disastrous for Andrew Berry’s reputation, especially after how hyped fans were for him. The Browns can’t cut bait with D’Ernest Johnson, he’s the second-best pure runner on the team. He’s not the duel treat Kareem Hunt is supposed to be but as a pure replacement for Nick Chubb, Johnson is the obvious choice.
As for Hunt, no one running back has his skillset and diversity but when the Browns don’t use his pass-catching consistently and just rely on him as a runner, he’s arguably the worst of the three top guys on the team. Unlike Chubb and Johnson, Hunt has a nasty habit of slamming into opposing players and bringing his footwork to a complete halt. He doesn’t run through guys like Chubb and Johnson do.
Yet, he also is the best receiver in the entire backfield. So who do you move on from? My guess is that it’s Hunt, as the Browns seem content with moving on from veterans this year.
Grade: C+