INTRODUCTION:
Hello all and happy holidays!
I finally got around to making my first in depth one round mock draft of the year based solely on my own personal scouting. To be clear about what this is, I am making picks for each team based on what I think of players, and not what will actually happen in the draft or what the consensus on a player is. My end goal in making these is always to match closely to what a redraft would look like in five years, rather than what the board will look like on draft night. I will undoubtedly be wrong about a lot of these picks.
MOCK DRAFT AND WRITE-UPS:
1st Overall - Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence - Clemson - QB
The Rams send not only an extra 1st to Duval, but now the first overall pick. Lawrence boasts not only ideal frame, arm strength, and accuracy, but most notably a quick recognition and ability to distribute the ball quickly and accurately. Given adequate weapons, Lawrence will elevate the play of the offensive line as soon as his first year, and show elite talent to methodically matriculate the ball as well as threaten defenses with the deep passing game. The Jaguars get an elite day 1 starter with all-time great potential. An easy pick.
2nd Overall - New York Jets - Justin Fields - Ohio State - QB
With Lawrence now off the table, the decision to move on from Darnold is slightly less obvious. For a rebuilding club, there are many options available at the second overall pick that would make a lot of sense, but as the Jets GM I still elect to grab my franchise quarterback. Fields may be raw, but the talent he possesses won’t be found in many other prospects, in this draft or subsequent classes. His elite combination of arm strength and accuracy alone is one of the most reliable traits when projecting to the next level, and his top tier athleticism and escapability will go a long way in masking his deficiencies between the ears. If the past 5 drafts have shown us anything, is that quarterbacks with Fields’ talent can be developed and thrive in the NFL, and success at the next level can often rely more on the situation they are put in. With a boatload of picks in the next two drafts and an inevitable coaching change, Fields can certainly be a star quarterback for the Jets.
3rd Overall - Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell - Oregon - OT
After the Burrow injury, all eyes in Cincinnati turned towards the draft, and more specifically one name: Penei Sewell. At this point, no one questions the fit, and arguably the best player available fits a desperate need. Sewell already boasts NFL ready technique in a hulking 6’6” 330 pound frame. His footwork is clean and quick, his grip is nearly inescapable when he gets a hold on defenders, and he moves bodies with ease in the run game. With Jonah Williams continuously fighting injury on top of the already apparent need on the line, the Bengals can’t pass on Sewell. Burrow gets his protector and Cincy possibly sees the second coming of Anthony Munoz.
4th Overall - Carolina Panthers - Caleb Farley - Virginia Tech - CB
With the departure of James Bradberry in the offseason, cornerback became a dire need for the Panthers. Luckily, in a strong corner class, Caleb Farley can help assuage the Panthers’ secondary woes and help Matt Rhule along in his defensive rebuild. Farley not only projects as a lockdown corner at the next level, but possesses the top tier athleticism, awareness, and ball skills to potentially be the NFL’s next great ballhawk. Farley’s footwork is a little rough around the edges, but strong overall, using his leverages and fluid hips to stay in his receivers’ pocket through the route. In zone coverage, he is aggressive and instinctive, where he can often be burned, but more often make a strong play on the ball and break up passes. However, where he justifies the fourth overall pick, is in his closing speed and ball skills. Once the ball is in the air, Farley shows the ability to close separation in an instant, and turn himself into the receiver without taking penalties. For the Panthers, Farley’s floor is interesting, but his ceiling is higher than almost anyone since Jalen Ramsey. Carolina not only gets a steady corner, but potentially a complete game changer at one of the most important positions in football.
5th Overall - Atlanta Falcons - Patrick Surtain II - Alabama - CB
The Falcons find themselves once again in the no man's land of the NFL this year: not fully rebuilding, not coming close to contending. As such, there are many directions the Falcons could go with the fifth overall pick. I won’t mince words, I have hated the Falcons drafting over the last few seasons, and they routinely take the players I think are overrated. So despite having drafted a few cornerbacks in recent years, I think it’s still enough a need to address again this year. Patrick Surtain II is a very different prospect from Farley, relying mainly on his veteran level intelligence and polish to lock down some of the best receivers in college. Surtain’s excellent use of leverage, as well as strong hand technique and avoidance of wasted steps allows him to stay perfectly in phase from the line of scrimmage and use his length and athleticism to break up passes. Like Okudah in last year’s draft, it may take him a year or so to learn the tendencies of NFL receivers, but Surtain projects to be a strong CB1 with elite upside in a league where top tier corners are becoming more and more valuable.
6th Overall - Miami Dolphins (via Houston) - Devonta Smith - Alabama - WR
The Dolphins are building a deep, fundamentally sound team in South Beach, and with a gifted top 10 pick from Houston they are primed to address their biggest remaining need: talent on offense. Luckily, my top wide receiver, Devonta Smith, is nothing but talent. Smith is one of the smartest route runners coming out of the draft in a long, long time, he has some of the best hands since Odell, and has more than enough speed to outrun the leagues top corners when he needs to. Additionally, after the catch, he is a threat to take any slant or screen to the house. All reports are that he is humble, dedicated, and intelligent and should be a strong interview for any team considering him. Frame is the only concern for Smith, with some worry about durability at the next level, but I refuse to pass on a talent like this. Devonta Smith honestly might be the best prospect in the class, and recreating the Tua/Smith connection is too good to pass up.
7th Overall - Philadelphia Eagles - Micah Parsons - Penn State - ILB
The Eagles don’t often place a high importance on the linebacker position, and would more likely take a receiver or corner with this pick, but to me Parsons has fallen too far for the Eagles to pass on. Parsons falls into the mould of ‘freak athlete’ that always entices NFL scouts, but where he differs from past top linebackers is between the ears in his play recognition. Parsons routinely is able to sniff out play calls from a mile away and use his explosiveness and fluidity to rip through offenses for TFL’s and PBU’s. He has stopping power in the downhill run game, and the ability to quickly navigate traffic east and west to make a play. In coverage, he is intelligent reading the quarterback’s eyes, and can break on the ball quickly. I don’t think I’m getting carried away by saying Parsons is the best linebacker prospect since Wagner and Keuchely, and is the kind of guy you build your defensive system around. It may not be the most pressing need for Philadelphia, but it's a fit you aren’t going to get anywhere else in any draft, so you take it if it’s there.
8th Overall - Dallas Cowboys - Jaycee Horn - South Carolina - CB
And here goes the final of my top cornerbacks, and not a moment too soon. The Cowboys secondary was hurting bad before Byron Jones left, and now they are left with next to nothing. Jaycee Horn isn’t as sure a prospect as Farley or Surtain, but no doubt has as high a ceiling and maybe higher. Horn is a physical, fluid corner that can frustrate a receivers gameplan and routinely keep the game in front of him. His footwork could be refined, as he can take some false steps, but he makes up for it with fantastic hand usage to jam at the line. When he is at his best technically, he can lean on his size and athleticism to make plays on the ball and create a few turnovers in the process. A top 10 selection may be a slight reach, as I have a top 15 grade on him, but for a team with this big a need at the position, Horn is well worth the pick.
9th Overall - Los Angeles Chargers - Jalen Mayfield - Michigan - OT
This may be my first big hot take of the mock, with many mocking Mayfield as low as the second round but to me Mayfield is the Jedrick Wills of this class; a fitting comparison as Wills was similarly given a second round grade for much of the 2019 season. Mayfield is a true technician at the right tackle spot, with near flawless footwork, a strong base, and reliable hands. In pass protection, Mayfield has an extremely high floor, and is almost guaranteed to be a quality starter. In the run game, he lacks the ability to truly move players off their spot, but makes up for it with great technique to wall defenders off and speed getting to his spots and stealing leverage. The Chargers need to rebuild their line for Herbert, and Mayfield would be a very reliable anchor at either tackle spot even in year one. In no way does this completely fix their line, but this pick is a very strong start for a team that really can’t afford to not address the need.
10th Overall - New York Giants - Ja’marr Chase - LSU - WR
Despite opting out of the season, Chase remains one of the top receivers in the class, and in strong contention for the top receiver spot. His route running is already elite, and packaged with a big frame and jump ball ability Chase has likely the highest floor of any receiver in the past few drafts. His speed doesn’t impress on its own, but Chase is already a master at tailoring his routes to the technique and leverage of DB’s to generate separation. With Saquon set to return in 2021 and the offensive line steadily improving, the Giants need a go-to target to take the top off of defenses and take pressure off of Saquon and Daniel. Chase is a great fit in that role, as he can just as easily find separation underneath as he can haul in fifty-fifty balls on deep throws.
11th Overall - Detroit Lions - Patrick Jones II - Pittsburgh - EDGE
The 2021 EDGE class lacks the true top 10 talent that past drafts had, but there are a few interesting names to watch between the first and second rounds. To me, however, there is none with the upside of Patrick Jones II. For many this pick is a reach, I understand, but Jones’ combination of speed, strength, length, motor, and bend is too rare to pass up for a team like the Lions that needs a game-changer. Jones leans heavily on the bull rush, a skill that doesn’t always translate to the next level, but his raw power to move big tackles inspires confidence that even NFL tackles will have a difficult time anchoring down. But what’s underrated about his game to me is the flashes of diversity and intelligence he shows in rushing the passer. The more you watch Patrick Jones the more you see well executed rip moves, spins, and more generally the ability to attack with a plan and execute at a high level. When tackles adjust to his bull rush, he starts to attack the outside with speed. When tackles adjust to his speed, he counters inside. If all else fails, he pulls out his length and bend to dip even farther around the corner. Is he a polished prospect? Not even close. But he is absolutely relentless rushing the passer, and possesses every raw tool you could ask for on a wishlist. He shows more than enough technical polish to inspire confidence that he can improve, and the ceiling to be a true game changing pass rusher is certainly there.
12th Overall - San Francisco 49ers - Creed Humphrey - Oklahoma - iOL
Ok, I know mocking a quarterback at the very next pick is probably not what 49ers fans want to see. I understand. However, this pick to me does two things: takes the best player available and strengthens a strength, which to me is not a bad thing at all. Whether at guard or center, Humphrey shows elite strength, speed, and awareness in all facets of the game. In pass protection, he has the awareness to find the right work when uncovered and the anchor, strength, and footwork to fortify pocket integrity when covered. In the run game, he can get to his spot very quickly, steal leverages, and move bodies as he pleases. He can pull with the best of them and get to the second level to break big runs. I was so, so close to mocking a quarterback here, but Humphrey is too good to pass up. A true quarterback of the offensive line, a game changer in the run game, and an overall stud. No matter who is at quarterback, Shanahan’s run game is the team’s identity and the star of the show. I’ll reluctantly run it back with Jimmy G for a year and know that my offensive line is set to do what the 49ers do best for the foreseeable future.
13th Overall - Denver Broncos - Kyle Trask - Florida - QB
