Here we go again, Browns fans. Last year I went through all 11 of Cleveland's 2017 draft picks and mocked a perfect, ideal, A-plus draft. And I had a few hits in there that surely would have given the Browns one win last season, right?
The front office ended up dealing a few picks -- and got extra 2018 first- and second-round picks from the Texans in the Deshaun Watson and Brock Osweiler deals -- but if it had followed my mock, Cleveland would now have a replacement for Joe Thomas at left tackle in Dion Dawkins, who will start for the Bills in 2018, and one of the 2017 season's breakout players in running back Kareem Hunt.
So let's run through the same exercise for the 2018 draft. Cleveland has only nine picks this time around thanks to a few other trades, but five are in the first two rounds. That's five picks that should be starter-level players. And the Browns have two of the first four picks of the draft to get Pro Bowl-type talent.
A few important notes before we get to it, same as last year:
Round 1, pick No. 1
Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
I'm not wavering here. Allen has been my guy to Cleveland at No. 1 overall since my Mock Draft 1.0 in January. As I wrote then, the NFL is all about projection, and the 6-foot-5 Allen has a high ceiling. He has a rocket arm. He has freakish talent. He has done everything he has needed to do during the pre-draft process -- from the Senior Bowl, to the combine, to interviews with teams -- to be the first pick in this draft.
Now, Browns fans, I know his college stats give you pause. But NFL teams love him. They love his tools, even if he's raw. And with Tyrod Taylor in the mix for 2018, Allen doesn't have to play immediately. He will need some time to adjust to the NFL, and he will need to be coached up. This could be your franchise quarterback, Cleveland.
Round 1, pick No. 4 (from Texans)
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Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State
Tough decision here. Chubb, Saquon Barkley, Denzel Ward and Minkah Fitzpatrick might all be on the board at No. 4. And since this is myperfect draft for the Browns, I have to go with the guy I'd pick. As much as I like Barkley -- and I've said he's in the elite tier of backs I've graded over the past few years, along with Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott and (gulp) Trent Richardson -- I don't believe in taking running backs this high. That's not good value. I think there are some fantastic Day 2 backs in this class who will help immediately.
So I'm not passing on Chubb, a monster pass-rusher to put opposite last year's No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett. You might say the Browns don't need pass-rushers because of Emmanuel Ogbah. That's not correct. Every team needs (and craves) pass-rushers like Chubb. And that's a pretty good trio of edge defenders. If Chubb had been in the 2017 class, I would have rated him just behind Garrett and above Solomon Thomas, who went No. 3 to the 49ers.
Round 2, pick No. 33
Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
This is the Day 2 value I'm talking about. Guice is a really good three-down player and my second-ranked back. When Leonard Fournette got injured in 2016, there was no drop-off with Guice, who averaged a whopping 7.6 yards per carry. Put him with free-agent signing Carlos Hyde and solid pass-catching back Duke Johnson, and this Browns backfield is greatly improved from last season. All three of those players will help Taylor.
Now, if only the Browns had listened to me last year and gone with Hunt in the third round, they wouldn't need a running back in this class.
Round 2, pick No. 35 (from Texans)
Geron Christian, OT, Louisville
This is an upside pick, and the Browns have to replace longtime left tackle Joe Thomas. I think free-agent signing Chris Hubbard is better on the right side. So are you trusting Shon Coleman or Roderick Johnson to replace Thomas? That's why I'm going with Christian, who started 39 games at left tackle for the Cardinals and could be a star. I wouldn't be surprised if he's starting at left tackle in Week 1.
I was asked last week to pick one probable Day 2 pick who will make at least one Pro Bowl. Of course, the situation where each prospect goes matters a great deal. But my pick? Christian.
Round 2, pick No. 64 (from Eagles)
Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis
Miller is the most underrated receiver in this class. He's not huge. He's not a speedster. He just produces. Miller had 238 catches for 3,590 yards and 37 touchdowns in his career, with 96 grabs and 18 TDs in 2017. If not for a broken foot that kept him out of Senior Bowl and combine workouts, we might be talking about him as an early Day 2 pick. As it stands now, though, this is the range in which I see Miller going. And he's going to help a team.
Suddenly the Browns' receiving corps looks so much better than it did entering 2017. Jarvis Landry just signed a long-term deal after the trade from the Dolphins. Josh Gordon and Corey Coleman are extremely talented, and they need to prove they can stay on the field in 2018. With four offensive players in the first five picks, this Browns class is looking great so far.
Round 4, pick No. 114 (from Packers)
Shaquem Griffin, OLB, Central Florida
Day 3 of the draft is about taking guys with high ceilings who you think you can coach up and about taking guys who can play a role for your team. You can't expect to get automatic Week 1 starters here. This is about draft prospects who can contribute on special teams and who have traits you can develop down the road.
