2015 Cleveland Browns Mock Draft: Early Offseason 7-Round Predictions
Here it is, you freaks; your first chance to look through all seven rounds of the 2015 NFL draft and debate whom the Cleveland Browns should select. I know you have been salivating and hitting the refresh button for this since the clock hit zero on Sunday afternoon.
Obviously doing a mock draft before the playoffs even start is more conjecture and guessing than anything, but it does at least give you some names to watch for heading into draft season.
The important thing to remember is that players will rise and fall like the sun does over the ocean, but no one truly knows where these guys will be drafted. What we do know is that the Browns have holes that need to be filled, and with 10 draft picks, they will have plenty of chances to do so.
They currently own two first-round, two fourth-round and two sixth-round selections. The roster has improved to the point where they do not have room for 10 rookies to make the team, so expect general manager Ray Farmer to be active. He has shown in the past he is not afraid to wheel and deal—that won’t change this year, either.
Farmer could package picks and move up to select a quarterback or stay in both spots and take the best available player. That is the luxury of having assets entering the most important rebuilding tool in the NFL.
One thing is for sure: The Browns need to do better in the first round than they have the last few years. The book has not been completely written on Barkevious Mingo, Justin Gilbert or Johnny Manziel, but to this point, it certainly doesn’t read like a best-seller.
So without further adieu, here is your first seven-round mock draft for the Browns. Enjoy it, you savages.
1st Round, Pick 12
1 of 8
Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
Ah yes, I can hear the booing and sense the anger already. Never mind that Scherff comes from an offensive lineman factory and has the versatility to play the right tackle or guard position. And never mind the fact that both of those are positions of need for the Browns.
This unsexy selection might anger fans and media, but it is exactly what the doctor ordered for the 28th-ranked rushing attack when it comes to yards per carry.
We must also remember that sooner or later, Joe Thomas won’t be holding down the left tackle position like he has been for most of the past decade. It’s time to start forging ahead.
If the Browns can snag Scherff at 13, that is probably a steal. He is as high as the fifth pick in CBSSports.com's Rob Rang’s mock draft, and B/R's own Matt Miller has him going 17th to San Diego.
Either way, Scherff is undeniable first-round talent at 6’5”, 320 pounds. His 2014 campaign wasn’t his greatest, but that had a lot more to do with being banged up as opposed to a lack of skill. He is an athletic freak.
1st Round, Pick 19 (From Buffalo)
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DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
This one is a little more of a pipe dream than Scherff at 13, but it still could happen. Most see Parker being taken between Nos. 7 and 14, and while that certainly might be the case, someone is going to fall.
If the Browns have an opportunity to snag one of the top three receivers at 19, they can and probably will do so.
Parker is a perfect fit because he is the antithesis of Josh Gordon at the wide receiver position. He is a hardworking student of the position who has developed into a top-tier route-runner throughout his collegiate career. He is 6’3” with long arms and a vertical that might propel him into the top 10 of the draft.
He battled injuries in 2014 and still grabbed 35 balls for 735 yards and five touchdowns. That was his worst season at Louisville, and it was still nothing to sneeze at.
He is ready to contribute at the next level and could be an excellent primary target for whoever plays quarterback next season.
2nd Round
3 of 8
Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
The Browns will more than likely find themselves in a position where they need to replace Phil Taylor next offseason. His rookie deal is up after 2015, and someone will pay the big man some big money.
The Browns will have to decide if he is worth that money to them, because they are intimately familiar with his injury history. He has not played a full season since his rookie year, and he played just five games in 2014.
If they selected Brown, they could bridge that gap before Taylor’s departure. If they kept Taylor around as well, then Brown could learn under him and be an insurance policy/rotation guy the way Ahtyba Rubin had been. Rubin is a free agent this offseason and is unlikely to return.
Brown is a giant man in an athletic 6’4”, 320-pound frame. He played mostly nose tackle at Texas and would be asked to do the same in Cleveland. He swallows up multiple blocks and allows the guys around him to make plays. That is exactly what you want from his position.
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3rd Round
4 of 8
Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Georgia
Jabaal Sheard’s contract is up in Cleveland, and he never really flourished the way the Browns wish he would have. He looked especially mediocre in the 3-4 defense this season.
Cleveland will need to snag a pass-rusher, because Barkevious Mingo has not proven he can handle full-time responsibilities at that position.