You know, I don’t hate Drew Lock. Maybe, just maybe, he has a big year in him next season. But when looking at the Broncos needs moving forward, I am pretty high on the team they have put together on paper. A solid offensive line, a ton of weapons, good defensive line (when healthy), some playmakers in the secondary. I think with a healthy season and a reliable quarterback they can be a lot closer to a playoff team than many think. Enter Kyle Trask. Often being lost in the weeds with other intriguing prospects in this class, I think Trask possesses two skills that set him above the rest: accuracy when mechanics fail and throwing with anticipation. After the top two quarterbacks in this class, no one really has great mechanics and Trask is no exception. Trask has a very bad habit of not setting his feet under pressure, often bringing his left foot back and throwing from a standing position falling away. But unlike other prospects, Trask still somehow manages to throw on target and with anticipation anyways. He can throw basically all with his arm and still drop a dime downfield to a streaking receiver. Additionally, without pressure in his face, Trask maintains a very solid base, and shows very solid mechanics all around. He can read defenses very well and throw his players open in a way few in this class can, and has shown production against the highest levels of competition. He may never be a dynamic quarterback, but he is more than capable of being what Tannehill has been for the Titans, and with the weapons Denver possesses, that could be more than enough to revive this offense.
14th Overall - Minnesota Vikings - Alijah Vera-Tucker - USC - OG
One of my favorite prospects in the class, Vera-Tucker really is the complete package at guard. A fantastic blend of technical mastery and athletic talent projects the USC guard as a plug and play impact starter at the next level. You will rarely find a snap where Vera-Tucker doesn’t show an exceptional base and footwork, a strong punch, and leg drive to move bodies in the run game. He is equally as quick as he is strong, and can easily play the zone running scheme that Minnesota often leans on to generate offense. The Vikings have succeeded for years despite poor offensive line play, and additions such as Vera-Tucker really could be the missing pieces to helping them graduate to true contender status. The skill is there offensively for Minnesota, but a great offensive line could unlock something even more.
15th Overall - New England Patriots - Tamorrion Terry - Florida State - WR
How many times are we going to let receivers with this kind of talent fall to the second round? There were concerns over Metcalf’s route running, there were concerns over Claypool’s route running, and now there are similar concerns about Terry. As a route runner he is raw without a doubt, doesn’t know how to manipulate leverages yet, or set up defenders at the line of scrimmage. But like the aforementioned second round receivers, Terry can do one thing very few receivers can: consistently win with athleticism. Terry is a 6’4” speed demon with a long reach and stellar vertical. Additionally, he is a very fluid athlete with shifty lateral quickness to win on routes and create after the catch. He wins foot races against speedy corners just as easily as he goes over big corners for fifty-fifty balls. Terry will never be Metcalf, but he is a true playmaker that projects very well to the modern NFL. The Patriots need talent on offense very badly, and while in his rookie year Terry may or may not not have someone to throw him the ball, once New England does find their quarterback of the future, Terry will quickly become his favorite target.
16th Overall - Chicago Bears - Liam Eichenberg - Notre Dame - OT
It’s true that the Bears have a strong need at the quarterback positions, but without a player I’m confident in taking here I feel very good about addressing another dire need on the offensive line. For all of Nagy’s faults, it’s hard to generate offense without an offensive line, and the Bears line has been underwhelming for quite a while. Eichenberg boasts a high floor and clear ability to play either tackle positions on day one. He isn’t the athlete that many look for at the position, but he more than makes up for it with strong fundamentals and plenty of experience. Eichenberg’s strong footwork is fully on display against the interior pass rush, where he stout, and can casually ride defenders around the outside to allow his quarterback to step up in the pocket. You won’t see many pancakes in the run game, but a strong base and core strength allow him to wall off defenders and create lanes for his running back on a consistent basis. A sure pass protector and a solid run blocker, Eichenberg is a very strong, albeit unexciting pick for a Bears club that desperately needs an unexciting player to help the entire offense elevate its game.
17th Overall - Las Vegas Raiders - Marvin Wilson - Florida State - DT
The first year in Las Vegas has been a bit of a roller coaster for the team, often looking like contenders then subsequently making the Jets look competent. Ultimately, it seems Gruden is building something good for the black and silver and really the team should just stay the course and keep building the same way they have been. When it comes to the defensive line, Wilson is exactly what the doctor ordered. He possesses rare speed and burst for a man his size, and impresses with a handful of well executed pass rushing moves to create pressure from the interior. Quick off the ball, Wilson can eat one on one matchups for breakfast in a myriad of ways. His use of hands allows him to capitalize on his athletic advantage and put himself in a position to either bull rush defenders or open the door to the outside and win on leverage. He could improve his approach to double teams, as he often fails to get low enough to anchor down, but there is no doubt he has the tools to succeed when doubled. WIlson can take a lot of the pressure off of Las Vegas’ young edge rushers, and generate coveted pressure from the interior that can disrupt even the most mobile quarterbacks.
18th Overall - Baltimore Ravens - Wyatt Davis - Ohio State - OG
With the retirement of Marshall Yanda, guard has become a significant hole on what is otherwise a stout group on the offensive line. The Ravens offense relies heavily on putting defenders in conflict using Lamar Jackson’s dual threat abilities and the speed of the weapons around him. To me, even more than their other needs, the Ravens need to re-establish a dominant run game to take pressure off of Lamar and the best way to address this need is to draft a powerful, stout guard in Wyatt Davis. Davis pops off the tape with strength and ability to anchor in pass protection and move bodies in the run game. He is very quick to perform difficult reach blocks and steal leverage away from defenders to create holes in the run game. In the run game his footwork is top tier, and he shows the tenacity to be a plus blocker at the next level. My only small concern with him is his footwork in pass protection, where he sometimes swings his outside foot back and allows defenders to ‘open the door’ on him, but this isn’t a significant issue that will show up often on tape. Overall, Davis would be a key piece in establishing a run game in Baltimore to allow Harbaugh to run his option heavy offense off of and give Lamar all the tools he needs to get back to MVP form.
19th Overall - Washington Football Team - Terrace Marshall Jr. - LSU - WR
Marshall unfortunately spent most of his career at LSU behind Chase and Jefferson, the latter of whom is already dominating the NFL as a rookie, but early in the season Marshall proved that he himself is a top receiver prospect serving as the WR1 for a rebuilding LSU squad. In his short 2020 stint, he showed top tier route running, very solid hands, and good use of his large frame to box out defenders. Ultimately, Marshall should project as a similar player to someone like Allen Robinson. He will routinely win on route running alone, despite lacking elite athleticism at the position, and will come down with the majority of the fifty-fifty balls thrown his way. For a Washington club that struggles passing to anyone not named Terry McLauren, Marshall is a perfect fit as a very good ‘X’ receiver to compliment McLauren’s speed and quickness. He should be a red-zone machine, as well as a very dependable target to move the chains. WFT gets a great player at a major need, who would likely be gone at pick 19 in most draft classes.
20th Overall - Arizona Cardinals - Deommodore Lenoir - Oregon - CB
The Cardinals have all the pieces of a team with a great future, starting with the head coach and quarterback, but with Patrick Peterson showing signs of aging and no good options opposite him, outside cornerback has become a serious position of need. Enter the oft underrated Deommodore Lenoir. As an athlete, Lenoir boasts everything you could want in a corner except size. He is a speedy and fluid athlete and shows the strength and willingness to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. Lenoir’s game is characterized by his aggressive approach, choosing to attack defenders rather than play passively and showing the athleticism and ball skills to attack passes in the air. Technically, Lenoir shows solid, but improvable footwork to stay in phase with defenders man to man, and good instincts and vision in zone to stay on his assignments and break up passes. If you draft Lenoir, you are drafting the athlete more so than the player, but by no means is Lenoir a raw corner. The Cardinals get a great athlete with solid fundamentals that can develop and become a good complement to Peterson and Murphy, and may eventually be able to truly step into the CB1 role.
21st Overall - Miami Dolphins - C.J. Verdell - Oregon - RB
My hottest take of the draft by far. I don’t think I’ve heard much buzz about Verdell as a top running back, but to me I see all the tools to be an elite back at the NFL level. On tape, the most impressive trait Verdell flashes is his top tier burst and explosiveness. When C.J. decides to hit a hole, he is through it in an instant. A true slasher, Verdell can make one cut and take any play to the house even against some of the fastest, most stout defenses. He may not be the strongest back outright, but moving at top speed he is a sledge hammer between the tackles, and can navigate through traffic to find space and fall forwards for extra yards. As far as vision, Verdell shows both good and bad on tape. As a downhill runner, Verdell can often get tunnel vision and miss open opportunities to bounce runs outside. This may improve with NFL coaching, as Oregon runs a very downhill rushing attack, but it is still a concern going into the draft. But, conversely, within the rushing scheme, C.J. shows very quick recognition of run fits to find the open lane almost instantly, hitting it at top speed with his eyes up to make an extra cut. The ceiling for a back like Verdell is very, very high and his athleticism alone makes him a solid bet to translate to the next level. He reminds me a lot of a young Dalvin Cook: an explosive one-cut slasher with home run ability. If he can put on a little extra muscle and improve his shiftiness in space, Verdell might be the steal of the draft. The Dolphins need elite talent to surround Tua with, and Verdell very well might fit the bill to a tee.
22nd Overall - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Rashawn Slater - Northwestern - OT
The Buccaneers look like one of the most complete rosters in the NFL in 2020, with talent at nearly every position group, but the offensive line remains a work in progress. Wirfs has been very impressive at right tackle in his rookie campaign, but improvement at left tackle and the guards positions would go a long way in helping Brady and/or his successor mount a superbowl run. Rashawn Slater enters the draft as a strong, technically sound tackle prospect that should find immediate success in the NFL just as Wirfs has on the other side. His footwork is extremely polished already: playing angles perfectly, quick to adjust to changes in direction, always in a position to get his hands on a defender and ride them outside around the pocket. hands. In the run game, Slater is ‘sticky’ and can control his defenders with a wide base and a great punch. His intelligence knowing leverages and blocking angles allows him to wall off defenders and create running lanes, even if he doesn’t move people off their spot. He shows above average awareness in pass protection, recognizing stunts and twists quickly and powering down his feet to brace for the twisting defender. Slater should be another plug and play tackle in a strong and deep tackle class.
23rd Overall - Indianapolis Colts - Chris Olave - Ohio State - WR
