Cleveland Browns' Top Needs, Fits for 2015 NFL Draft to Build for the Future
This time of year, every NFL team has roster needs. Luckily for them, the draft is just a month away. The Cleveland Browns have 10 picks in this year's draft, and though they don't have that many glaring needs, most should be able to be met by these selections.
But what are those needs and who could be good fits, not just in the first round or two, but throughout the whole draft? Here are the Browns' eight biggest roster needs for 2015 and a trio of prospects at each position who could be targets for Cleveland.
Wide Receiver
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Though the Browns added two veteran wideouts in free agency, Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe, neither are long-term solutions at the position. Neither is Josh Gordon, who is suspended from the league for at least a year and may never return to Cleveland. With that in mind, wide receiver is a major priority for the Browns this year. Early rounds may be best, though like 2014, this is a deep draft class at the position.
DeVante Parker, Louisville
Louisville's DeVante Parker is clearly on the Browns' draft radar, with Dawg Pound Nation reporting that he has had both a private visit and a private workout with the team. He totaled 156 career collegiate receptions, for 2,775 yards and 33 touchdowns. Though he missed seven games of his senior season with a foot injury that required surgery, he still amassed 855 yards and five touchdowns on 43 receptions.
CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler compares Parker to the Cincinnati Bengals' A.J. Green, "with a similar athletic skill set with the height and length to tower over defenders." Given the Browns' loss of Gordon, Parker would be the perfect player to fill that void with significantly fewer off-field risks.
Jaelen Strong, Arizona State
While DeVante Parker would have to be a Browns target at 12th overall, Arizona State's Jaelen Strong should be available at 19 should they want to use their higher first-round pick on a different position. In two seasons, Strong totaled 157 catches for 2,287 yards and 17 scores, with 82 catches for 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2014.
A physical player, Strong is a greater red-zone threat than a receiver who creates major yards after the catch. CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler notes that Strong is "[s]till a work-in-progress as a route runner" but also adds that he has a "[p]hysical presence to post up and secure 50-50 balls, doing a nice job in traffic" and has "[o]utstanding feel on back shoulder throws, using his frame and focus well along the sideline."
Strong wouldn't be a pound-for-pound replacement for Gordon's exact skill set; however, he has an equal ability to be a game-changer on the scoreboard.
Devin Funchess, Michigan
There are debates as to where Michigan receiver Devin Funchess should best be drafted. He could go in Round 1, or he could go in a middle round. As the draft progresses, if Funchess is still on the board in Round 3, the Browns may find him intriguing, especially as he could meet two needs at once—tight end and wide receiver. Funchess played both in college.
In three years, Funchess totaled 126 catches for 1,715 yards and 15 touchdowns, with 62 catches for 733 yards and four scores in 2014. Funchess, like Strong, makes for a good red-zone target. CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler adds that Funchess is a "[m]atchup nightmare against linebackers and smaller cornerbacks with a size differential that isn't close in most cases."
There are drawbacks, however, like his lack of consistency, which has shown up everywhere from "laziness in his routes," "[i]nconsistent vision after the catch" and not "consistently play[ing] up to his size as a ball-carrier," per Brugler. That makes him a mid-rounder, but that doesn't mean he cannot contribute to the Browns in 2015 or beyond.
Defensive Tackle
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Nose tackle may not be the urgent need it seemed to be just a month ago, now that the Browns seem set to move Phil Taylor from defensive end to nose tackle, with Ishmaa'ily Kitchen backing him up. However, the Browns could use more help on the defensive line, especially when it comes to stopping the run. Therefore, a big-bodied defensive tackle remains a need, though not the biggest one.
Eddie Goldman, Florida State
Though Taylor and Kitchen are penciled in as the Browns' nose tackle depth chart for 2015, the team may not be able to pass on a talent such as Florida State's Eddie Goldman with one of their two first-round picks.
Goldman totaled 62 combined tackles in college, with 12 tackles for a loss as well as six sacks. He had 35 combined tackles, eight tackles for a loss and four sacks in 2014. Goldman's biggest strength is that he is "[s]cheme and position diverse," as CBSSports.com's Rob Rang points out. He can play defensive tackle or end, which makes him quite attractive to a team like the Browns that features a defensive line rotation.
