Cleveland Browns: 7-Round Mock Draft and Top-100 Big Board

After months of preparation, scouting, working out prospects and building a big board, the Cleveland Browns are closing in on the 2016 NFL draft that begins on April 28.

This offseason has brought newfound optimism and hope that this franchise finally begins moving in the right direction after far too many years of losing. Though the Browns have shown brief glimpses of becoming a winning team over the years, they've been unable to keep it together for a full 16-game season.

That's why a new regime is in charge, from the front office down to the head coach. New Browns general manager/vice president Sashi Brown is now in charge of building the Browns roster into one its fans can be proud of.

But Brown will also have the aid of new head coach Hue Jackson, who has tasted a lot of success over the past decade he's been in the league. Since 2004, Jackson has been part of teams who went at least 8-8 in all abut one year (Falcons in 2007). 

During that time, Jackson's teams also went to the playoffs seven times as he's helped build up those rosters into winning football clubs. That's the kind of impact the Browns are hoping he has sooner rather than later. 

Now, it's time to look at how the Browns will take a big step toward accomplishing this through this year's NFL draft. For this mock draft, I ran through several Fanspeak.com mock draft simulations to help project the best-case scenario for Cleveland's draft.

Now, let's take a look at a top-100 big board and seven-round mock draft for the Cleveland Browns. 

Top-100 Big Board

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For this mock draft, I also formed my own big board based on the Browns' biggest positions of need while keeping in mind the offensive and defensive systems Cleveland runs.

So for example, defensive coordinator Ray Horton primarily runs a 3-4 defense. That means a guy like Joey Bosa, who projects best as a 4-3 defensive end, is ranked a little lower on my board than he would be for a team running a 4-3 defense.  

And while much of this board is formed based on the Browns' needs, I did keep several guys ranked at or near where they are viewed as overall prospects, regardless of team.

So with a guy like Jalen Ramsey, arguably the best prospect in this draft, I still kept him high on my board even though cornerback is not a big need for Cleveland. 

I also removed several guys who may go in the first three rounds but may have major off-field issues. The Browns have gotten burned there too much lately and can't afford any more busts because of off-field problems. 

Here's a look at my big board: 