With T.Y. Hilton having a resurgence the last few weeks, I was tempted to change this pick, but at 31 with injury history, I’m not sure Hilton’s play prevents me from drafting a guy like Olave. Much like former Ohio State receiver Terry McLauren, Olave shows very good route running and superior athleticism that projects him as a dynamic receiver at the next level. He isn’t a technical machine that many expect of ‘good’ route runners, but Olave shows exceptional awareness of leverages, defensive schemes, and techniques that allows him to tailor routes to the defense he sees in front of him. He always seems to know exactly what he should be doing and where he should be going to get separation and give his quarterback a window to throw into. He uses his speed to generate big plays down the field, his awareness projects him as a good red zone and third down threat, and his hands are reliable enough to gain the trust of a veteran quarterback like Rivers. Olave would be a great complement next to the big bodied Pittman, and he brings a lot of the awareness that made Hilton such a great receiver in his prime.
24th Overall - Cleveland Browns - Kwity Paye - Michigan - EDGE
How long have the Browns been looking for a long term answer opposite Myles Garrett? Kwity Paye projects as a quick, technical edge rusher that can capitalize on one-on-one matchups created by Garrett’s presence. At 6’4” with decently long arms, Paye has the length to play against the NFL’s top tackles, despite looking a bit smaller on tape. The most impressive aspect of Paye’s game to me is his hand-usage, which is very active and technically sound. Tackles routinely struggle to get their hands on him, which allows him to use his speed to take the outside shoulder and get a hand on the quarterback. He is patient and efficient on stunts, once again using speed and motor to find open space and generate pressure. In the run game, he is once again disruptive when he can get penetration, but often lacks the strength to compete with well executed tackle play. Opposite Myles Garrett, Paye should be able to generate enough pressure to make life easy for a young and sometimes porous Cleveland secondary and maybe even take pressure off of Garrett himself and allow him to be even more dominant. I don’t expect Paye to ever be an elite rusher, but he has a high floor to be a disruptive presence at the end position, and a much needed partner in crime to the former 1st overall pick.
25th Overall - Jacksonville Jaguars (via LA Rams) - Pat Freiermuth - Penn State - TE
In a very good tight end class, with some elite, elite athleticism, I opt to go with what I believe are more translatable traits in Pat Freiermuth, namely intelligence and blocking. Freiermuth is far from the flashiest tight end in this class, but his awareness of both offensive and defensive scheme is second to none in this class or any of the previous classes in recent memory. As a route runner, Freiermuth is an expert manipulating leverage a la Travis Kelce to be the reliable safety valve for his quarterback. He can create separation down the field as well with strong, subtle route running and excellent use of his large frame. He is an extremely reliable red zone threat, routinely finding open space in zone and boxing out defenders to make tight catches. In the run game, he isn’t elite technically, but his awareness of blocking schemes allows him to be in the perfect place at the right time on trap blocks and getting to the second level. He is a true three down tight end that won’t tip your hand to the defense about your play call. More so than any prospect in recent classes, Freiermuth has all the tools necessary to fall into the mould of a Kelce or Witten. Nothing too flashy, but elite at doing their jobs. Lawrence to Freiermuth has some chance of becoming the next Mahomes to Kelce. There is a very, very good argument for placing different tight end at this spot, or another player at a different position of need for Jacksonville, but I can’t shake the feeling Freiermuth is going to be special.
26th Overall - New York Jets (via Seattle) - Najee Harris - Alabama - RB
I know he is only the second running back on my board, and I know the Jets probably need help elsewhere more than at running back, but I am in love with Najee Harris as a prospect. There just isn’t anything he isn’t great at. His vision is exceptional, with both good immediate play recognition and great patience to follow his blocks to generate an even bigger play. His balance and agility are elite, shedding and side stepping tackles with apparent ease. Harris is just as powerful between the tackles as he is quick in bouncing outside, with no wasted motion in either facet of his game. He is a strong receiving option as well, with sure hands and solid route running/awareness. The Jets will have an opportunity to grab another player shortly with their high second round pick, so I feel good grabbing the best player on the board. Harris will do a ton to make the offensive line better in the run game, and additionally take pressure off of Fields so defenses can’t tee off on the passing game. The dynamic of Harris and Fields in both the rushing attack and the passing game would make me feel a lot better about the future of the Jets offense, and maybe take some of the sting away from missing out on Lawrence.
27th Overall - Tennessee Titans - Gregory Rousseau - Miami - EDGE
I’ll be honest, I never understood the top 10 hype for Rousseau, but for a team that is desperate for help rushing the passer, I am more than willing to take a chance on his physical traits. Rousseau most notably possesses ideal length for the position at 6’7” with long arms to compete with NFL caliber tackles. Rousseau boasts natural, functional strength with a very powerful bull rush, and similarly anchors down well in the run game. He is moderately quick for his size, and while he won’t be a significant speed threat outside at the next level, has enough speed to keep tackles guessing. Where Rousseau doesn’t stack up to other rushers in this class is in his technique and awareness, where he shows a one track mind on tape. Outside of his bull rush, Rousseau rarely rushes with a plan, often leaning too heavily on his strength and frame to win reps outright. His hands are often very passive and unrefined, where he often fails to keep punches off his chest. Rousseau needs to develop consistent technique, build some flexibility, and maybe an inside move to diversify his attack before he can be an impact player at the next level, but the tools are there. The Titans get a stout run defender in the short term who may be able to generate pressure and a handful of sacks on talent alone. With some coaching, however, Rousseau has more than enough upside to be a plus pass rusher.
28th Overall - Pittsburgh Steelers - Christian Darrisaw - Virginia Tech - OT
With Big Ben’s recent play, a quarterback would make a lot of sense here. However, I opt instead to deal with a once great offensive line that needs a few pieces to return to former glory. Darrisaw would slot in very nicely at right tackle next to the aging Villanueva, and could potentially be a replacement at left tackle in the future. Darrisaw stands at 6’5” 313 lbs, and uses all of his frame to play with power and stability. While his feet can be choppy, his functional strength makes it tough for defenders to move him even when they get an extra step on him. His grip, when his punches land, is difficult to break, allowing Darrisaw to maintain control even when he has lost some leverage. In this run game, he could still use refinement technically, especially with his hands, but he shows flashes of being a true people mover with ‘pancaking’ upside. Again, there is some concern about his speed fighting off outside moves, but his strength alone is worth developing, and with even slightly more fluid footwork he could be a stalwart tackle in this league for many years. The Steelers need to improve their run game to take pressure off of Ben and the receiving core, and the future at the tackle position needs to be addressed. Darrisaw shows the upside on tape to help with both issues.
29th Overall - New Orleans Saints - Andre Cisco - Syracuse - S
Arguably the most complete roster in the league, New Orleans more or less has the freedom to take the best player available, depending on what you think of Hill and Winston as potential Brees replacements. To me, Cisco is one of the best ‘under the radar’ players in this class for his high end awareness playing a ‘robber’ type strong safety role. Despite versatility to play free safety as well, Cisco shows elite talent at reading the eyes of the quarterback, diagnosing play calls, and breaking on routes for PBU’s and interceptions. He is likely one of the hardest hitters in this class, and can knock balls loose over the middle with clean contact after the catch. As a free safety, he shows similar awareness playing the true center field role, and has decent speed to play sideline to sideline, but will likely have a lot more success playing the role that Vonn Bell played before leaving for the Cincinnati. Cisco is a ‘do it all’ safety with elite intelligence and closing speed to be a ball hawk and bruiser in the New Orleans secondary. The Saints defense is rolling already, but Cisco has the potential to do what Minkah Fitzpatrick did for the Steelers and elevate the play of everyone around him. If the offense can just do enough with Kamara and Thomas, this defense can carry them to Payton’s second superbowl with the club.
30th Overall - Buffalo Bills - Asante Samuel Jr. - Florida State - CB
Samuel Jr. isn’t the flashiest pick at the cornerback position, but for a team ready to compete and a defense having a bit of a down year, a high foor pick like Asante may be just what the team needs. Opposite an All-Pro in Tre White, Samuel is more than capable of being a very reliable, intelligent CB2 from day one. His footwork and fluidity are top tier coming out of college and easily NFL caliber already, which is unsurprising given his NFL pedigree. Samuel is quick recognizing routes, and is not easily fooled by double moves or trickery at the line of scrimmage. With the ball in the air, Samuel is a dynamic athlete who can make plays on the ball and close on receivers quickly to break up passes. There isn’t really much more to say about Samuel. Arguably one of the safest picks in the draft, you know you are getting an NFL caliber corner who won’t be beat easily and will chime in with enough PBU’s and turnovers to make this pick more than worthwhile. Really a perfect pick for where the Bills are right now.
31st Overall - Green Bay Packers - Amon-Ra St. Brown - USC - WR
Reuniting the St. Brown brothers, the Packers get easily the best receiver in the family tree. While only 6’1”, St. Brown plays bigger than his frame, but also possesses the speed and route running to be a dynamic threat down the field and in open space. With very sure hands and a large catch radius, St. Brown will quickly gain the trust of Rodgers (or Love potentially) and become the ‘go-to’ second option in Green Bay overnight. His route running is very crisp and nuanced, and he shows great ability to set up defenders and move them away from his eventual route. After the catch, St. Brown is quick and hard to tackle, demonstrating very solid yards after the catch ability in the screen or jet sweep game. Although I’m not sure his big play ability will translate quite as well due to his relative lack of speed, Amon-Ra St. Brown will undoubtedly be a reliable target at the next level in the short and intermediate game, and has enough speed and ball skills to come down with a few deep shots at the NFL level. Adams and MVS have proven to be a very solid tandem in Green Bay, but the addition of St. Brown adds an extra element to the receiving room, and when you have a quarterback like Rodgers, there is absolutely no such thing as too many weapons.
32nd Overall - Kansas City Chiefs - Rashod Bateman - Minnesota - WR
Many may scoff at the idea of the Chiefs taking a receiver in the first round; after all, they already have the best skill position group in all of football. If anything, that to me proves why the Chiefs should continue investing in weapons for Mahomes: it works! With Watkins likely gone in the offseason, the Chiefs need another reliable, possession receiver to make plays over the middle and move the chains. We’ve seen over the last three years that this formula with Tyreek, Kelce and Watkins isn’t just a contender, but a champion. Bateman brings fluid route running and fantastic hands to the Chiefs, and will haul in any pass regardless of accuracy and separation. Speed is a bit of a limiting factor when it comes to his production, but his athleticism with the ball in the air, and creativeness after the catch make him an ideal fit for what Kansas City needs. Bateman can be yet another red zone threat for the Chiefs, who are already elite at finishing drives, and can put defenses in even more of a bind wondering “how are the Chiefs going to score on us this time?”. Bateman is built to be an ‘X’ receiver, and has the skill to not only fill Watkins’ shoes, but maybe become an even better possession receiver overall, with less of the downfield threat. There is nothing wrong with strengthening your teams’ strengths, especially when that strength is winning you superbowls. Continue to invest in Mahomes, and Kansas City will continue to be a city of champions. It’s that simple.