Carl Davis, Iowa
Iowa's Carl Davis has a ton of positive traits for a defensive lineman. He "[h]as a strong upper body to stack-and-shed with power to control blocks," he also has the plus size and strength for "handling double-teams well and not allowing himself to be swallowed up by blockers," as noted by CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler.
He totaled 36 combined tackles, nine tackles for a loss and two sacks in 2014 and 94 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks in his four-year collegiate career.
However, there are concerns about Davis.
WalterFootball.com details just how poorly Davis interviewed both at the NFL Scouting Combine as well as at the Senior Bowl, saying he "came across as lazy and arrogant, that he "said he should only play 20-30 snaps a game and was unabashed about regularly taking himself out of games as a senior," and that "[h]e also gave excuses for poor practice effort because he said he didn't want to risk injury while going against enthusiastic scout-team linemen."
At least, as part of the Browns' defensive line rotation, he will only see about 20 to 30 snaps a game. If he can get his ego under control—maybe by sliding in the draft—he could prove to be a steal for the Browns in the middle rounds.
Ellis McCarthy, UCLA
Ellis McCarthy was a backup nose tackle and defensive end in college, but he looks like he could be a key rotational player in the Browns' defensive line as a rookie. He totaled 59 combined tackles, seven tackles for a loss and six sacks over the course of his career and 21 tackles, three tackles for a loss and three sacks in 2014.
CBSSports.com's Rob Rang says that McCarthy "[p]ossesses the core strength to anchor against double-teams and has long, strong arms to latch on and drag ball-carriers to the ground," and he praises his ability to play either end or tackle. McCarthy is a run-stopper only, "relying on a simple bull-rush most of the time" when rushing the passer.
That's fine for the Browns, however, who can pick up McCarthy in Rounds 4 or 5 in order to add another run-stopper to a defensive line that desperately needs one.
Tight End
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The Browns have only two tight ends on their roster presently, Gary Barnidge and Jim Dray. Even if the Browns are confident moving forward with those two splitting starter duties, they still need to add to the position on the roster. Though tight end is a thin group in this year's draft, there are players in various rounds who could contribute immediately and develop into a fixture on the offense in the years to come.
Maxx Williams, Minnesota
Should the Browns find tight end to be an especially pressing need, then Minnesota's Maxx Williams will certainly be in play for them with either of their two first-round draft picks this year. Though raw—Williams has only two years of experience—he's a difference-maker, with 61 catches for 986 yards and 13 scores in those two seasons and a yards-per-catch average of 16.2.
Despite his rawness, Williams has an impressive ceiling. CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler says that "Williams owns the all-around skill set that fits all 32 NFL teams with the ability to line up in-line, in the backfield or as a flex option out wide" and he "projects as a mismatch nightmare with the versatile traits to be equally effective as a pass-catcher and blocker."
That long-term upside makes Williams an attractive Round 1 prospect for the Browns.
Nick O'Leary, Florida State
If a physical, old-school tight end interests the Browns this year, then they should look no further than Florida State's Nick O'Leary, a prospect the team could snag in Rounds 2, 3 or even 4. O'Leary has a career total of 114 catches, for 1,591 yards and 17 touchdowns, and had 48 catches for 618 yards and six scores.
Rob Rang and Derek Stephens of CBSSports.com praised O'Leary's "[e]xcellent hand-eye coordination and focus" and called him a "consistent and reliable route-runner" in their scouting report.
They do note that O'Leary isn't the kind of elusive pass-catching tight end in the mold of Jordan Cameron or Jimmy Graham, but he "does all the little things well and has terrific hands." This could make him a good complement to Dray and Barnidge.
Rory Anderson, South Carolina
A late-round sleeper prospect at tight end for the Browns is South Carolina's Rory Anderson. Anderson has suffered a string of hamstring and muscle strains and tears that kept his collegiate production low, with just 61 career catches for 954 yards and nine scores and 22 catches for 260 and one score in 2014.
Despite that injury history, Anderson has significant upside. Namely, he has "[i]mpressive body control and hand-eye coordination to make leaping grabs," as CBSSports.com's Rob Rang puts it. Rang continues that, "[u]nlike many other 'hybrid' tight end/receivers across the country, Anderson seems to enjoy the physical battles at the line of scrimmage, showing surprising strength and tenacity while blocking."
Anderson is a well-rounded tight end who could serve the Browns well as a rookie and down the road.