Cleveland Browns Big Board

Rank	Player	Position	School
1	Carson Wentz	QB	North Dakota State
2	Jalen Ramsey	QB	Cal
3	Jared Goff	DE/LB	Ohio State
4	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
5	Myles Jack	LB	UCLA
6	Joey Bosa	DE/LB	Ohio State
7	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
8	DeForest Buckner	DE/LB	Oregon
9	Vernon Hargreaves III	CB	Florida
10	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Notre Dame
11	Darron Lee	LB	Ohio State
12	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
13	Sheldon Rankins	DT	Louisville
14	Shaq Lawson	DE/LB	Clemson
15	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
16	A'Shawn Robinson	DT	Alabama
17	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
18	Josh Doctson	WR	TCU
19	Andrew Billings	DT	Baylor
20	Reggie Ragland	ILB	Alabama
21	Eli Apple	CB	Ohio State
22	Corey Coleman	WR	Baylor
23	Ryan Kelly	C	Alabama
24	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
25	Vernon Butler	DT	LA Tech
26	Leonard Floyd	OLB	Georgia
27	Connor Cook	QB	Michigan State
28	Michael Thomas	WR	Ohio State
29	Cody Whitehair	OG	Kansas State
30	Noah Spence	DE/LB	EKU
31	William Jackson III	CB	Houston
32	Jarran Reed	DT	Alabama
33	Emmanuel Ogbah	DE/LB	Oklahoma State
34	Kevin Dodd	DE/LB	Clemson
35	Keanu Neal	S	Florida
36	Jonathan Bullard	DL	Florida
37	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
38	Kenny Clark	DT	UCLA
39	Hunter Henry	TE	Arkansas
40	Germain Ifedi	OT	Texas A&M
41	Jaylon Smith	LB	Notre Dame
42	Derrick Henry	RB	Alabama
43	Karl Joseph	S	West Virginia
44	Will Fuller	WR	Notre Dame
45	Robert Nkemdiche	DL	Ole Miss
46	Kamalei Correa	OLB	Boise State
47	Kendall Fuller	CB	Virginia Tech
48	Tyler Boyd	WR	Pitt
49	Joshua Perry	LB	Ohio State
50	Sterling Shepard	WR	Oklahoma
51	Artie Burns	CB	Miami (FL)
52	Jeremy Cash	S	Duke
53	Devontae Booker	RB	Utah
54	Austin Johnson	DT	Penn State
55	Sterling Shepard	WR	Oklahoma
56	Kenneth Dixon	RB	LA Tech
57	Vonn Bell	S	Ohio State
58	Shilique Calhoun	DE/LB	Michigan State
59	Pharoh Cooper	WR	South Carolina
60	Nick Martin	C	Notre Dame
61	Su'a Cravens	S/LB	USC
62	Adolphus Washington	DL	Ohio State
63	Shon Coleman	OT	Auburn
64	Darian Thompson	S	Boise State
65	Jason Spriggs	OT	Indiana
66	Kentrell Brothers	ILB	Missouri
67	Braxton Miller	WR	Ohio State
68	Chris Jones	DT	Mississippi State
69	Austin Hooper	TE	Stanford
70	Xavien Howard	CB	Baylor
71	Le'Raven Clark	OT	Texas Tech
72	Carl Nassib	DE/LB	Penn State
73	Joshua Garnett	OG	Stanford
74	Scooby Wright III	LB	Arizona
75	Paul Perkins	RB	UCLA
76	Christian Westerman	OG	Arizona State
77	Leonte Carroo	WR	Rutgers
78	Jonathan Jones	CB	Auburn
79	Jordan Jenkins	OLB	Georgia
80	Nick Vannett	TE	Ohio State
81	Tyler Matakevich	ILB	Temple
82	Sheldon Day	DT	Notre Dame
83	Jerell Adams	TE	South Carolina
84	Jordan Howard	RB	Indiana
85	Charone Peake	WR	Clemson
86	Will Redmond	CB	Mississippi State
87	Miles Killebrew	S	Utah
88	Jihad Ward	DE/LB	Northern Illinois
89	Jalen Mills	FS	LSU
90	Mike Thomas	WR	Southern Miss
91	Maliek Collins	DT	Nebraska
92	Stephen Weatherly	ILB	Vanderbilt
93	Rashard Higgins	WR	Colorado State
94	Jack Allen	C	Michigan State
95	Thomas Duarte	WR/TE	UCLA
96	Kevin Byard	S	Middle Tennessee State
97	C.J. Prosise	RB/WR	Notre Dame
98	Daniel Braverman	WR	Western Michigan
99	Kelvin Taylor	RB	Florida
100	Zack Sanchez	CB	Oklahoma

Round 1

Round 1, Pick No. 2: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State

With the Los Angeles Rams making a blockbuster trade to move up to the top pick, it looks likely that they'll take a quarterback with the first pick.

You could make a good case for either Cal's Jared Goff or North Dakota State's Carson Wentz, but ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Rams favor Goff. So for now, I'm going with Wentz to the Browns with their first pick.

As I mentioned in the first slide, new Jackson has had a lot of success at nearly every NFL job he's had. That's included roles as the Bengals offensive coordinator, Ravens quarterbacks coach and both the Raiders offensive coordinator and head coach.

Jackson has been instrumental in the developments of Pro Bowl quarterbacks Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton. That's why I'm confident that Jackson will want to take a quarterback early in this draft in hopes of developing him the same way he did with his previous pupils. 

As for Wentz, there's a lot to work with here, as he possesses everything you need to make a good NFL quarterback. He's got ideal NFL height (6'5", 237 lbs) with an athletic build and can hurt defenses through the air and on the ground. 

Wentz's arm strength, accuracy and poise in the pocket allow him to make NFL throws on a routine basis, whether it's in a clean pocket or with pressure in his face. His mobility and speed are good enough that he'll make teams respect his running threat and keep an extra linebacker or defensive back in to spy him, opening up more of the field for him to pick the defense apart. 

Wentz also played in a pro-­style offense in college and should be ready to start as a rookie. Even if he's not, Wentz is too good of a prospect at too important of a position to pass up if he's on the board when the Browns make their first pick. 

Round 2

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Round 2, Pick No. 32: Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama 

With the Browns addressing quarterback in the first round, the next biggest need to fill is debatable. Between wide receiver, safety, linebacker, center and cornerback, Cleveland should simply go with the best player on its board at this point.