Cleveland Browns

Division: AFC North
Record: 6 - 10
Introduction
Hey everyone u/goingsouthhiker here to provide you more information than you ever wanted to know about the Cleveland Browns. My first distinct memory as a child is my fathers face in stunned silence as Ernest Byner fumbled at the goaline. I have been gifted through some sick hereditary defect a lifelong love of the Browns. so here you go.
 
Coaching Changes/GM Changes
 
Freddie Kitchens Fired  
On December 29th, 2019, the Browns fired head coach Freddie Kitchens. This is the culmination of a coaching hire that seemed to be entirely based upon folksy blue collar catch phrases “if you don’t wear brown and orange, you don’t matter” and a good relationship with Baker Mayfield.  
Some of Freddie's greatest hits included

• 4th and 9 - Draw Play
• Madden Style 5 WR streaks from your own goal line
• Send out the punt team on 4th-and-11 down 17 points in the fourth quarter to the New England Patriots, only to change his mind and take a deliberate false start rather than burn a timeout.
• 4th and 1 on the goal line and not have Nick Chubb on the field

 
John Dorsey Fired  
On December 31st, 2019, the Browns and general manager John Dorsey mutually agreed to part ways after an up and down tenure that brought in a lot of talent but ultimately the decision to hire Kitchens and some questionable high draft picks sank him.
 
Kevin Stefanski Hired  
On January 13th, 2020, the Browns hired former Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski as head coach. This is another first time head coach hire for the browns after an exhaustive coaching search. This hire is the one Paul Depodesta of Moneyball Fame banged the table for prior to the promotion of Kitchens so ultimately the nerds won the battle a year too late.
 
Andrew Berry Hired  
On January 27th, 2020, the Browns hired former Philadelphia Eagles' vice president of football operations Andrew Berry as general manager. Berry previously served as the Browns' vice president of player personnel from 2016–18 under Sashi Brown. At age 32, Berry became the youngest general manager in NFL history.
Berry has been considered in league circles as the next great rising front office star even from his early days in Indianapolis. Ivy league educated and an analytics darling now paired again with Depodesta the Browns will be heavy into analytics and efficiency in their decision making.
 