Cleveland also needs a guy who can manage against the run, and that is exactly what it would get with Jenkins. He played on the line at a heavier weight in 2013 and then stood up with a smaller frame in 2014. His versatility will allow the Browns to put him in whatever spot he can cause the most damage.
He is not the type of pass-rusher that opposing quarterbacks need to take note of on every play, but he can get home and is especially stout against the run.
The outside linebackers struggled heavily with stopping the run last season in Cleveland, and that needs drastic improvement.
4th Round
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Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers
While some fans might be mad when the Browns let Jordan Cameron walk in free agency, drafting a talent like Kroft will help ease the pain. Kroft is the new breed of tight end who has the speed and athleticism of a running back or slot wide receiver in a big body.
In fact, he lined up as a back and wideout quite often in 2013 at Rutgers. This past season, however, he was a full-time tight end and made big plays with his soft hands and leaping ability. He caught 24 balls for 269 yards but is the type of player who is ready to make a big impact in the right system.
The Browns will not have a true pass-catching tight end if and when Cameron leaves in free agency, and Kroft is a guy who can fill the void and then some. He will be an automatic improvement over Cameron in the blocking department as well.
Even though he is lanky at 6’5”, 240 pounds, he is a fierce blocker who enjoys mixing it up with defenders. He plays with an angry mentality, and I like it.
Ben Heeney, ILB, Kansas
If the Browns re-sign Craig Robertson in free agency, then this pick might not be necessary. But they must also remember that Karlos Dansby is the oldest player on their roster. He may break down at some point, and you need depth, especially in the 3-4 defense.
Heeney’s combine numbers will not make headlines, but he goes all-out on every play. He's a high-character guy who makes up for it with passion and heart. He is just 6’0", 230 pounds but is as sure a tackler as you can find in the draft. If he can get to you, you're going to be on the ground.
He also does surprisingly well in coverage, as he reads quarterbacks' eyes to make up for his speed disadvantage.
Heeney embodies the “Play Like a Brown” mantra that Farmer and head coach Mike Pettine have instilled, and he could flourish under Dansby’s tutelage.
5th Round
6 of 8
Levi Norwood, WR, Baylor
If the last name sounds familiar, that is because his older brother spent a few seasons in an orange helmet. Jordan was the epitome of a true professional and showed flashes of talent when he was not injured. Levi has those characteristics and is taller than Jordan but still very slender at 6’0”, 200 pounds.
His 2014 campaign was not what he had hoped for after catching 47 passes for 733 yards and seven touchdowns in 2013. This past season, he had just 255 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
Still, Norwood is a student of the game and brings an element the Browns desperately need: kick-returning skills. He was Baylor’s primary punt returner and averaged 9.6 yards per return with two touchdowns. He is the type of weapon you can stick back there and not have to worry about that position unless an injury happens.
6th Round
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Robby Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin
You can never have enough depth on the offensive line, and the Browns know that. Ray Farmer said as much during his end-of-season press conference on Tuesday, per 92.3 The Fan's Daryl Ruiter:
""Lets get the guys that affect the game all of the time" - Farmer on why he'd prefer an OL high in draft v WR
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) December 30, 2014"
This is why Cleveland will likely load up in this upcoming draft, and it could not draft a bigger guy than Havenstein. Really, he is gigantic. At 6’8”, he is a mauler in the run game. He would be a huge project in pass protection, but he comes from a great offensive line program and could end up a starter at some point in his career.
Clayton Geathers, SS, UCF
Donte Whitner will not be around forever, and the Browns need to start thinking about that. The likelihood of a sixth-round pick replacing a two-time Pro Bowler is slim, but Geathers could serve as an insurance policy if Whitner were to go down.
Geathers is skinnier than an ideal strong safety at 6’2”, 208 pounds, but he has the frame to put on weight and is not afraid to mix it up in the run game. He adds an element of coverage that Whitner lacks, but he would have to bulk up for the next level.
7th Round
8 of 8
Justin Manton, K, Louisiana-Monroe
The Browns' kicking game was a nightmare in 2013. Billy Cundiff unraveled, and the Browns were forced to bring in Garrett Hartley off the street late in the season. Normally I am completely against drafting a kicker, but Manton is a different animal.
Not only was he named to the Sun Belt All-Conference first team as a kicker, but he was also named to the second team as a punter. This is no fluke, either. He averaged 42.4 yards per punt, which was good for 43rd in the nation.
Maybe he would not take over the punter position from Spencer Lanning right away, but if he could in the future, it would save the Browns a roster spot. Versatility is the new black in the NFL.
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