Cleveland Browns Initial 2015 Round-by-Round Draft Big Board
While four teams prepare to try and get to the biggest game of the year, the Cleveland Browns are preparing to try and bolster their roster to get to that point.
Draft talk is heating up, and the Browns have 10 picks to bring in another influx of young talent.
As we have seen in the past, quality players can be had in any round of the draft. It is an inexact science. The general managers who are able to maximize their value on every pick and hit more than they miss are the ones who will eventually find themselves at this point in the playoffs.
The Browns certainly have positions of need but will also look to draft depth at other positions.
In this round-by-round big board, there will be some positions that make you scratch your head. The reasoning behind the names is because their value would supersede perceived needs in other spots.
Obviously the Browns big board will have names like quarterback Marcus Mariota on top, but that isn’t realistic—so I only included players who I thought would be available.
Here it is, your first seven-round big board of 2015 for the Cleveland Browns.
First Round
1 of 7
DeVante Parker – WR – Louisville
Brandon Scherff – OT – Iowa
Kevin White – WR – West Virginia
La’el Collins – OT – Alabama
Malcolm Brown – DT – Texas
The Browns hold two picks in the most important round of the draft. The past two seasons have been more than suspect, and of the Browns' three picks in those years, none have proven to be a quality payer just yet.
That trend would stop instantly with any of the names above. Wide receiver DeVante Parker would be a huge addition and an instant No. 1 receiver, but he might be gone by the time the Browns pick. So Kevin White from West Virginia might just have to do.
Make no mistake; no one is settling when it comes to White. He is 6’3”, 210 pounds and caught 109 passes for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com has the Browns selecting him in his latest mock draft.
"Who knows how much longer Josh Gordon will last in Cleveland, which is why wide receiver could be a possibility in the first round for the Browns. White is dynamic with the ball in the air, using his tracking ability and strong hands to attack the ball and come down with it.
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Also on this big board is nose tackle Malcolm Brown from Texas. He a massive human being with incredible athleticism for his size. He is 6’4”, 340 pounds and exactly what the Browns need in the middle to stuff the run next season.
Second Round
2 of 7
Devin Funchess – WR/TE – Michigan
Jaelen Strong – WR – Arizona State
Denzel Perryman – ILB – Miami
Brett Hundley – QB – UCLA
A.J. Cann – G – South Carolina
In the second round, the Browns can go in a plethora of directions depending on what types of surprises happen in front of them. There is always a player or two snagged way earlier than expected and a few who drop into your lap.
Wide receiver Devin Funchess also played tight end in college and is an interesting prospect. At 6’5”, 230 pounds, he is bigger than a traditional tight end but has every ounce of their athleticism.
CBSSports.com’s Dane Brugler sees a favorable comparison for him in the NFL:
"Funchess needs to be more consistent at the catch point, but his size/length/athleticism combination will draw comparisons to Alshon Jeffery.
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Also on the big board is quarterback Brett Hundley. Last season he would have been a surefire first-round selection, and now he will probably go somewhere in the second round.
If the Browns want an insurance policy for Johnny Manziel, then Hundley might be the guy.
He is similar to Manziel style-wise but a polar opposite in his mannerisms. He studies like crazy and will not come with much hype. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Browns bring him in to compete with Manziel next training camp.
Third Round
3 of 7
Jordan Jenkins – OLB – Georgia
Carl Davis – DT – Iowa
Clive Walford – TE – Miami
Jake Fisher – OT – Oregon
Tony Lippett – WR – Michigan State
As you can see, there are a variety of positions that will still have great value in the third round. Great general managers are still finding starters for their team at this point in the draft, and a few of these names could step right in and do that.
Defensive lineman Carl Davis from Iowa is a 6’5”, 315 pound run-stopper who could be a target for the Browns if they miss out on a guy like Malcolm Brown early. He plays in a run-heavy conference and is used to the wear-and-tear beatings he will endure in the trenches of the NFL.
Offensive tackle Jake Fisher from Oregon might be the best value in this round, however. He is the left tackle for Marcus Mariota at Oregon and not only has the size and strength of an NFL tackle but the speed to run a zone-read offense.
Bryan Fischer of NFL.com wrote about how great of a prospect he is:
"The next two players that will head off to the pros after being mentored by the 32-year coaching veteran are likely Ducks offensive tackle Jake Fisher and center Hroniss Grasu. The two are highly regarded by scouts for their size and ability to play in space.
