The Cleveland Browns are the second-worst drafting team from ’12 to ’21

The Cleveland Browns are not good at this drafting thing.

In Dante’s Inferno, the famed Italian poet Dante Alighieri (as translated by Henry Francis Cary) once wrote “…all hope abandon ye who enter here.” If there were a better way to phrase the recent (and long-term) history of the Cleveland Browns’ ability (or lack thereof) at drafting players, I couldn’t find one.

When it comes to the Browns’ ability to draft players over the last decade, it’s fair to say they don’t have any. Ability, that is. And this isn’t an opinion, either. It’s a fact. According to ESPN, from 2012 to 2021, the Cleveland Browns are ranked 31st out of 32 teams in their ability to draft good talent.

Using the Career Approximate Value Over Expected (CAVOE) equation, the Browns were seen to have a score of -278.9. For comparison, the Seattle Seahawks are the top team on the list, with a CAVOE of + 176.6.

The equation takes into all the players drafted in that given season, and grades it on individual seasons, before totaling the drafts as a whole. The Browns only had one positive draft in that time; 2018. They landed Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward, and Nick Chubb in the first two rounds, and those three names are carrying the entire grade. Well, specifically Chubb is, with Ward kind of helping out.

What’s made this even worse, and why it’s so crucial to the Browns’ drafting history this week, is that the team is ranked 30th with a CAVOE of -47.9 for all of their day 3 draft picks (Rounds 4-7).

Considering the Browns mostly have day three picks this year, does not bold well for the team’s overall ability to continue to fill holes on this roster.

The Cleveland Browns are fighting the odds this year

While the Browns have not done well outside of the Andrew Berry year, Berry’s drafts have not netted the team one positive player since he took over the team. Granted, this is from last year, and maybe the attitude on Donovan Peoples-Jones has changed, but keep in mind that Greg Newsome will not be a starter in 2023 after being beaten out by 2022 third-round pick Martin Emerson.

Emerson will likely help the team’s score as well.

The Browns have not drafted well for the last decade for a variety of reasons, but mostly for ignoring talent and tape and falling in love with ages, combine stats, and perceived fits in a team. This will likely continue into 2023 as well, with many thinking the Browns will look for more younger, “Berry-type” players.

Considering the team is coming off of two back-to-back losing seasons with an alleged “Super Bowl contender” it’s more than fair to say that if Berry fumbles this draft as well, 2024 will be headlined by new coaches and management.