7 Best Options for Cleveland Browns with the No. 12 and 19 Picks in NFL Draft
The Cleveland Browns currently own the No. 12 and 19 overall selections in the NFL entry draft on April 30 in Chicago. Rumors are flying as to who could go where, but there are seven players who would suit this franchise best.
This organization must hit on its first-round picks since it hasn't had a dynamic contributor since Phil Taylor was taken in 2011.
Positions of need include: defensive tackle, outside linebacker/defensive end, wide receiver and offensive line. Some depth at cornerback and safety wouldn't hurt either, but not likely in the opening round.
The Browns will be on the clock in less than two weeks. Let's dive into some of the possible players who may be wearing Cleveland's brand new uniforms come September.
DeVante Parker (WR), Louisville
1 of 5
2014 Season Statistics: 43 receptions, 855 yards, five touchdowns
According to CBSSports.com rankings, DeVante Parker is the third-best wide receiver behind Amari Cooper and Kevin White.
Having a 6'3", 200-pound playmaker as option No. 3 shows how talented this draft class is at the receiver position.
General manager Ray Farmer signed veterans Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe during free agency to help fill the void left by the suspended Josh Gordon. However, neither would be considered an elite game-changer at this point in their careers.
The added free agents certainly lessens the need for Farmer to reach for a wide receiver, but if a talent like Parker were available at No. 12, it would be tough to pass up.
Parker's 4.45 second 40-yard sprint time at the combine confirmed the speed seen on film during his time at Louisville.
The Cardinals senior is an excellent route-runner who doesn't get jammed at the line and can turn his quickness up a gear in open space after the catch. He times his leaps well in jump-ball situations and has reliable hands. Despite a somewhat lean frame, the Kentucky native can hang with physical defenders.
Dane Brugler of CBS Sports compares Parker to the Cincinnati Bengals A.J. Green, "Although he's not quite on the same level as Green, Parker is just a notch below with a similar athletic skill set with the height and length to tower over defenders."
There are some possible durability issues since he missed the first seven games in 2014 due to foot surgery and missed one outing from a shoulder injury as a junior. Parker needs to clean up some of his technique when bringing in the ball, but that should be correctable at the pro level.
Dante Fowler Jr. (OLB/DE), Florida
2 of 5
2014 Season Statistics: 57 tackles, 5.5 sacks
It might seem like a pipe dream for the talented Dante Fowler to drop out of the top 10. However, a quarterback could drop, a trade may occur or there could be a run on a certain position. In a heartbeat the draft then changes.
Fowler's versatility in the front seven would make him a dream fit for Browns head coach Mike Pettine's hybrid 3-4 scheme.
CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler broke down the pass-rusher: "Depending on the situation the Gators line him up at RDE, LDE, DT, and OLB, ask him to rush from the two-point and three-point stance and occasionally drop him into coverage—including after he has started the play with his hand in the dirt."
The junior out of Florida could become a ramped-up version of what the coaching staff was hoping Barkevious Mingo would be in 2014.
Fowler is an inch shorter than Mingo at 6'3" but 20 pounds heavier, weighing in at 261 pounds, and he plays in high gear on every snap. That gives him a better chance of not being overpowered as much as Mingo has been by offensive linemen.
The Gators alum possesses the exciting combination of explosiveness, speed and force to take the edge and get into the backfield. He's also above-average when asked to drop back to defend the pass and is an effective tackler.
An overaggressive nature sometimes hurts him as ball-carriers can scamper by, but when Fowler shows patience, he portrays the traits of a competent run-stuffer.
There's no doubt that Fowler would be an instant starter in Cleveland and would form an intimidating tandem opposite Paul Kruger.
Shane Ray, (DE), Missouri
3 of 5
2014 Season Statistics: 65 tackles; 14.5 sacks
If Dante Fowler and Vic Beasley are gone by the time the Browns are up at No. 12, taking the next best available pass-rusher may be the club's focus.
The front office added Randy Starks at defensive tackle in free agency, which relieves some of the pressure to add a tough run-stuffer to support Cleveland's D-Line with its first opening-round selection.
However, GM Ray Farmer did nothing to replace Jabaal Sheard, and that leaves the Browns desperate for a quarterback gobbling defender to bookend Paul Kruger. Enter Shane Ray.
