Cleveland Browns Draft Picks: Results, Analysis and Grades

Welcome to Bleacher Report's 2015 NFL draft coverage for the Cleveland Browns. 

It should be a busy weekend for general manager Ray Farmer and his staff, as the Browns own two first-round picks, six of the top 115 selections and 10 overall. 

A year ago, with slightly less ammunition, Farmer made three trades within the first round alone. So there's no telling what tricks he may have up his sleeve while at the helm for his second draft in Cleveland. 

It's been nearly two decades of draft-day dysfunction for the Browns since their return in 1999, but as always, a new draft brings new hope. The team certainly has the selections available in this draft to make these next few days a turning point for the franchise.

The needs Farmer is expected to address this weekend include:

• A wide receiver to pair with Dwayne Bowe on the outside and to serve as Josh Gordon's long-term replacement. 
• An upgrade for the defensive line, ideally a nose tackle to allow the team to part ways with Phil Taylor when he hits the free-agent market next offseason. 
• A right tackle to compete with Mitchell Schwartz for the starting job or, at worst, take over for Schwartz when they let him walk as a free agent following the season. 
• And, of course, a franchise quarterback if they can get their hands on someone from the limited supply in this draft class. 

If you're following along with Bleacher Report's draft coverage this weekend, this is a page you'll want to bookmark. After each Browns selection, immediate reaction and analysis will added.

Round 1, No. 12 Overall: Danny Shelton

It feels like every regime that comes through Cleveland is jealous of the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers—and for good reason. And once again the Browns try to duplicate their rivals' philosophy with this selection. 

Danny Shelton will have to compete with Phil Taylor for playing time immediately, and the Browns may actually rotate him in at defensive end early in his career to keep him on the field. But once Taylor is allowed to walk as a free agent after the season, Shelton becomes the anchor of the Browns defensive line at nose tackle. 

The Browns hope that Shelton (6'2", 339 lbs) becomes their version of Haloti Ngata, and while that's a lofty expectation, it's tough to ignore the similarities in their physical tools. 

After all their mishaps with off-field issues, it's likely the Browns also fell in love with Shelton's personality.

Shelton was an Academic All-American at Washington, and is an extremely safe selection in terms of what they'll get from him as a hard worker and locker room leader.

Grade: A

Round 1, No. 19 Overall: Cameron Erving

The selection of Cameron Erving is an interesting pick for the Browns, especially due to the fact that the team announced him as a guard.

Joel Bitonio was fantastic a season ago and John Greco, while getting up there in age, has been among the steadiest veterans at the position since becoming a starter in 2012.

Erving primarily played left tackle at Florida State over the past few seasons but struggled mightily early in 2014. He eventually shifted to center. Almost immediately upon making the switch, it became clear that his future was in the middle of the offensive line, which solidified him as a first-round prospect.

His success at center, coupled with the fact that veteran Alex Mack can opt out of his contract after the 2015 season, means the team is likely looking at Erving as a long-term starter at center—even if he plays a more versatile backup role early in his career.

"

Alex Mack's out the door the next season. The Cameron Erving pick works. Best at center but can play all positions. Both lines improved.

— Marc Sessler (@MarcSesslerNFL) May 1, 2015"

It's disappointing to see the team land a prospect who may not provide much immediate production, but if he helps ease the potential loss of Mack next year, this could prove to be a brilliant move.

Grade: B

Round 2, No. 51 Overall: Nate Orchard

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The Browns initially traded down from No. 43 overall, acquiring the 51st selection and additional Day 3 picks from the Texans.

"

Trade Details: Browns send picks Rd2(43) & Rd7(229) to Houston in exchange for picks Rd2 (51), Rd4(116) & Rd6(195). #BrownsDraft

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 2, 2015"

After losing Jabaal Sheard in free agency to the Patriots, the Browns needed to bring in another linebacker in this draft.

Sheard was most valuable as a run defender for the Browns—and one of the few members of their front seven who was productive in that area.