And I want Griffin on my team. He has special traits, no matter how much of a tweener he is. He's a football player. Put him on the field as a nickel rusher. Let him get after quarterbacks. Maybe play him at weakside linebacker in obvious passing situations. He's athletic enough to play some safety. There's a chance Griffin goes late in the third round, so I like the value here.
Round 5, pick No. 150 (from Packers)
RJ McIntosh, DT, Miami
Cleveland took two defensive tackles in last year's draft, and Larry Ogunjobi (third round) and Caleb Brantley (sixth round) showed promise as rotational players. I still see defensive tackle as a need position for the Browns, however, particularly with Danny Shelton off to New England.
So I'm going with McIntosh, a 3-technique penetrator who had 21 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. He has been underrated throughout this draft process. He could get a handful of snaps per game as an interior pass-rusher while adjusting to the NFL.
Round 6, pick No. 175
Daurice Fountain, WR, Northern Iowa
Fountain didn't get invited to the combine, so he has flown under the radar a little bit. But his pro day testing numbers -- 42.5-inch vertical, 11-foot-2 broad jump and 40-yard dash in the 4.4s -- have him in the mix as a Day 3 pick, and he might not even be available here. I like him as a developmental receiver, though. He had 12 touchdowns and averaged 14.3 yards per catch for the Panthers last season. I don't usually put a ton of stock in college all-star games, but Fountain was named Offensive MVP of the East-West Shrine Game and jumped off the tape. And he returned punts there, too.
Round 6, pick No. 188 (from Redskins)
Greg Senat, OT, Wagner
With my final selection for the Browns, I'm going with the ultimate upside pick. Senat is a basketball player who only become an offensive tackle in 2016. He played four seasons of college basketball for the Seahawks and started 22 football games for Wagner the past two seasons. At 6-6, 305 pounds, Senat didn't have great testing numbers at the combine. But you can see the talent on the tape -- he's just raw. And he has long arms. So maybe the Browns can stash him on the practice squad for a year while he gets in an NFL workout program. This is a pick for two years down the road.
Kiper's complete 2018 draft class for the Browns
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</tbody></aside>So how did I do? I got Cleveland a developmental franchise quarterback and the draft's best pass-rusher in Round 1. Then in Round 2, I grabbed two offensive weapons who should contribute immediately, plus a tackle who's going to compete to replace Joe Thomas. On Day 3, I went with upside and picked talented, high-ceiling prospects who were left on my board.
The front office ended up dealing a few picks -- and got extra 2018 first- and second-round picks from the Texans in the Deshaun Watson and Brock Osweiler deals -- but if it had followed my mock, Cleveland would now have a replacement for Joe Thomas at left tackle in Dion Dawkins, who will start for the Bills in 2018, and one of the 2017 season's breakout players in running back Kareem Hunt.
So let's run through the same exercise for the 2018 draft. Cleveland has only nine picks this time around thanks to a few other trades, but five are in the first two rounds. That's five picks that should be starter-level players. And the Browns have two of the first four picks of the draft to get Pro Bowl-type talent.
A few important notes before we get to it, same as last year:
- These are the Browns' picks right now. I'm not making any trades here.
- All of the prospect projections are based on where I have them ranked and where they realistically could go. I'm not giving the Browns nine first-round-type picks.
- I'm not giving Cleveland nine starters. Again, this is realistic. On Day 3, teams are just looking for guys who can contribute and make the team.
Round 1, pick No. 1
Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
I'm not wavering here. Allen has been my guy to Cleveland at No. 1 overall since my Mock Draft 1.0 in January. As I wrote then, the NFL is all about projection, and the 6-foot-5 Allen has a high ceiling. He has a rocket arm. He has freakish talent. He has done everything he has needed to do during the pre-draft process -- from the Senior Bowl, to the combine, to interviews with teams -- to be the first pick in this draft.
Now, Browns fans, I know his college stats give you pause. But NFL teams love him. They love his tools, even if he's raw. And with Tyrod Taylor in the mix for 2018, Allen doesn't have to play immediately. He will need some time to adjust to the NFL, and he will need to be coached up. This could be your franchise quarterback, Cleveland.
Round 1, pick No. 4 (from Texans)
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Tough decision here. Chubb, Saquon Barkley, Denzel Ward and Minkah Fitzpatrick might all be on the board at No. 4. And since this is myperfect draft for the Browns, I have to go with the guy I'd pick. As much as I like Barkley -- and I've said he's in the elite tier of backs I've graded over the past few years, along with Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott and (gulp) Trent Richardson -- I don't believe in taking running backs this high. That's not good value. I think there are some fantastic Day 2 backs in this class who will help immediately.
So I'm not passing on Chubb, a monster pass-rusher to put opposite last year's No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett. You might say the Browns don't need pass-rushers because of Emmanuel Ogbah. That's not correct. Every team needs (and craves) pass-rushers like Chubb. And that's a pretty good trio of edge defenders. If Chubb had been in the 2017 class, I would have rated him just behind Garrett and above Solomon Thomas, who went No. 3 to the 49ers.
