PFF has the Cleveland Browns taking a receiver in round three of the NFL Draft

PFF has the Cleveland Browns taking a receiver in the third round of the NFL Draft.

The Cleveland Browns don’t have a pick until mid-to-late in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Browns have the 74th overall pick, and it’s one of two picks the Browns have in the third round. The team has a lot of needs to fill, with some impact needed still on defense, and some depth on offense. Finding a starter isn’t impossible for Andrew Berry, as he does have the ability to find a starter later in the draft.

With Donovan Peoples-Jones coming in the sixth round, and Martin Emerson coming in the third round, it’s very possible that Berry can find the Browns a starter in this draft, even though he doesn’t have a first or second-round pick.

So it’s important that they hit on their first pick. PFF agrees with the sentiment, that the Browns have to hit on this pick, and they’re suggesting the team take A.T. Perry, a receiver out of Wake Forest.

A.T. Perry scores very well but the Cleveland Browns have more pressing needs

The Cleveland Browns have five receivers they have to get acclimated into the draft. One of which, Elijah Moore, was acquired by way of the Browns’ second-round pick. Sure, the Browns got a third-round pick in return but that’s an entire round down from the Browns. That’s going from Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah to Anthony Schwartz. Grant Delpit to Jordan Elliot. Also, but to a lesser degree, Martin Emerson to Perrion Winfrey. While the last two may not be second and third-rounders, the difference a round makes is not minimal.

Is Perry a good receiver? To a degree. Everyone at this stage in the draft has “something” off about them, for Perry, it’s his drops. He drops 9% of his passes. That’s a huge knock against him. However, he’s 6’3, runs a 4.47 40-yard dash, and is highly productive. He’s put up 2,400 yards and 26 touchdowns in just his last two seasons alone at Wake Forest.

Yet, if the Browns go receiver in the third round, again, for the third straight season, it’s an indictment on the receivers the Browns’ already had and a waste of a second-round draft pick. If you were just going to take another receiver, why even trade for Elijah Moore in the first place?

I like the player well enough that if the Browns hadn’t gotten Moore, I’d be ok with the Browns getting Perry, but at a certain point, you can either get receiver talent or you can’t. Getting Perry basically says that Moore and David Bell aren’t going to see the field as much as expected.

Yes, the Browns want to run more four-wide sets, but don’t they have enough for that already with Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Bell, and Moore? I’m not against another receiver, just not this early.