Alex Van Pelt Hired  
On January 29th 2020, the Browns hired former Cincinnati Bengals' quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator. Van Pelt, who served as offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2009, replaced Todd Monken, who was not retained by Stefanski.
Nobody is quite sure who will be calling plays on game day, The one thing going for this hire is when Van Pelt was the QB Coach for Green Bay Aaron Rodgers was super angry about Van Pelt being fired so there is that.
 
Joe Woods Hired  
On February 7th 2020, the Browns hired former San Francisco 49ers' defensive backs coach Joe Woods as defensive coordinator. Woods, who previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos from 2017–18, replaced Steve Wilks, who was not retained by Stefanski
Woods is a man of mystery he has coached just about every scheme in existence and has given the ever popular "We will tailor our defense to our personnel" answer every time somebody tries to get anything out of him in regards to what he plans to run in Cleveland.
 
Free Agency
Players lost/cut

Player	Position	New Team
Joe Schobert	LB	Jacksonville
Christian Kirksey	LB	Green Bay
Eric Kush	G	Las Vegas
Demetrius Harris	TE	Chicago
T.J. Carrie	CB	Indianapolis
Damarious Randall	S	Las Vegas
Greg Robinson	T	Prison
Rickey Seals Jones	TE	Kansas City
Adarius Taylor	LB	Released
Morgan Burnett	S	Released
Eric Murray	S	Houston

Going into the 2019 season the Browns defense had a lack of quality depth at LB and Safety. So naturally the first thing the Browns do in Free Agency is let go the remaining veteran players at LB and Safety. I can't say for certain this was a bad thing as you will see below.
 
Top Losses
 
Joe Shobert LB - Was a tackling machine and rare pro bowler on this team, however too many of those tackles were made 8-10 yards downfield on run plays. His coverage skills were raw as well so I get not paying him big money.
Christian Kirksey LB - This one hurts a bit not due to production on the field as Kirko was hurt a lot! But more so as he was that beloved master of the Dawg Check and was a great team guy.
Damarious Randall S - A solid player who the Browns converted back to Safety but was always a bit of a headcase. He will be remembered best as the player who intercepted a Bengals pass and handed the ball to Hue Jackson on the Bengals sideline.
 
Players Signed/Brought Back

Player	Position	Contract
Kareem Hunt	RB	1yr $3.25M
Case Keenum	QB	3yr $18M
Andy Janovich	FB	Trade w/Broncos
Jack Conklin	T	3yr $42M
Austin Hooper	TE	4yr $44M
Karl Joseph	S	1yr $2.5M
Andrew Billings	DL	1yr $3.5M
Kevin Johnson	CB	1yr $3.5M
Andrew Sendejo	S	1yr $2.5M
Evan Brown	C	No Details
Donovan Olumba	CB	No Details
JoJo Natson	WR	1yr $1M
BJ Goodson	LB	1yr $2.4M
Chris Hubbard	T	Restructured
Adrian Clayborn	EDGE	1yr $2.4M
Olivier Vernon	EDGE	Restructured
Myles Garrett	EDGE	So Much Money
Rashard Higgins	WR	1yr 910k

 
Man this is a list... Ok so there were very few holes on Offense going into Free Agency but the ones that stood out were both tackles and depth at tight end. The Browns ultimately solved one tackle spot and TE really early in Free Agency with what most considered the best available players at their position.
On the Defensive side we had a open call for any experienced body who wanted to take a 1 year prove it deal. So much depth added via players that fell through the cracks on their former team.
 
Top Signings
 
Jack Conklin RT - The top right tackle in free agency, had a nice season for the titans after coming off a major injury the year before. Can be a All-Pro caliber RT if healthy. Really filled a huge need.
Austin Hooper TE - or "HooooooP" As the falcons fans tell me I am to call him. Filled a big need for reliable catches at the TE position. With David Njoku in the dog house, unable to catch anything, and now asking for a trade this is a big get for the Browns.
Andy Janovich FB - By far my personal favorite signing. Acquired in a trade with the Broncos he is one of the best pure Fullbacks left in the game. I expect him to be a Fan Favorite quickly. There is nothing more that Cleveland Fans adore than elevating a former Broncos fullback to Legendary status.(See Peyton Hillis)
Case Keenum - Browns fans all hope that the Baker Mayfield of last year was a product of really bad coaching, however Keenum can win games in the NFL and is a familiar face to new coach Stefanski having had a career year with Minnesota with Stefanski as his QB coach. I am much more confident in having Keenum as the backup than Garrett Gilbert.
New Contracts - The Browns have ensured Myles Garrett will be a Brown for a long while, placed a 2nd round tender on former rushing champ Kareem hunt, and after briefly flirting with Clowney decided to restructure Olivier Vernon to a much better contract number befitting his oft injured yet surprisingly productive season.
 
 
Draft - Cribbed from u/Marzman315 with permission who did a very excellent defending the draft and I agree with it in it's entirety. The Grades are mine.
 

Round	Player	Position
1.10	Jedrick Wills	T
2.44	Grant Delpit	S
3.88	Jordan Elliott	DT
3.97	Jacob Phillips	ILB
4.115	Harrison Bryant	TE
5.160	Nick Harris	C
6.187	Donovan Peoples-Jones	WR

 
1.10 - Jedrick Wills Jr., Offensive Tackle Alabama Grade A  
As expected, the Browns used the tenth overall pick on a tackle. The tackle turned out to be Jedrick Wills Jr., blindside blocker for Tua Tagovailoa. The former four star high school prospect started all 28 games for the Crimson Tide over his sophomore and and junior years. As a second team All-American and first team All-SEC player, he paved the way for Alabama's elite offense with his quick feet, smooth redirection, extremely powerful anchor and strength, and absolutely punishing punch.  
This pick was overwhelmingly approved of by analysts both internally and externally. Joe Thomas released a reaction video that was enthusiastic to say the least. He made it clear that Wills was his ideal target for the Browns at 10th overall. The front office and coaching staff made it known that Wills was their priority target going into the draft, and were entertaining the possibility of trading up for him, but ultimately the draft board fell their way and they got their man at 10.  
The only negative to the drafting of Wills is that he has only played right tackle in his college career, and given the free agent signing of right tackle Jack Conklin, Wills is going to be expected to transition to left tackle to start his NFL career. Joe Thomas also gave input on this, and stated that while the transition is difficult it is easier to do early in your career, and that he would personally take Wills under his wing and mentor him. Between Joe Thomas's guidance and the coaching of veteran offensive line coach Bill Callahan, not to mention the phenomenal talent of Wills, the transition should be doable for Wills with a minimum of serious difficulty. The protection of franchise QB Baker Mayfield is of paramount importance, and this selection reflects that.
 
2.44 - Grant Delpit, Safety LSU Grade A  
Most Browns fans anticipated that a safety specializing in coverage would be a priority target on day 2. With replacing Damarious Randall a necessity, the Browns zeroed in on LSU standout Grant Delpit. Boasting phenomenal range, excellent ball skills, and tremendous athleticism for the position, he brings an impressive skill set to the team.
Once considered a top 15 to top 20 pick, injuries and questions about tackling caused his value to drop a bit over the season. His broken clavicle in 2018 likely led to a hesitation in committing fully to tackles, and his production in that sense dropped in 2019. Despite some questions about open field tackling, Delpit's football IQ, versatility, and ball skills are enough to excite Browns fans into thinking that they found a solid starter.
 
3.88 - Jordan Elliot, Defensive Tackle Missouri Grade B  
In a post draft interview, Browns Chief Strategist Paul DePodesta revealed that obtaining 2021 draft capital was a priority coming into the draft. Depth along the defensive line has been an issue for the Browns for some time. Both of these issues were addressed with the Browns first pick in the third round.
Jordan Elliot is well known in the scouting community for being the darling prospect of Pro Football Focus, who consistently rated him as a first round prospect. While he lacks some power and length, he has a lightning quick first step and fluid pass rushing skills. His skill set doesn't exactly project him to be an every down player, but he can be a strong gap penetrating 3T rotating along the Browns defensive line.
 
3.97 - Jacob Phillips, Linebacker LSU Grade C Minus
Joe Shobert led the Browns in tackles in two of the last three seasons. Replacing that production was certainly a concern of the Browns. Phillips is an athletic linebacker that led a powerhouse LSU team in tackles. He is strong against the run, and plays fast and strong with solid instincts.
Phillips likely may not replace Shobert's pass coverage, as coverage skills were a clear negative on Phillips' scouting report. But as far as reliable tackling goes Phillips can contribute early, especially on special teams and base defense.
 