Round 2, pick No. 33
This is the Day 2 value I'm talking about. Guice is a really good three-down player and my second-ranked back. When Leonard Fournette got injured in 2016, there was no drop-off with Guice, who averaged a whopping 7.6 yards per carry. Put him with free-agent signing Carlos Hyde and solid pass-catching back Duke Johnson, and this Browns backfield is greatly improved from last season. All three of those players will help Taylor.
Now, if only the Browns had listened to me last year and gone with Hunt in the third round, they wouldn't need a running back in this class.
Round 2, pick No. 35 (from Texans)
This is an upside pick, and the Browns have to replace longtime left tackle Joe Thomas. I think free-agent signing Chris Hubbard is better on the right side. So are you trusting Shon Coleman or Roderick Johnson to replace Thomas? That's why I'm going with Christian, who started 39 games at left tackle for the Cardinals and could be a star. I wouldn't be surprised if he's starting at left tackle in Week 1.
I was asked last week to pick one probable Day 2 pick who will make at least one Pro Bowl. Of course, the situation where each prospect goes matters a great deal. But my pick? Christian.
Round 2, pick No. 64 (from Eagles)
Miller is the most underrated receiver in this class. He's not huge. He's not a speedster. He just produces. Miller had 238 catches for 3,590 yards and 37 touchdowns in his career, with 96 grabs and 18 TDs in 2017. If not for a broken foot that kept him out of Senior Bowl and combine workouts, we might be talking about him as an early Day 2 pick. As it stands now, though, this is the range in which I see Miller going. And he's going to help a team.
Suddenly the Browns' receiving corps looks so much better than it did entering 2017. Jarvis Landry just signed a long-term deal after the trade from the Dolphins. Josh Gordon and Corey Coleman are extremely talented, and they need to prove they can stay on the field in 2018. With four offensive players in the first five picks, this Browns class is looking great so far.
Round 4, pick No. 114 (from Packers)
Day 3 of the draft is about taking guys with high ceilings who you think you can coach up and about taking guys who can play a role for your team. You can't expect to get automatic Week 1 starters here. This is about draft prospects who can contribute on special teams and who have traits you can develop down the road.
And I want Griffin on my team. He has special traits, no matter how much of a tweener he is. He's a football player. Put him on the field as a nickel rusher. Let him get after quarterbacks. Maybe play him at weakside linebacker in obvious passing situations. He's athletic enough to play some safety. There's a chance Griffin goes late in the third round, so I like the value here.
Round 5, pick No. 150 (from Packers)
Cleveland took two defensive tackles in last year's draft, and Larry Ogunjobi (third round) and Caleb Brantley (sixth round) showed promise as rotational players. I still see defensive tackle as a need position for the Browns, however, particularly with Danny Shelton off to New England.
So I'm going with McIntosh, a 3-technique penetrator who had 21 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. He has been underrated throughout this draft process. He could get a handful of snaps per game as an interior pass-rusher while adjusting to the NFL.
Round 6, pick No. 175
Fountain didn't get invited to the combine, so he has flown under the radar a little bit. But his pro day testing numbers -- 42.5-inch vertical, 11-foot-2 broad jump and 40-yard dash in the 4.4s -- have him in the mix as a Day 3 pick, and he might not even be available here. I like him as a developmental receiver, though. He had 12 touchdowns and averaged 14.3 yards per catch for the Panthers last season. I don't usually put a ton of stock in college all-star games, but Fountain was named Offensive MVP of the East-West Shrine Game and jumped off the tape. And he returned punts there, too.
Round 6, pick No. 188 (from Redskins)
With my final selection for the Browns, I'm going with the ultimate upside pick. Senat is a basketball player who only become an offensive tackle in 2016. He played four seasons of college basketball for the Seahawks and started 22 football games for Wagner the past two seasons. At 6-6, 305 pounds, Senat didn't have great testing numbers at the combine. But you can see the talent on the tape -- he's just raw. And he has long arms. So maybe the Browns can stash him on the practice squad for a year while he gets in an NFL workout program. This is a pick for two years down the road.
Kiper's complete 2018 draft class for the Browns
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| ROUND/PICK | NAME | POS | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1 | Josh Allen | QB | Wyoming |
| 1/4 | Bradley Chubb | DE | NC State |
| 2/33 | Derrius Guice | RB | LSU |
| 2/35 | Geron Christian | OT | Louisville |
| 2/64 | Anthony Miller | WR | Memphis |
| 4/114 | Shaquem Griffin | OLB | Central Florida |
| 5/150 | RJ McIntosh | DT | Miami |
| 6/175 | Daurice Fountain | WR | Northern Iowa |
| 6/188 | Greg Senat | OT | Wagner |
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