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Center
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When Browns center Alex Mack went down with a season-ending leg injury last year, first Nick McDonald and then Ryan Seymour filled in for him. Both remain on the Browns' roster presently, but the two are more general-purpose offensive line depth than actual, dedicated centers to back up Mack.
So, if the Browns are targeting any position on the offensive line this year, then center needs to be it. They don't need their run game to take a huge hit again this year if Mack suffers another injury.
Cameron Erving, Florida State
The draft's best center looks to be Florida State's Cameron Erving. Though the Browns aren't necessarily in the market to take a center in either Rounds 1 or 2, his level of talent might be too much to pass up.
CBSSports.com's Rob Rang and Derek Stephens say that Erving is a "[v]ersatile athlete with blend of size, athleticism, length, light feet and flexibility. As a center, Erving "[e]asily reaches and dominates at the second level. As a guard, he "[p]ulls smoothly," and he also is "[e]qually effective sealing off defensive tackles at center or mirroring pass-rushers as a left tackle."
Though a center by trade, Erving's ability to play all five positions on the offensive line could be what pushes the Browns over the edge towards drafting him.
Reese Dismukes, Auburn
A lack of weight and power should see Auburn's Reese Dismukes fall into the middle to later rounds of this year's draft.
However, as a center, weight and power are two things that Dismukes can work on with the help of an NFL training staff. Further, as Rang points out, Dismukes can make up for that lack of power because "[h]e has a low center of gravity and plays with excellent knee bend, giving him a leverage advantage over most opponents."
Rang believes that Dismukes' "grit and agility...could ultimately result in his outplaying his draft position." The Browns, should they ever foresee moving on from Mack in a few seasons, could certainly develop Dismukes into his replacement.
B.J. Finney, Kansas State
Auburn's B.J. Finney has a scouting report reflective of his projection to be a later-round selection this year: "[a]verage body type," "limited athleticism" and overall lacking in ideal technique, according to CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler.
That doesn't mean there are no reasons for the Browns to have interest in Finney in Rounds 6 or 7. Brugler notes that Finney "[p]lays like a veteran and isn't surprised by much," is "tough in the trenches" and is a "[h]igh character individual with strong leadership skills and a resilient attitude." These are all great reasons for the Browns to take Finney late in the draft.
Outside Linebacker
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With the Browns set in the secondary, attention must turn this year to the front seven. And that means more than just finding players to help the Browns stop the run—pass rush should also be a priority. This is a good draft for edge-rushers, so the Browns aren't beholden to addressing the position in Round 1 should they choose not to.
Vic Beasley, Clemson
The Browns could easily have a shot at one of the draft's top pass-rushers with their first of two Round 1 selections should Clemson's Vic Beasley catch their eye. Beasley totaled 90 combined collegiate tackles, including 52.5 tackles for a loss, as well as 33 sacks and nine passes defensed. He had 34 combined tackles, 21.5 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks and three passes defensed in 2014.
Beasley further made the case for him being selected in the top half of the first round with an excellent showing at the scouting combine.
Rob Rang and Derek Stephens of CBSSports.com says that Beasley has "natural ability as a pass-rusher," with "excellent" closing speed and pursuit. Though "smaller than scouts would prefer," "he is more powerful than he looks, sporting broad shoulders, long arms and well-developed upper body."
Paired up with either Paul Kruger or Barkevious Mingo at outside linebacker, the Browns could see an immediate improvement in their ability to rush the passer. If Beasley is on the board at 12, it may be hard for the Browns to pass him by.
Hau'oli Kikaha, Washington
If the Browns simply need a pure pass-rusher, then Hau'oli Kikaha is certainly a player they can snag in Rounds 3 or 4. Kikaha totaled 206 combined tackles in college, with 51.5 tackles for a loss and 36 sacks. He had 72 tackles in 2014, 25 tackles for a loss and 19 sacks—the most in the NCAA.
Kikaha has his limitations—particularly that he's currently a "one-trick pony" in the words of NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. Rushing the passer is his biggest strength. Zierlein also notes that Kikaha "[r]elies on a relentless motor off the edge more than athleticism." Kikaha has suffered two ACL injuries in the past, as well.
Still, "Kikaha has the power, hands and frame to improve against the run," and he is already an excellent pass-rusher. He has the ability to be a fixture in Cleveland for a long time.