For this mock, that turns out to be Alabama's Ryan Kelly, whom many regard as the top center prospect in this draft. After losing longtime starting center Alex Mack, the Browns badly need to find an adequate replacement to ensure the offensive line doesn't take a big dip in production this year.

It's been one of the few strengths for this team in recent years, so finding a good center in this draft is critical to ensure it doesn't become one of the many weaknesses this team has right now. Kelly can come in and ensure there's little to no drop-off, as he's easily the best center prospect in this draft. 

In fact, Kelly is expected to be drafted somewhere in Round 1, but in this scenario, I have him falling to the first pick of Round 2 as Cleveland lands its franchise center. 

Round 3

(Warning: NFSW lyrics in above video.)

Round 3, Pick No. 65: Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina

Between the Browns' second- and third-round picks, I believe they'll take a wide receiver with one of those selections. In this scenario, it's Round 3 as they take South Carolina's Pharoh Cooper.

Cooper is one of the most underrated offensive prospects in this draft because of how bad of a team he played on last year. The offense was a mess, and there was no stability at quarterback, yet Cooper still managed to put up big numbers in college football's best conference.

At 5'11" and 207 pounds, Cooper is a game-changer in the slot and would likely start there as a rookie if Cleveland drafts him. CBS Sports' Dane Brugler and Rob Rang compared him to Packers receiver Randall Cobb.

Back in 2014, Cooper finished third in the SEC in catches (69), second in receiving yards (1,136) and ninth in all-purpose yards per game (108.5). He emerged as not only one of the best receivers in the league but a game-breaking return man as well. 

And despite the Gamecocks struggling badly this past season, especially at quarterback, Cooper still led the team with 66 receptions for 973 yards and eight touchdowns in 2015. He opted to turn pro as a true junior following the season, and most expect to see him drafted somewhere in Rounds 2-3. 

Cooper would almost certainly earn a starting role as a rookie in Cleveland. Depending on how much he's used as a returner, Cooper may end up being a dark-horse candidate for NFL Rookie of the Year honors. 

Round 4

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Round 4, Pick No. 99: Darian Thompson, S, Boise State

With their biggest needs addressed, now is when Cleveland starts adding depth at spots that may have good starters but lack adequate backups. Sticking to the best-player-available strategy, the Browns stick to their board and land one of the draft's top safety prospects in Darian Thompson.

The 6'2", 208-pound physical specimen is exactly what you look for in an NFL strong safety. He's a long, athletic bruiser who puts fear into any receiver coming across the middle, shown by his 63 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss this past season. 

But don't mistake Thompson for a one-trick pony. He can make a big impact in pass coverage, as evidenced by his 17 career interceptions (five in 2015). He may be drafted as high as the end of Round 2, but he falls to Round 4 in this mock. 

With Donte Whitner and Tashaun Gipson leaving this offseason, the Browns badly need to find an impact safety in this draft. Thompson will be just that.

Round 4, Pick No. 138 (compensatory pick): Jordan Howard, RB, Indiana

Though this position isn't really a need, this mock simulation sees Cleveland land a solid running back in Indiana's Jordan Howard. The do-it-all runner is the kind of weapon the Browns offense has been lacking, and he could challenge Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson for the starting spot. 

A former UAB Blazer who transferred to Indiana in 2015, Howard finished his lone Hoosier season ranking second in the Big Ten with 134.8 rushing yards per game. He finished the year with 1,213 rushing yards on 196 attempts with nine touchdowns while catching 11 passes for 106 yards and another score.

Howard would be drafted higher if not for injuries plaguing him at various points in 2015. Per the school's official website, Howard missed 18 quarters of football due to injury.

He's expected to go sometime in Round 3, so don't be surprised if Howard is off the board before Cleveland could get him at this point. 

Round 5

Round 5, Pick No. 141: Shilique Calhoun, DE/LB, Michigan State

After addressing most of their major and minor needs in the first four rounds, the Browns are able to be a little more flexible by the time Round 5 begins. With their first pick of this round, they land a solid edge-rusher in Michigan State's Shilique Calhoun.