Unfortunately, Orchard may not offer much immediate help in that area, showing limited reaction skills and poor angles of pursuit against the run.

Orchard has potential as a three-down linebacker, but he is more NFL-ready as a pass-rush specialist.

It's also worth noting that Orchard was a team captain at Utah, giving the Browns another high-character player. This strategy appears to be a trend this year, and it's hard to blame Farmer for this strategy after what the franchise went through with Josh Gordon and Johnny Manziel this past year.

Grade: B

Round 3, No. 77 Overall: Duke Johnson

J Pat Carter/Associated Press

This is an interesting selection for the Browns because it's tough to see where Johnson fits into the picture.

Once the Browns moved on from Ben Tate last year and handed the duties over to Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell, the two rookies received 100 percent of the carries (excluding quarterback runs and wide receiver end-arounds).

Obviously, it's nice to have a third option in the fold, but how many carries can the Browns promise their third-string running back?

For this reason, I wonder if the Browns see a role for Johnson lining up in the slot in certain packages. Johnson had 65 receptions in his two seasons at Miami, and he has the explosiveness to be a dangerous weapon after the catch.

Since Johnson clearly isn't going to be a starter, this selection should be classified as a luxury pick. And while he brings some value to the roster, there were more glaring holes that could have been filled.

Grade: C+

Round 3, No. 96 Overall: Xavier Cooper

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

When you rank dead last in rushing yards allowed, it's usually a good decision to revamp your front seven. 

Xavier Cooper is the third addition to the Browns front seven, and he'll be given an opportunity to compete for immediate playing time at defensive end in their 3-4 scheme. 

He's a somewhat odd choice due to his lack of experience in that role and questions about his ability to anchor at the point of attack against the run. 

At Washington State, Cooper was most effective as an interior pass-rusher, lining up in the 3-technique position and shooting the gap to penetrate into the pocket. Against the run, however, Cooper was often blown off his spot and struggled to recover. 

He may be a bit of a developmental prospect for these reasons, but he clearly has the size and athleticism to transition to the NFL game.

Grade: C+

Round 4, No. 115 Overall: Ibraheim Campbell

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

The anti-Manziel/Gordon draft continues for the Browns, as they land a team captain and member of the Big Ten's All-Academic team.

Ibraheim Campbell projects best as a strong safety in Pettine's defense, so he will likely be used as Donte Whitner's backup and on the special teams coverage unit early in his career. However, it's worth mentioning that free safety Tashaun Gipson is a free agent after the season, so it's possible the team views him as a potential starter in that position as well. 

Even with other holes to fill, Day 3 of the draft is all about finding the right values, so it's difficult to argue with the selection of Campbell. His skills against the run show up on special teams as well, so he is a safe bet to stick around in a reserve role even if he never emerges as a starter. 

Grade: A-

Round 4, No. 123 Overall: Vince Mayle

The Browns added Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe in free agency to give an immediate boost to the receiving corps, but they needed to add a young receiver to develop for the future. 

Vince Mayle (pronounced may-lee) has virtually identical physical tools to Bowe.

At this stage of his career, Bowe lacks the speed to stretch the field, but he has the height (6'2") and strength to battle for the 50-50 balls as a possession receiver. 

Since Mayle doesn't bring anything new to the table, it would be a surprise to see him on the field much in 2015. But the Browns can cut Bowe and save nearly $4 million in 2016, so if Mayle develops quickly, he could help the team save some money and step into an expanded role during his sophomore campaign. 

Round 6, No. 189 Overall: Charles Gaines

Tyler Smith/Getty Images

Charles Gaines is an athletic but undersized cornerback (5'10", 180 pounds) who projects as a nickel corner in the NFL.

Joe Haden, Tramon Williams, Justin Gilbert and K'Waun Williams are all clearly ahead of Gaines on the depth chart, and with 2014 fourth-round pick Pierre Desir likely ahead of him as well, Gaines has his work cut out for him. 

The Browns carried six corners on the roster for much of the 2014 season, meaning Gaines will have an opportunity to compete with Robert Nelson for that final spot. 