Za'Darius Smith, Kentucky
Should the Browns be secure with where they stand at outside linebacker for the 2015 season, they may be more in the market for a less experienced player they can develop into a an on-field contributor after his rookie year. In that case, Kentucky's Za'Darius Smith would be a good fit.
Smith totaled 120 combined tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and 10.5 sacks in two years at Kentucky, and 61 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks in 2014. He didn't start playing football until his senior year of high school, leading him to playing two years at the junior college level before heading to Kentucky.
For that reason, Smith is still learning the fine techniques of the game. CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler says Smith "has a NFL frame and wingspan with heavy hands to set the edge and bully blockers but needs work with his technique to better maximize his physical tools." If the Browns have the desire to build a raw talent into an NFL starter, Smith would be a good choice.
Safety
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For now, the Browns are secure at the safety position, with Donte Whitner holding down the strong safety job and Tashaun Gipson at free safety. Granted that no team poaches Gipson, who was given a second-round restricted-free-agent tender by the Browns last month, this security should continue. The Browns don't have much depth behind the pair, which could influence their draft decision-making.
Gerod Holliman, Louisville
Though starting for just one year, Louisville Gerod Holliman had a good enough 2014 season to be the second or third safety drafted in 2015.
While that partially owes to how thin the draft class is at the position, his breakout junior year cannot be ignored. He totaled 60 combined tackles, four tackles for a loss, one sack, six passes defensed and 14 interceptions in his collegiate career, with 44 of those tackles, three tackles for a loss and all 14 interceptions coming in 2014.
Holliman is an "[u]nreliable tackler due to inconsistent angles and technique as a hitter," according to CBS Sports.com's Rob Rang, but he also possesses "[g]ood vision and awareness of the play" and has "awareness, agility and hands—traits that certainly project well at safety in today's pass-happy NFL." Until he improves against the run, he'll be a free safety in the NFL.
Anthony Harris, Virginia
Virginia's Anthony Harris looks capable of playing either free or strong safety in the NFL, and that positional versatility means he can provide depth at two positions. That kind of roster economy is attractive to many teams, the Browns likely included.
Harris totaled 289 combined collegiate tackles, including six tackles for a loss, two sacks, 11 interceptions and 20 passes defensed. He had 108 tackles, two tackles for a loss, one sack, two interceptions and 10 passes defensed in 2014.
According to CBSSports.com's Rob Rang and Derek Stephens, Harris "possesses exceptional ball skills, body control and soft hands to be a constant turnover threat and provides instincts and physicality to play the run in the box" and is a "ball hawk." He needs to be a bit more physical, but that's a skill that can be developed in time.
Sam Carter, TCU
Another draft prospect who could be either a free or strong safety on the NFL level is TCU's Sam Carter. Carter totaled 175 career combined tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, 12 interceptions and 21 passes defensed. In 2014, he had 55 tackles, four interceptions and five tackles defensed.
CBSSports.com's Rob Rang says that Carter "[a]ttacks the line of scrimmage in run support, showing the grit to take on blockers and the burst to split gaps and create havoc in the backfield" and "often [forces]quarterbacks to look elsewhere because of his ability to re-route receivers and throw off the timing of the passing game," something likely assisted by his time as a high school quarterback.
Still, Carter "[m]ay be too aggressive for his own good," "[p]lays the man rather than the ball too often" and "allows himself to get of control with his pursuit angles." He'll need these bad habits coached out of him before he can be a consistent force on the field, but that's something the Browns can certainly accomplish.
Fullback
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The Browns have four running backs on the roster currently, which could serve to rule out any interest in the position this year in the draft. However, they have exactly zero fullbacks—something they may want to remedy in later rounds of the draft. The Browns need to try anything they can to get their run game back on track, including the employment of a dedicated lead blocker for their backs.
Jalston Fowler, Alabama
Alabama has a storied history of strong run games, and they don't get that way by accident. Alongside recruiting some of the nation's top running backs, they also employ a fullback to help get their run game going and to keep it that way. For the last three years (following his 2012 knee injury), that man has been Jalston Fowler.
Fowler also has H-back upside in the NFL, given his 19 career catches for 150 yards and seven scores. But his biggest strength is as a run-blocker. He could also be an immediate contributor on special teams.
