Browns' Draft Needs: Where Does Cleveland Need Help Most?

One of the toughest parts of the NFL draft is to stick to your draft board. Organizations spend months and sometimes years evaluating players and rating them only to have team needs and the excitement of the moment take over. The Cleveland Browns, like everyone, have needs on their team and hopefully can make the value of the pick match the need on their roster.

Some pieces of the Browns' roster seem set for the foreseeable future. Cornerback has a gluttony of talent, as does running back. The quarterback position should be interesting, but if the Browns don’t select one in the first few rounds it really won’t make a difference on their roster anyway.

No, the biggest positional needs for the Browns start in the trenches. Those are not the only spots where the Browns need help, though. Let’s take a look at the Browns' most pressing needs—where the value might fit the level of need—and some names that you might want to watch for in that part of the draft.

Wide Receiver

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The Browns found some mildly impactful receivers this past season, but not enough to make them a legitimate threat in the passing game. Andrew Hawkins is a great second or third receiver, and Taylor Gabriel is a nice complement, but after them the cupboard might be bare.

It is looking more and more like Josh Gordon may not be with the Browns next season, and if that is the case it will leave a huge void. They filled that void with a patchwork crew this season that saw Miles Austin catch 48 balls for 568 yards. His contract is up, and it seems unlikely that it will be renewed.

If the Browns search for answers in the draft they will find another nice crop of young pass-catchers to choose from. If they find a talent near the top they love, it will be tough for them to pass up for the second straight year. It was tough enough watching Odell Beckham Jr., Kendall Wright, Mike Evans and Brandin Cooks and other rookies flourish this season—and the Browns passed on all of them.

Potential draft targets:

DeVante Parker – Louisville

Call him Andre Johnson Jr. with his huge hands, big body and crazy vertical leap. He will be a stud but might be gone in the first five to seven picks.

Kevin White – West Virginia

Another tall, physical receiver, but this time without the top-end speed. He can still run with any cornerback, but he isn’t Josh Gordon fast.

Jaelen Strong – Arizona State University

Strong is a physical freak composed of elite size, strength and speed. He is very raw and will need to sharpen his route-running as well as learn the nuances of the position.

Offensive Line

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The position that has the least sex appeal in the NFL is the position that is arguably the most important. The Browns were 28^th in the NFL last season when it came to yards per carry.

What Alex Mack’s season-ending injury exposed was just how mediocre guard John Greco and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz really are. It also exposed how little depth they have. Free-agent acquisition Paul McQuistan was a nightmare and hurt the team more than he helped on the field.

The Browns need offensive line help, and they need it early in the draft. They have to start grooming a replacement for Joe Thomas and possibly replace Schwartz immediately. There is plenty of talent in the first round; with two picks the Browns should make one of them a lineman.

Potential draft targets:

Brandon Scherff – Iowa

He will probably the first or second lineman selected, and for good reason. The physical freak can play both tackle and guard and has a lot of nasty in him.

La’el Collins – LSU

This monster is a devastating run-blocker who plays with over-the-top aggression. He has a square frame which some say will make him better suited as a guard in the NFL, but at some point he could be technically sound enough to play tackle too.

Linebacker

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This is not a position of dire need for the Browns, but there are a lot of question marks on the horizon. At the inside position, Craig Robertson is a free agent and may not be back next season, and Karlos Dansby is the oldest player on the roster. It will be vital for the Browns to acquire some depth on the inside.

At the outside linebacker position the Browns need some help as well. Jabaal Sheard is a free agent and never really panned out as the Browns might have hoped. Barkevious Mingo showed some flashes this season but was injured most of the year and has come nowhere near living up to the billing of the sixth overall pick.

Even Paul Kruger, who had 11 sacks, was still a liability in the run game at times. The Browns seem to lack a solid, all-around outside linebacker who can play every snap and make an impact in both phases of defense.

Potential draft targets:

Denzel Perryman – Miami

If the Browns are feeling froggy and want to spend a first-round pick on the inside linebacker position, this is the guy to spend it on. Perryman is ready to become a star at the next level and will be a starter for the next decade barring injury.

Ben Heeney – Kansas

Heeney can be had in the later rounds but is a heart and hustle guy. He does not have the crazy physical attributes but is everything you want in an inside linebacker and defensive leader.

Zach Hodges – Harvard

Hodges is an outside linebacker who is slim but has a large frame and can add bulk. He is strong for his size and is a project. He could be had in the fourth or fifth round.

Jordan Jenkins – Georgia

He is the most NFL-ready guy you can find in the middle rounds and will excel against the run right away. He also has the speed and power to get to the quarterback when needed.

Tight End

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It is time for the Browns to move on from Jordan Cameron, and if they do they need to bring in some young talent. Gary Barnidge and Jim Dray are long in the tooth, and neither is a real playmaker on the field. They are more reliable than flashy.

There was so much promise with Cameron that really only materialized for one season. Now, after three concussions and his missing a big chunk of this season, the Browns need to ask themselves if he will ever be the guy they want him to be.

Even when he was healthy he was a well-below-average run-blocker, which made him a liability for more than half of their plays. The Browns need to find a young talent who is ready to make the leap at the next level and has the grit to sacrifice his body in the run game.

Potential draft targets:

Tyler Kroft – Rutgers

The tall, lanky tight end who also played running back and slot receiver in his collegiate career is a versatile weapon and can challenge a defense in multiple ways. He has room to put on bulk and enjoys blocking. Might be a steal in the middle rounds.

Jeff Heuerman – Ohio State

Heuerman is not an elite athlete but is as well rounded as you will find in the draft. Think of him as Dray and Barnidge combined with better speed and a higher vertical. He is a leader and will be a solid to above-average tight end for years to come.

Wes Saxton – South Alabama

Saxton is a freak athlete with a long, lanky frame but muscle tone and speed to go along with it. He is a raw project and needs time to develop, but with the right coaching could be a game-breaker.

Defensive Line

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When your defense is dead last in the league against the run then there are issues. The Browns never really found an every-down nose tackle who could clog the middle and consistently stop the run. Ahtyba Rubin is a free agent, and Phil Taylor is heading into his last year of his contract and has never stayed healthy.

To run a 3-4 defense—like the Browns do—you have to have defensive linemen who are not only big and strong but also fast. The outside guys need to be able to handle multiple blockers and have the speed to get to the quarterback. The nose has to be able to suck two blockers into the middle on every play so linebackers can run free and make plays.

That didn’t happen last year, and that makes a nose tackle one of the most important positions the Browns need to address. Building from the trenches out is how you build for success.

Potential draft targets:

Malcolm Brown – Texas

Brown is a huge body with the athleticism of a smaller defensive tackle. The fear is that once he hits the combine his stock will skyrocket. For now the Browns could still be in play for him in the second round.

Jordan Phillips – Oklahoma

Phillips is a 6’6”, 334-pound freak who collapses pockets and swallows up blockers. He is not the most technically sound, but his natural ability makes up for that. He could be dominant at the next level with some seasoning.