Primarily a defensive end in college, Calhoun would be an ideal candidate for a move to a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL. That's because his 6'4", 251-pound frame will make it hard for him to play defensive end in the pros. 

But don't let his lack of size fool you. Calhoun was a monster off the edge for the Spartans from 2013-15, which saw MSU go 36-5 on the strength of their defense. Over that span, Calhoun racked up 26 sacks (10.5 in 2015), 125 tackles and 41.5 tackles for loss. 

He'll be a great addition as an outside backer for the Browns and helped upgrade their porous pass rush.

Round 5, Pick No. 172 (compensatory pick): Jonathan Jones, CB, Auburn

The next fifth-round pick sees Cleveland nab a quality cornerback in Auburn's Jonathan Jones. A four-year starter and All-SEC selection in 2015, Jones notched seven interceptions, 24 pass breakups and 105 tackles over the past two season.

His college production showed that of a fourth- or fifth-round prospect, but he may have more value than that after a big showing at the NFL Scouting Combine. There, Jones ran a blistering 4.33 40-yard dash. 

Even with his speed, Jones was never used as a returner in college, but did say he fielded punts in practice, per AL.com's James Crepea. His speed alone will have teams like the Browns looking to add him as an extra corner and expect him to make a big impact on special teams, whether it's as a gunner or returner.

And over time, Jones may develop into a quality corner who moves up into the top two or three of Cleveland's rotation there. 

Round 5, Pick No. 173 (compensatory pick): Jerell Adams, TE, South Carolina

The final fifth-round selection sees the Browns nab South Carolina tight end Jerell Adams. The big 6'5", 247-pound Adams finished his Gamecock career with 66 catches for 977 yards and seven scores.

While he never had a big season numbers-wise, Adams played in an offense that was severely limited and featured Cooper as the top option.

But in 2015, Adams became the team's second-leading receiver with 28 grabs for 421 yards and three touchdowns. Though Cleveland has a stud at this position in Gary Barnidge, pairing Adams with him makes this a tough duo to stop.

Round 6

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Round 6, Pick No. 176: Will Redmond, CB, Mississippi State

For this pick, Cleveland can be a bit riskier and take a player with a lot of upside but may have off-field issues or injury concerns that have caused him to fall this far. In this scenario, it's Mississippi State cornerback Will Redmond.

The issue that will likely cause this talented corner to drop further than he deserves to go is a torn ACL suffered midway through his senior season. He was having a great year and was poised to become a high draft pick, but he likely falls to Day 3 because of the concerns surrounding his health. 

But when he was healthy in 2015, Redmond was a speedy and athletic corner who could stay with any receiver he went against. He also had two picks in just six games this past year after notching 51 tackles, three tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a team-best three interceptions in 2014.

Through his college career, Redmond played on both the boundary and in the slot as he possesses the speed and strength to handle NFL-caliber receivers. He'll probably need a redshirt year to recover from his injury, but Redmond has a bright future if he stays healthy. 

Round 7

Round 7, Pick No. 223: Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan

The Browns will look to end their 2016 draft class with a bang when their final pick comes around in Round 7. For this scenario, they end up getting a big steal in the form of Western Michigan receiver Daniel Braverman. 

The 5'10", 177-pound Braverman may not look like an NFL receiver, but his college production shows he can play. An athletic, speedy and shifty slot receiver who consistently gets open against anyone, Braverman finished 2015 with 108 catches, the second-most in all of college football.

He also had 1,371 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns with some of his best games coming against top-10 foes Michigan State and Ohio State. Though Braverman may not be a featured weapon in Cleveland's offense as a rookie, he'd be a big contributor just from the simple fact that Andrew Hawkins and Brian Hartline can't stay healthy for a full season.

Last year, Hartline missed four games due to a broken collarbone. He also turns 30 this November and probably doesn't have much left in the tank.

As for Hawkins, the 30-year-old has missed 17 games over the past three seasons due to various injuries. He was limited to just eight games in 2015 due to lingering concussion issues.

Together, Hartline and Hawkins combined for just 799 yards and two scores on 73 catches in 2015. Making matters worse is Travis Benjamin left this offseason, leaving a major void at this position.

That's why adding multiple receivers in this draft is important for the Browns. After landing Cooper in Round 3, the Browns cap off a productive draft with Braverman in Round 7.