4.115 - Harrison Bryant, Tight End Florida Atlantic Grade A
Kevin Stefanski's offense notably uses multiple tight end sets and 12 personnel. Harrison Bryant is a very exciting receiving threat at the TE position. He projects mainly as a depth player behind Austin Hooper and David Njoku (if he remains on the team) currently while he develops his overall game, but he likely sees the field a bit as a rookie. He doesn't bring much to the table as far as blocking goes, but there is absolutely some exciting upside here.
 
5.160 - Nick Harris, Guard/Center Washington Grade C
While the Browns O-line was the subject of well deserved criticisms in 2019, the interior of the line was quietly fairly solid. Left guard Joel Bitonio is among the best in the league at his position and Center JC Tretter is a pro bowl caliber player. Wyatt Teller was unspectacular but played well enough to bring a bit of stability to the position. Lacking at the interior o-line was any sort of depth.
With years of experience at guard and center, Nick Harris will add solid depth and may compete with Teller for the starting right guard spot. He is a smart and nimble pass blocker, and while he doesn't have ideal size for the position (6'1" 300 LB) he uses his low center of gravity effectively to secure a solid base.
 
6.187 - Donovan Peoples-Jones, Wide Receiver Michigan Grade A (upside)
Wide receiver was sneakily a bit of a need for the Browns going into the 2020 draft. Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry are among the best 1/2 starters in the NFL, but after them the depth chart is thin.
Peoples-Jones is a perfect prospect to gamble on. He showed flashes of phenomenal play while at Michigan, and was considered at one point to be a future first round pick and NFL star. Injuries and abysmal QB play severely hindered his college career. His production did not come close to matching his talent. He is athletic, runs clean routes, gets solid separation, and is good with the ball in his hands. There is a lot of talent here that can be developed.
 
Undrafted Free Agents:
Soloman Ajayi, Linebacker, Liberty
Elijah Benton, Safety, Liberty
Ja'Marcus Bradley, Wide Receiver, Louisiana
Tony Brown, Wide Receiver, Colorado
Kevin Davidson, Quarterback, Princeton
Drake Dorbeck, Offensive Tackle/Guard, Southern Mississippi
A.J. Green, Cornerback, Oklahoma State
Brian Herrion, Runningback, Georgia
Jameson Houston, Cornerback, Baylor
Benny LeMay, Runningback, Charlotte
Jovante Moffit, Safety, Middle Tennessee
George Obinna, Defensive End, Sacremento State
Alex Taylor, Offensive Tackle, South Carolina State
Jeffrey Whatley, Defensive Tackle, South Alabama
Nate Wieting, Tight End, Iowa
 
Going Forward:
You will have a hard time finding a Browns fan who did not love this draft. They filled all of their pressing needs without reaching, were savvy navigating the board with trades, and acquired 2021 draft picks. The Browns earned one of only four A+ grades from PFF. While the roster is not without some holes, particularly at linebacker, this is a team that is built to compete. With improvements on the offense that will hopefully come with better coaching and a brand new O-line, the Browns are absolutely in a better position this year than last
 
 
Projected 53 Man Roster (starters in bold):
OFFENSE:
QB - Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum (2)
RB - Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Dontrelle Hilliard, (5)
FB - Andy Janovich (6)
WR - Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Taywan Taylor, Donovan Peoples-Jones, JoJo Natson (12)
TE - Austin Hooper, David Njoku, Harrison Bryant (15)
OT - Jedrick Wills Jr. (LT), Jack Conklin (RT), Chris Hubbard, Drew Forbes (19)
OG - Joel Bitonio (LG), Wyatt Teller (RG), Colby Gossett (22)
C - JC Tretter, Nick Harris (24)
 
DEFENSE:
DE - Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon, Adrian Clayborn, Chad Thomas (28)
DT - Sheldon Richardson, Larry Ogunjobi, Andrew Billings, Jordan Elliot, Daniel Ekuale (33)
LB - Mack Wilson, Sione Takitaki, BJ Goodson, Jacob Phillips, Jermaine Grace, Tae Davis (39)
CB - Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Kevin Johnson, Terrance Mitchell, Donnie Lewis Jr., Tavierre Thomas (45)
SS - Karl Joseph, J.T. Hassell (47)
FS - Grant Delpit, Andrew Sandejo, Sheldrick Redwine (50)
SPECIALISTS
K - Austin Seibert (51)
P - Jamie "Scottish Hammer" Gillan (52)
LS - Charley Hughlett (53)
 
 
What to expect in 2020
 
QB Grade: Incomplete
Baker Mayfield - This is the wildcard for the entire team. There is arguably not a better supporting cast in the league for a Quarterback. Assuming at minimum competent coaching there is no excuse for Mayfield going into year 3. There will be a long leash I am sure but Keenum is waiting in the wings if Mayfield looks like he did last year as opposed to the record setter he was in year 1.  
As goes the arm of Mayfield so goes the Browns Playoff hopes.
 
RB Grade: A+++
Nick Chubb - Quiet, professional, will run you over and laugh at your pitiful tackle attempts. Nick Chubb is a beast, lead the league in yards after contact and nearly won the rushing title. In this new RB friendly system with an improved O-Line and an actual fullback Chubb is going to eat.
 
Kareem Hunt - It's not often that your backup running back is also a league rushing champion. Last year after serving his suspension he came in and made quite a few spectacular plays in the passing game and showed he still had that spark in the running game. This one Two punch is going to be fun to watch!
 
Pass Catchers WTE Grade: A
Goodness where to start... This might be an unpopular take but Jarvis Landry is the Best WR on this team and a top 5 pass catcher in the league. He has the most catches ALL TIME in a players first 6 seasons in the league. No longer relegated to slot duties as he was in Miami he had is best year in 2019.
 
Both Landry and OBJ went over 1000 yards last year which is stunning to me because it felt like both were under utilized all year long. With an increased emphasis on the running game and a deceptive scheme there should be a lot of wide open receivers for the Browns this year
Adding in a third down catch machine in Austin Hooper oh my.. The room is stacked.
 
Offensive Line Grade: B Minus
The OL has been a major issue at the tackle spot since Joe Thomas retired. It now feels like the Browns have the complete package assuming Wills can make the transition to LT in this super strange offseason. The interior is still super solid. There will be a lot riding on the rookie.
 
Defensive Line A Minus
Oh noooooo MYLES!!!! How different would 2019 have been had Myles Garrett kept his cool. Fresh off signing a new mega deal Myles Garrett needs to be the great pass rusher he has been in his first few seasons. He was averaging a sack per game before the suspension and should easily go into double digit sacks this season as well.
Olivier Vernon when healthy is a QB pressure machine but he has problems staying on the field. When he is playing though He and Myles make a great bookend.
The interior is solid with Sheldon Richardson and Larry O, in the middle. This will probably be Richardson's last year with the Browns so I expect him to show out to push for that one last contract.
 
Linebackers Grade: I was told there would be no math
Do I believe in Mack Wilson? Ask me on a day he writes a fired up hype tweet and I will say he is going to be a stud. In the quiet times though I think to myself boy I hope the opposing team does not have a decent tight end because our LB core is going to get burned. I don't know what to think of the rest of the room as it is totally shuffled. Maybe Takitaki is something more than a special teamer? Was B.J. Goodson a diamond waiting to be polished?
The Browns need Takitaki, Wilson, and Phillips to grow up fast in this defense. Goodson has been a part-time player in his career and should have the opportunity to get more playing time than he has had to date in his career. With a one-year prove-it deal, Goodson has the motivation to show that he deserves a multi-year deal.
This is by far on paper the weak point of this team.
 
Cornerback Grade: B
This is the Ward and Greedy Show. Ward is occasionally dinged up but most of the time he is a shut down corner. Super young and is a willing tackler if a bit reckless in his form. Ward has the potential to be a top 5 CB in the league.
Greedy Williams had a decent season on the other side when he got into the game but it is his spot full time now and he needs to step up. The talk when he was drafted was he could not tackle. (Much like Delpit this year) but he showed he was more than willing to tackle and even come up and rush the passer and play the run when needed. With Ward on the other side he is going to be targeted a LOT.
 
