Cleveland Browns Mock Draft: Building the Perfect 7-Round Draft

Team President Mike Holmgren and GM Tom Heckert have gotten solid returns on their draft capital in each of their first two drafts as the war room generals for the Browns, but 2012 presents the biggest challenge yet, as the Browns have three of the first 37 picks and a sense of urgency as the other three teams in their division all made the playoffs last year.

Goals: Get a franchise quarterback or at least theoretical upgrade from Colt McCoy. Get a starting running back and wide receiver. Add speed at wide receiver. Add a projected starting corner, defensive end, free safety and right tackle. Add depth at guard, defensive tackle and outside linebacker.

Round 1, No. 4

Plan A: Trade Down with St. Louis, take Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M - I detailed this possibility yesterday and I think it would be smart. There are plenty of running backs who can start for this team available later and Tannehill will be there at No. 6. Tannehill might seem like a reach there, but his ceiling is much higher than Brandon Weeden or any other QB available later in the draft.

Plan B: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU - With Joe Haden on the other side, this would give the Browns the best corner combo in the division, if not the conference. The tactical advantage would help the pass rush and run defense by giving the Browns the ability to leave both corners on an island.

Round 1, No. 22 (from Atlanta)

Plan A: Trade Up for a Defensive End - As you can see in this list of picks, the Browns have the ammo to move up any time they want, and GM Tom Heckert showed us last year that even after trading down in the first, he is willing to pay a little to ensure that they get their target. A companion for Jabaal Sheard is a must. Any of North Carolina's Quinton Coples, Alabama's Courtney Upshaw, or Illinois Whitney Mercilus works for me. Cincinnati, San Diego, Chicago, and Tennessee have the five picks in front of the Browns' No. 22 and they all need pass rush help. The earlier projected trade down with St. Louis just gives them more capital to spend in this move.

Plan B: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor - Part of the reason that Blackmon isn't worth a commitment at No. 4 is that the Browns already have a rugged wideout who is a handful after the catch but lacks elite physical ability in Greg Little. Wright would add a speed dimension to the passing game.

Round 2, No. 37

Plan A: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU - Or Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill, or South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery. The likelihood of six wide receivers going in the 37 picks is small enough that the Browns can gamble on getting a high quality prospect at their natural second-round pick. None of these guys' abilities to make plays downfield will matter if they don't get a QB who can get the whole field in play.

Plan B: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State - Caught on the wrong side of a wide receiver run? That's ok, this class is deep and plenty of great wideouts come out of the third round or later. Instead, take a long-term starting RB like Martin.

Round 3, No. 67

Plan A: Chris Polk, RB, Washington - Or Bernard Pierce from Temple. Really this isn't a must because even a fourth or fifth round RB would probably out-play Montario Hardesty unless he re-invented himself this offseason. Polk is a workhorse and he seems to have snapped out of his Senior Bowl funk.

Plan B: Trade Up for a Defensive End - Marshall's Vinny Curry is the better pass rusher, Boise State's Shea McClellin is more versatile. The Browns can't afford to come out of the draft without a viable starting defensive end and it's unlikely that they can do that in the third round.

Round 4, No. 100

Plan A: Devon Wylie, WR, Fresno State - A shifty, speedy, savvy slot receiver like Wylie is yet another missing piece in the Browns' pass offense. This is a pick they can dangle in an earlier trade up, the important thing is to add another WR in the mid-rounds.

Plan B: Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas - The Browns have to take some boom/bust shots later in the draft. Childs could be the steal of the WR class if he regains his pre-injury form.

Round 4, No. 118 (from Atlanta)

Plan A: Josh Norman, CB, Coastal Carolina - In this scenario, the Browns pass on Claiborne, so a physically gifted but raw corner like Norman is an excellent long-term plan at CB opposite Joe Haden.

Plan B: Mitchell Schwartz, OT, California - Schwartz has experience playing both tackle spots and has started for his entire career, which means he's battle-tested and ready to compete to start at a need position for the Browns.

Round 5, No. 139

Plan A: Lucas Nix, OL, Pittsburgh - Nix is a quality hard-nosed offensive lineman who projects best at guard, but can also provide depth at right tackle.

Plan B: Jaye Howard, DL, Florida - Howard isn't quite the immovable object that Athyba Rubin and Phil Taylor are, but he can provide quality snaps and maybe some pressure from different interior spots on the defensive line.

Round 5, No. 160 (from Denver)

Plan A: Tom Compton, OT, South Dakota - The Browns need to do something about right tackle in the draft. Compton is a four-year starter, and even though he's a small school player, he was better than a lot of FBS offensive tackles at the combine.

Plan B: Emmanuel Acho, LB, Texas - The Browns might be to snag a high character versatile outside linebacker in the fifth round because of his quad injury at the combine, but the success of Acho's big brother in Arizona could still keep him prominent on team's boards.

Round 6, No. 204 (Compensatory)

Plan A: Tank Carder, LB, TCU - Carder is a smart, intense linebacker who would fit right in with guys like Scott Fujita and Chris Gocong.

Plan B: Ryan Miller, OL, Colorado - Miller is in a similar mold to Nix, quality guard prospect that can play tackle in a pinch.

Round 6, No. 205 (Compensatory)

Plan A: Tramain Thomas, FS, Arkansas - Thomas had a knack for the big play at a top level of college football competition, and his excellent pro day boosted his stock after being a combine snub.

Plan B: Neiko Thorpe, FS, Auburn - Similar to Thomas, Thorpe exhibited NFL quality physical attributes at his pro day. His background at corner will help provide depth in nickel and dime packages.

Round 7, No. 211

Plan A: Akiem Hicks, DL, Univ. of Regina - Hicks is a boom/bust prospect at DT who would give the Browns an amazing rotation if he hits.

Plan B: Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas State - Another boom/bust pick, bring him in to push Chris Ogbonnaya and Brandon Jackson in camp and then develop on the practice squad.

Round 7, No. 245 (Compensatory)

Plan A: Case Keenum, QB, Houston - A good quarterback to develop on the practice squad in a west coast system.

Plan B: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State - Another passer that lacks NFL measureables and tools, but could be brought along far enough to at least be a good backup a la Chase Daniel.

Round 7, No. 248 (Compensatory)

Plan A: Tydreke Powell, DT, North Carolina - Has the physical profile of good DT depth, just needs to work on his craft.

Plan B: Landon Walker, OT, Clemson - A high character four-year starter at a BCS school who could push to start at right tackle if he pans out.