Fisher is one of the top prospects on the team and his strong play at left tackle since returning to the lineup after an early season injury has been key for Oregon's impressive run to Monday night's national title game.
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Fisher is the type of player who could slide right in as the starting right tackle and eventually take over for perennial Pro Bowler Joe Thomas when his time is done.
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Fourth Round
4 of 7
Tyler Kroft – TE – Rutgers
Ibraheim Campbell – SS – Northwestern
Garrett Grayson – QB – Colorado State
Ben Heeney – ILB – Kansas
B.J. Finney – C – Kansas State
There are some interesting names on the fourth-round big board, and another quarterback makes an appearance. Before we get to him, however, this is the type of round where the big players from small school start popping up everywhere.
Tyler Kroft, the tight end from Rutgers, spent time as a running back and slot receiver before settling into a tight-end role last season. He is the new style of NFL tight end who is built for speed and big plays, but he also has some throw-back blocking to his game.
Garrett Grayson is the quarterback from Colorado State and is an interesting prospect. Once again, he would be an insurance policy for Manziel and would be allowed to compete for the starting job in camp next season.
While he did not have a lot of buzz in his senior season, now that people are watching film on him that seems to be changing. CBSSports.com’s Rob Rand is coming around to Grayson.
"Grayson, on the other hand, was a pleasant surprise. While my final assessment will wait until interviewing and watching him throw live at the Senior Bowl, Grayson's combination of reasonable size (6-foot-2, 220 pounds), accuracy, mobility and instincts intrigue me as much as any senior quarterback.
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He had 32 touchdowns to just six interceptions in the regular season and will get some serious middle-round looks from teams in the draft.
Fifth Round
5 of 7
Wes Saxton – TE – South Alabama
Levi Norwood – WR/KR – Baylor
Erick Dargan – SS – Oregon
Deontay Greenberry – WR – Houston
Travis Raciti – DT – San Jose State
On the fifth-round big board you see several small-school players from places like South Alabama, Houston and San Jose State. This is where the production at a smaller program tends to make those players more intriguing than a role player from a national powerhouse.
Take Houston wide receiver Deontay Greenberry, for example. He is 6’3”, 210 pounds and was originally recruited to play for Notre Dame before surprisingly committing to Houston. He had 2,043 yards and 17 touchdowns his last two seasons in college.
Or how about San Jose State defensive tackle Travis Raciti. He is 6’5”, 290 pounds and was a defensive stud this past season. He accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine game, and many predict he won’t be a secret any longer after that showcase.
Sixth Round
6 of 7
Jake Ryan – OLB – Michigan
Ali Marpet – G – Hobart
Bernard Blake – CB – Colorado State
This round of the draft ends up being much more of a craps shoot.
General managers are looking for depth or guys with high upside who might not have performed to expectations in college. Guys with behavioral issues or injuries often end up starters after getting drafted this late.
One of the guys on the radar in the sixth round is Westlake, Ohio, native Jake Ryan.
The outside linebacker from Michigan is a worker and could be an instant special teams contributor. He might also surprise and steal some reps at a position where the Browns desperately need someone besides Paul Kruger to create some pressure.
Ryan suffered a torn ACL and did not look like his old self this past season after returning from the injury. NationalFootballPost.com says his health will play a huge factor in where he gets selected.
"As good as Ryan is, the medical exam will have a lot of impact on where he gets drafted. If his knee is sound and he has a good combine and private workouts, I can see him going as high as the third round. His size (6030 – 240+) makes him an ideal Mike/inside linebacker. He has the skills to play in either a 3-4 or 4-3 type scheme.
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If the knee doesn’t test well, Ryan might find himself getting drafted on the final day—and a team might just find a steal.
Seventh Round
7 of 7
Junior Sylvestre – OLB – Toledo
James Rouse – DE – Marshall
Justin Manton – K/P – Louisiana-Monroe
The Mid-American Conference has become a hotbed for NFL talent, and this season will be no different. If the Browns see Toledo outside linebacker Junior Sylvestre hanging around in the seventh round, they better snatch him up.
He was ranked as the second-best player in the MAC this season by HustleBelt.com. He logged 118 tackles—nearly 10 per game. His production and speed has HustleBelt.com and others remembering a great linebacker selected from the MAC just last season.
"The first-team All-MAC selection last year could be the next MAC linebacker drafted to the pros following up Khalil Mack who was picked eighth overall to the Oakland Raiders in this years draft. His 6-foot height may scare some away but Sylvestre will be playing on Sundays, even if it has to be at a different position.
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