Safety Grade: D
Who the hell knows.. Really. I know I said that Linebacker was the weak point but man Safety is as much of a question. Karl Joseph is a Thumper and with that he ends up injured a bit. Delpit has huge potential but is a rookie at FS and supposedly has tackling issues. Outside of those two you have Sendejo in his 11th year in the league and Sheldrick Redwine who was a beast in college but has yet to really prove himself in the league.
Here is hoping Delpit lives up to his potential because man this is a thin group.
 
Specialists Grade: B
Scottish Hammer That is all... The Punter might be the best form tackler on the team hopefully he does not have to do that this season. Or we can stick him in at Linebacker.
But seriously things stabilized with two rookie kickers last year and they both look serviceable. Jojo Natson was brought in to do one thing and that is to return kicks.
 
 
Training Camp Battles
 
On Offense there is very little up for grabs maybe who wins the 3rd WR spot but given Higgins relationship with Mayfield it is his job to lose.
On Defense a lot of the battle is going to be who shows up at LB and Safety as discussed above. there are slim pickings at both positions and really the only people who seem to be safe are Mack Wilson just due to the playing time he got last season and Karl Joseph just based upon his experience in the league.
 
 
Scheme Descriptions
 
Offense: Kevin Stefanski as Minnesota’s offensive coordinator in 2019 produced an offense determined to run the ball and crush teams with play-action. Under the watchful eye of consultant Gary Kubiak he installed a Wide Zone blocking scheme that is time tested and very OL and RB friendly. It is considered a Run first offense which should play right into the Browns strengths. If Mayfield can tighten up the play action fake game the Wide outs should feast as well.
 
Defense - Who knows? I am not even sure Joe Woods knows yet what type of Defense the Browns will run. During his tenure as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator he ran a Base 3-4 Under defense. During his time with the Minnesota Vikings the team ran a base 4-3 which is also the case for the San Francisco 49ers defense this past season.
When asked Woods usually replies with something along the lines of "it's a secret"
Based on the Browns current roster,the preference would be an attacking 4-3 scheme given the strength on the defensive line and questionable linebacker core.
 
 
Season Predictions
It is an impossible task to predict a Browns season. Typically you could say 3 - 5 wins and chances are you would be right. This season with a new head coach, no preseason, maybe no training camp who the hell knows. It is a weak schedule on paper.
So instead of going game by game I am going to make some bold predictions.

• The Browns will make the playoffs
• Nick Chubb will win the rushing title
• Jarvis Landry and OBJ will both go over 1000 yards again
• The Browns will split all of the division games
• The Steelers, Ravens, and Art Modell still suck
• Final Record 10-6 with a Wild Card game win

 
 
Thank You's and Final Thoughts
If you read all this you are a better person than I. Big thanks to u/Marzman315 for lending me the draft section. Also a hearty Woof Woof to u/Usuallyrelevant who keeps us entertained over at Browns
Also the crew at LakeErieBros for sharing together our collective misery.
And finally I want to thank the Bull City Browns Backers in Durham NC for being awesome and showing up to every game with hope in your heart and unwavering dedication.

I did not hear from the non fan for the post so maybe we can add it later.

Link To Hub

I was tasked to write the offseason review for NFL so here it is

Cleveland Browns

Division: AFC North
Record: 6 - 10
Introduction
Hey everyone u/goingsouthhiker here to provide you more information than you ever wanted to know about the Cleveland Browns. My first distinct memory as a child is my fathers face in stunned silence as Ernest Byner fumbled at the goaline. I have been gifted through some sick hereditary defect a lifelong love of the Browns. so here you go.
 
Coaching Changes/GM Changes
 
Freddie Kitchens Fired  
On December 29th, 2019, the Browns fired head coach Freddie Kitchens. This is the culmination of a coaching hire that seemed to be entirely based upon folksy blue collar catch phrases “if you don’t wear brown and orange, you don’t matter” and a good relationship with Baker Mayfield.  
Some of Freddie's greatest hits included

• 4th and 9 - Draw Play
• Madden Style 5 WR streaks from your own goal line
• Send out the punt team on 4th-and-11 down 17 points in the fourth quarter to the New England Patriots, only to change his mind and take a deliberate false start rather than burn a timeout.
• 4th and 1 on the goal line and not have Nick Chubb on the field

 
John Dorsey Fired  
On December 31st, 2019, the Browns and general manager John Dorsey mutually agreed to part ways after an up and down tenure that brought in a lot of talent but ultimately the decision to hire Kitchens and some questionable high draft picks sank him.
 
Kevin Stefanski Hired  
On January 13th, 2020, the Browns hired former Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski as head coach. This is another first time head coach hire for the browns after an exhaustive coaching search. This hire is the one Paul Depodesta of Moneyball Fame banged the table for prior to the promotion of Kitchens so ultimately the nerds won the battle a year too late.
 
Andrew Berry Hired  
On January 27th, 2020, the Browns hired former Philadelphia Eagles' vice president of football operations Andrew Berry as general manager. Berry previously served as the Browns' vice president of player personnel from 2016–18 under Sashi Brown. At age 32, Berry became the youngest general manager in NFL history.
Berry has been considered in league circles as the next great rising front office star even from his early days in Indianapolis. Ivy league educated and an analytics darling now paired again with Depodesta the Browns will be heavy into analytics and efficiency in their decision making.
 
Alex Van Pelt Hired  
On January 29th 2020, the Browns hired former Cincinnati Bengals' quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator. Van Pelt, who served as offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2009, replaced Todd Monken, who was not retained by Stefanski.
Nobody is quite sure who will be calling plays on game day, The one thing going for this hire is when Van Pelt was the QB Coach for Green Bay Aaron Rodgers was super angry about Van Pelt being fired so there is that.
 
Joe Woods Hired  
On February 7th 2020, the Browns hired former San Francisco 49ers' defensive backs coach Joe Woods as defensive coordinator. Woods, who previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos from 2017–18, replaced Steve Wilks, who was not retained by Stefanski
Woods is a man of mystery he has coached just about every scheme in existence and has given the ever popular "We will tailor our defense to our personnel" answer every time somebody tries to get anything out of him in regards to what he plans to run in Cleveland.
 
Free Agency
Players lost/cut

Player	Position	New Team
Joe Schobert	LB	Jacksonville
Christian Kirksey	LB	Green Bay
Eric Kush	G	Las Vegas
Demetrius Harris	TE	Chicago
T.J. Carrie	CB	Indianapolis
Damarious Randall	S	Las Vegas
Greg Robinson	T	Prison
Rickey Seals Jones	TE	Kansas City
Adarius Taylor	LB	Released
Morgan Burnett	S	Released
Eric Murray	S	Houston

Going into the 2019 season the Browns defense had a lack of quality depth at LB and Safety. So naturally the first thing the Browns do in Free Agency is let go the remaining veteran players at LB and Safety. I can't say for certain this was a bad thing as you will see below.
 
Top Losses
 
Joe Shobert LB - Was a tackling machine and rare pro bowler on this team, however too many of those tackles were made 8-10 yards downfield on run plays. His coverage skills were raw as well so I get not paying him big money.
Christian Kirksey LB - This one hurts a bit not due to production on the field as Kirko was hurt a lot! But more so as he was that beloved master of the Dawg Check and was a great team guy.
Damarious Randall S - A solid player who the Browns converted back to Safety but was always a bit of a headcase. He will be remembered best as the player who intercepted a Bengals pass and handed the ball to Hue Jackson on the Bengals sideline.
 
Players Signed/Brought Back

Player	Position	Contract
Kareem Hunt	RB	1yr $3.25M
Case Keenum	QB	3yr $18M
Andy Janovich	FB	Trade w/Broncos
Jack Conklin	T	3yr $42M
Austin Hooper	TE	4yr $44M
Karl Joseph	S	1yr $2.5M
Andrew Billings	DL	1yr $3.5M
Kevin Johnson	CB	1yr $3.5M
Andrew Sendejo	S	1yr $2.5M
Evan Brown	C	No Details
Donovan Olumba	CB	No Details
JoJo Natson	WR	1yr $1M
BJ Goodson	LB	1yr $2.4M
Chris Hubbard	T	Restructured
Adrian Clayborn	EDGE	1yr $2.4M
Olivier Vernon	EDGE	Restructured
Myles Garrett	EDGE	So Much Money
Rashard Higgins	WR	1yr 910k

 
Man this is a list... Ok so there were very few holes on Offense going into Free Agency but the ones that stood out were both tackles and depth at tight end. The Browns ultimately solved one tackle spot and TE really early in Free Agency with what most considered the best available players at their position.
On the Defensive side we had a open call for any experienced body who wanted to take a 1 year prove it deal. So much depth added via players that fell through the cracks on their former team.
 