Despite a disappointing pro day, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year is an elite athlete. Ray has been recorded bench pressing over 400 pounds with a 40-plus-inch vertical and a 40-yard dash time that ranges in the 4.44- to 4.68-second range.
The product of Missouri played as a defensive end but possesses the athleticism to play outside linebacker and slide comfortably into a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme. That versatility is music to the ears of Browns head coach Mike Pettine.
Dropping back into pass coverage is a definite area that will need attention and may limit him to a situational edge-rusher early in his career.
Ray keeps offensive linemen on their toes, as he can take the edge with a lethal first step burst or use a dynamic swim move to beat them inside.
This 6'3", 245-pound stud is an efficient tackler who goes hard on every down and is effective in run pursuit. He can be overaggressive and gets tangled up in blockers if his first pass-rush move doesn't work.
Still, all the tools are there for Ray to be an opening day starter.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Danny Shelton (DT), Washington
4 of 5
2014 Season Statistics: 92 tackles, nine sacks
Grabbing Danny Shelton at No. 12 would give Cleveland a cheaper, younger, less injury-prone answer to the departed Ahtyba Rubin and a nice complement to signed free agent Randy Starks.
The Browns defensive line was decimated by injuries throughout the 2014 season and is in need of impact players and depth. Cleveland must also focus on stopping the run, an area it ranked dead last in the NFL.
Shelton turned heads with his athleticism and motor at the Senior Bowl. Using a first-round selection on the big man would help the team out in all of the above areas.
CBSSports.com draft analyst Rob Rang described him as being "a classic two-gap run-plugger with the bulk and brute strength to bull-rush opponents into the backfield."
That sounds exactly like a perfect fit. Add to it that the Washington senior's pure mass allows him to get to the quarterback despite lacking elite pass-rushing techniques.
The thick 6'2", 332-pound defensive tackle displays the speed to track down ball-carriers and owns a nice vertical leap that allowed him to block three kicks.
Another bonus of this Huskies alumnus is his durability. Shelton played in every game during his three-year collegiate career and is also a serious student. He was named an Academic All-American this season.
Options for the No. 19 Overall Pick
5 of 5
Once the opening round passes the halfway mark, teams generally start to target the best player available.
Here are three future stars who match a need for the Browns and may still be hanging around at No. 19.
1. Cameron Erving (C), Florida State
Cleveland's coaching staff saw their playoff hopes vaporize when center Alex Mack went down with season-ending leg surgery following a serious injury against Pittsburgh in Week 6. The offensive line had no suitable depth options, and the team finished 2015 losing six of its last seven.
Mack is set to return but has an opt-out clause in his contract after this year that allows him to test free agency. It's a gamble the Browns cannot take.
Cameron Erving's was a defensive tackle in 2011 and switched to the O-Line the next season at Florida State. He excelled as both an offensive tackle and center. This makes him an ideal stopgap option at tackle and/or an heir apparent snapper if Mack decides to jump ship.
At 6'5" and 313 pounds, this diverse physical specimen can also shove his way to the second level, which would make the Browns run game even stronger.
2. Breshad Perriman (WR), UCF
This UCF junior has been a draft riser ever since he displayed a blistering 4.26 second 40-yard dash time at the combine back in February.
He's an obvious downfield threat who uses his 6'2", 212-pound frame to battle for jump balls and is difficult for defenders to tackle.
Perriman is not overly refined in his route running and overall technique, which at first will limit his NFL No. 1 receiver potential. If he puts the work in, there's no reason why the former Knight can't grow into a game-changer.
3. Alvin Dupree (DE/OLB), Kentucky
If someone wanted to sculpt what a pass-rusher should look like, Alvin "Bud" Dupree at 6'4" and 269 pounds would be it.
The senior out of Kentucky converted from a defensive end to outside linebacker in 2014. It resulted in his most productive season in sacks (7.5) and tied his personal best in tackles for loss at 12.5.
That type of versatility to move around in the front seven is ideal for the Browns' attack.
Rob Rang of CBS Sports commented that Dupree compares to Cleveland's 2006 first-round pick, Kamerion Wimbley. Rang writes that Dupree "has a blend of length and burst to enjoy a long, productive career as an NFL edge-rusher. To achieve his full potential and become an every-down player, he'll need to get stronger in run support."
Statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com. Combine and height/weight information are from CBSSports.com.
Andy McNamara is an international sports broadcaster and journalist.
Follow Andy on Twitter @AndyMc81
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