Unfortunately for Gaines, he is a shaky tackler, which does not bode well for him as a guy who would likely need to play special teams early in his career to win a spot. 

With 12 picks in the draft, at least a couple of these prospects won't make the final 53-man roster, and even though the value of this pick was strong, Gaines is definitely a candidate to be on that list. 

Grade: B

Round 6, No. 195 Overall: Malcolm Johnson

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Malcolm Johnson was announced at the draft as a tight end, but GM Ray Farmer later confirmed that he would be listed as a fullback with the team.

Johnson, who started out his career as a receiver at Mississippi State, will likely be used as an H-back, a position the Browns haven't featured in a number of years. 

New offensive coordinator John DeFilippo spent the past few seasons in Oakland, where Marcel Reece, also a converted receiver, played the same role for the Raiders. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Oakland used Reece for about 30 offensive snaps per game. When Reece was on the field, the Raiders threw the ball 64 percent of the time, and he was utilized as a receiver on 85 percent of those pass plays. 

Assuming DeFilippo sees a similar role for Johnson, it appears as though he'll be used as a run-blocker and occasional receiver. 

Grade: B+

Round 6, No. 198 Overall: Randall Telfer

Harry How/Getty Images

Although the Browns needed to find a replacement for Jordan Cameron, Randall Telfer probably isn't that guy. 

While Telfer did haul in 65 career receptions at USC, he was primarily known for his blocking ability and will likely compete with Jim Dray for the role of the in-line blocking tight end in Cleveland. 

Dray is under contract through the 2016 season and did an excellent job in a larger-than-expected role in 2014 due to injuries which forced him onto the field. 

"

Beyond grateful to be a Cleveland Brown! Excited to begin working with the fellas. Let's tear it up! #DawgPound #TheLand

— Randall Telfer (@RandallTelfer) May 2, 2015"

It would seem unlikely that the team would part ways with Dray with two years remaining on his contract, and Gary Barnidge and Rob Housler should probably be considered locks to make the final 53-man roster. So Telfer may be a long shot to make the final cuts. 

To make matters worse, Oakland rarely used an in-line blocking tight end, primarily using Mychal Rivera as a receiver and turning to Reece, their H-back, for blocking duties. 

Telfer's place in Cleveland may simply be on the practice squad for now.

Grade: B+

Round 7, No. 219 Overall: Hayes Pullard

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Hayes Pullard was a two-time team captain at USC who will be competing with Tank Carder for a backup inside linebacker job in Cleveland. 

The Browns are set with Karlos Dansby, Christian Kirksey and Craig Robertson, who combined to play all but 12 snaps at inside linebacker a season ago. But the Browns did carry Carder as the fourth inside linebacker to play special teams throughout the 2014 season. 

"

Hayes Pullard will be one heckuva special teamer for the #Browns

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) May 2, 2015"

Pullard was a four-year starter at USC with some experience on the special teams coverage units. 

Given his character, it's likely that the team will love what he brings to the table, and he should be considered a strong bet to win the job over Carder.

Grade: A

Round 7, No. 241 Overall: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu

This could prove to be the steal of the draft if Ifo Ekpre-Olomu returns to full health. 

However, Ekpre-Olomu tore his ACL during a December practice and is still months away from returning to football. In fact, Farmer stated after making the selection that he has no timetable for Ekpre-Olomu's return. 

It's entirely possible given the Browns depth at cornerback and the severity of his injury that the Browns will simply stash Ekpre-Olomu on the injured reserve, effectively letting him serve a redshirt year. 

"

AFC scout on Browns CB Ifo Ekpre-Olumu: "He's tough and has ball skills. ...He's going to be great." http://t.co/y7neHWGthp

— Marc Sessler (@MarcSesslerNFL) May 2, 2015"

If Ekpre-Olomu could then return to full healthy by 2016, the Browns secondary would be a scary place for opposing receivers with him, Joe Haden and Tramon Williams.

Grade: A+

Ryan McCrystal is an NFL draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

Follow @Ryan_McCrystal