Zach Zenner, South Dakota State
A small-school standout as a running back, Zach Zenner seems better suited to gain some weight and transitioning to fullback in the NFL. For the last three seasons, Zenner has eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark rushing and has 66 career touchdowns. He's a one-cut runner who can also catch passes—95 total in his collegiate career, for 909 yards and eight scores.
Zenner could get a few touches as a running back for the Browns, but his NFL potential mainly lies in a fullback who also plays special teams.
Connor Neighbors, LSU
Connor Neighbors may just be the most fullback-ish of all the fullback prospects in this year's draft, in that he was never really used as a running back and sparingly as a receiver. He has just three career carries for five yards, as well as 11 receptions for 119 yards over three years.
Neighbors is a pure blocking fullback. If that's all the Browns desire out of the position—no third-down pass catching, no carries—then Neighbors could be on their radar in the final two rounds of the draft this year. Like Alabama, LSU is a heavy-running team, and Neighbors was a major contributor to that effort.
Quarterback
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Yes, the Browns have four quarterbacks currently on their roster. Yes, it appears—at least right now—that the main battle for the starting job will come down to Josh McCown versus Johnny Manziel. But the talk persists that the Browns may be in the market for another addition at the position, whether someone to join into the starter competition or to push Thaddeus Lewis or even Connor Shaw off the roster.
Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group, in her weekly mailbag column, says that she believes the Browns will "try to trade up to draft Marcus Mariota," in the early going of Round 1 this year. This is echoed by the latest mock draft by CBSSports.com's Will Brinson, who has the Browns trading up to third overall for the Oregon quarterback.
Mariota totaled 779 collegiate completions for nearly 11,000 yards and threw 105 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. In 2014, Mariota completed 304 of his 445 passes attempted—or 68.3 percent—for 4,454 yards and 42 touchdowns to four interceptions. He's also rushed a total of 337 times for 2,237 yards and 29 scores, with 15 rushing touchdowns in 2014.
Mariota boasts the same skill set as Manziel—the scrambling and rushing ability that brings defenses to their knees as well as a strong deep ball and accuracy on the move. He also has some of the same drawbacks, such as questionable size to run that kind of physical offense in the NFL.
He doesn't, however, command the same off-the-field attention or have a history of trouble behind him. The Browns may ultimately choose to go with the less problematic version of Manziel in Mariota this year.
Bryce Petty, Baylor
Should the Browns simply have interest in adding another young quarterback to the roster, but not one they think could push for starting duties in his rookie year, then Baylor's Bryce Petty could be worth a mid- to late-round pick.
Petty completed 62.7 percent of his collegiate passes for 8,195 yards and 62 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He completed 270 of his 428 pass attempts in 2014 for 3,588 yards and 29 touchdowns to seven interceptions. He's also deceptively mobile, rushing 192 times for 338 yards and 21 scores, including over 80 rushes in each of his 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Petty is a spread quarterback, which could limit him in the NFL unless he learns to add some under-center variety to his game.
However, "[w]hen he gets in a rhythm, Petty is highly efficient passing downfield, showing touch, timing and placement, especially when peppering zone coverage with quick throws underneath," according to CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler, and "[h]as more than enough arm strength to make every throw.
Still, Brugler ultimately compares Petty to Brandon Weeden, and the Browns certainly know how that worked out three years ago, albeit it was a completely different staff that chose to take him in Round 1.
Connor Halliday, Washington State
If the Browns want to collect camp arms, then Round 7 could be a good time to take Washington State's Connor Halliday. Halliday is currently still in recovery from a broken ankle and didn't work out at the scouting combine, but he could ultimately become healthy enough to run Cleveland's offense with the third- or fourth-stringers this summer.
Halliday completed 1,014 of his 1,634 collegiate passing attempts, for 11,308 yards and 90 touchdowns to 50 interceptions. He completed 67.3 percent of his passes in 2014, for 3,873 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Like many college quarterbacks these days, Halliday spent most of his time in shotgun and will be yet another passer who needs to grow comfortable under center.
Given his ankle injury, there's no question that Halliday "must develop greater strength to withstand NFL punishment," as CBSSports.com's Rob Rang notes.
Rang also adds that Halliday "[c]an get scatter-shot, especially when he doesn't set his feet," which is partially to blame for his 22-interception 2013 campaign. Halliday should never end up starting in Cleveland, but that does not mean he has no place deep within the depth chart or on the practice squad.
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