Top Signings
 
Jack Conklin RT - The top right tackle in free agency, had a nice season for the titans after coming off a major injury the year before. Can be a All-Pro caliber RT if healthy. Really filled a huge need.
Austin Hooper TE - or "HooooooP" As the falcons fans tell me I am to call him. Filled a big need for reliable catches at the TE position. With David Njoku in the dog house, unable to catch anything, and now asking for a trade this is a big get for the Browns.
Andy Janovich FB - By far my personal favorite signing. Acquired in a trade with the Broncos he is one of the best pure Fullbacks left in the game. I expect him to be a Fan Favorite quickly. There is nothing more that Cleveland Fans adore more than elevating a former Broncos fullback to Legendary status.(See Peyton Hillis)
Case Keenum - Browns fans all hope that the Baker Mayfield of last year was a product of really bad coaching, however Keenum can win games in the NFL and is a familiar face to new coach Stefanski having had a career year with Minnesota with Stefanski as his QB coach. I am much more confident in having Keenum as the backup than Garrett Gilbert.
New Contracts - The Browns have ensured Myles Garrett will be a Brown for a long while, placed a 2nd round tender on former rushing champ Kareem hunt, and after briefly flirting with Clowney decided to restructure Olivier Vernon to a much better contract number befitting his oft injured yet surprisingly productive season.
 
 
Draft - Cribbed from u/Marzman315 with permission who did a very excellent defending the draft and I agree with it in it's entirety. The Grades are mine.
 

Round	Player	Position
1.10	Jedrick Wills	T
2.44	Grant Delpit	S
3.88	Jordan Elliott	DT
3.97	Jacob Phillips	ILB
4.115	Harrison Bryant	TE
5.160	Nick Harris	C
6.187	Donovan Peoples-Jones	WR

 
1.10 - Jedrick Wills Jr., Offensive Tackle Alabama Grade A  
As expected, the Browns used the tenth overall pick on a tackle. The tackle turned out to be Jedrick Wills Jr., blindside blocker for Tua Tagovailoa. The former four star high school prospect started all 28 games for the Crimson Tide over his sophomore and and junior years. As a second team All-American and first team All-SEC player, he paved the way for Alabama's elite offense with his quick feet, smooth redirection, extremely powerful anchor and strength, and absolutely punishing punch.  
This pick was overwhelmingly approved of by analysts both internally and externally. Joe Thomas released a reaction video that was enthusiastic to say the least. He made it clear that Wills was his ideal target for the Browns at 10th overall. The front office and coaching staff made it known that Wills was their priority target going into the draft, and were entertaining the possibility of trading up for him, but ultimately the draft board fell their way and they got their man at 10.  
The only negative to the drafting of Wills is that he has only played right tackle in his college career, and given the free agent signing of right tackle Jack Conklin, Wills is going to be expected to transition to left tackle to start his NFL career. Joe Thomas also gave input on this, and stated that while the transition is difficult it is easier to do early in your career, and that he would personally take Wills under his wing and mentor him. Between Joe Thomas's guidance and the coaching of veteran offensive line coach Bill Callahan, not to mention the phenomenal talent of Wills, the transition should be doable for Wills with a minimum of serious difficulty. The protection of franchise QB Baker Mayfield is of paramount importance, and this selection reflects that.
 
2.44 - Grant Delpit, Safety LSU Grade A  
Most Browns fans anticipated that a safety specializing in coverage would be a priority target on day 2. With replacing Damarious Randall a necessity, the Browns zeroed in on LSU standout Grant Delpit. Boasting phenomenal range, excellent ball skills, and tremendous athleticism for the position, he brings an impressive skill set to the team.
Once considered a top 15 to top 20 pick, injuries and questions about tackling caused his value to drop a bit over the season. His broken clavicle in 2018 likely led to a hesitation in committing fully to tackles, and his production in that sense dropped in 2019. Despite some questions about open field tackling, Delpit's football IQ, versatility, and ball skills are enough to excite Browns fans into thinking that they found a solid starter.
 
3.88 - Jordan Elliot, Defensive Tackle Missouri Grade B  
In a post draft interview, Browns Chief Strategist Paul DePodesta revealed that obtaining 2021 draft capital was a priority coming into the draft. Depth along the defensive line has been an issue for the Browns for some time. Both of these issues were addressed with the Browns first pick in the third round.
Jordan Elliot is well known in the scouting community for being the darling prospect of Pro Football Focus, who consistently rated him as a first round prospect. While he lacks some power and length, he has a lightning quick first step and fluid pass rushing skills. His skill set doesn't exactly project him to be an every down player, but he can be a strong gap penetrating 3T rotating along the Browns defensive line.
 
3.97 - Jacob Phillips, Linebacker LSU Grade C Minus
Joe Shobert led the Browns in tackles in two of the last three seasons. Replacing that production was certainly a concern of the Browns. Phillips is an athletic linebacker that led a powerhouse LSU team in tackles. He is strong against the run, and plays fast and strong with solid instincts.
Phillips likely may not replace Shobert's pass coverage, as coverage skills were a clear negative on Phillips' scouting report. But as far as reliable tackling goes Phillips can contribute early, especially on special teams and base defense.
 
4.115 - Harrison Bryant, Tight End Florida Atlantic Grade A
Kevin Stefanski's offense notably uses multiple tight end sets and 12 personnel. Harrison Bryant is a very exciting receiving threat at the TE position. He projects mainly as a depth player behind Austin Hooper and David Njoku (if he remains on the team) currently while he develops his overall game, but he likely sees the field a bit as a rookie. He doesn't bring much to the table as far as blocking goes, but there is absolutely some exciting upside here.
 
5.160 - Nick Harris, Guard/Center Washington Grade C
While the Browns O-line was the subject of well deserved criticisms in 2019, the interior of the line was quietly fairly solid. Left guard Joel Bitonio is among the best in the league at his position and Center JC Tretter is a pro bowl caliber player. Wyatt Teller was unspectacular but played well enough to bring a bit of stability to the position. Lacking at the interior o-line was any sort of depth.
With years of experience at guard and center, Nick Harris will add solid depth and may compete with Teller for the starting right guard spot. He is a smart and nimble pass blocker, and while he doesn't have ideal size for the position (6'1" 300 LB) he uses his low center of gravity effectively to secure a solid base.
 
6.187 - Donovan Peoples-Jones, Wide Receiver Michigan Grade A (upside)
Wide receiver was sneakily a bit of a need for the Browns going into the 2020 draft. Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry are among the best 1/2 starters in the NFL, but after them the depth chart is thin.
Peoples-Jones is a perfect prospect to gamble on. He showed flashes of phenomenal play while at Michigan, and was considered at one point to be a future first round pick and NFL star. Injuries and abysmal QB play severely hindered his college career. His production did not come close to matching his talent. He is athletic, runs clean routes, gets solid seperation, and is good with the ball in his hands. There is a lot of talent here that can be developed.
 
Undrafted Free Agents:
Soloman Ajayi, Linebacker, Liberty
Elijah Benton, Safety, Liberty
Ja'Marcus Bradley, Wide Receiver, Louisiana
Tony Brown, Wide Receiver, Colorado
Kevin Davidson, Quarterback, Princeton
Drake Dorbeck, Offensive Tackle/Guard, Southern Mississippi
A.J. Green, Cornerback, Oklahoma State
Brian Herrion, Runningback, Georgia
Jameson Houston, Cornerback, Baylor
Benny LeMay, Runningback, Charlotte
Jovante Moffit, Safety, Middle Tennessee
George Obinna, Defensive End, Sacremento State
Alex Taylor, Offensive Tackle, South Carolina State
Jeffrey Whatley, Defensive Tackle, South Alabama
Nate Wieting, Tight End, Iowa
 
Going Forward:
You will have a hard time finding a Browns fan who did not love this draft. They filled all of their pressing needs without reaching, were savvy navigating the board with trades, and acquired 2021 draft picks. The Browns earned one of only four A+ grades from PFF. While the roster is not without some holes, particularly at linebacker, this is a team that is built to compete. With improvements on the offense that will hopefully come with better coaching and a brand new O-line, the Browns are absolutely in a better position this year than last
 
 
Projected 53 Man Roster (starters in bold):
OFFENSE:
QB - Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum (2)
RB - Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Dontrelle Hilliard, (5)
FB - Andy Janovich (6)
WR - Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Taywan Taylor, Donovan Peoples-Jones, JoJo Natson (12)
TE - Austin Hooper, David Njoku, Harrison Bryant (15)
OT - Jedrick Wills Jr. (LT), Jack Conklin (RT), Chris Hubbard, Drew Forbes (19)
OG - Joel Bitonio (LG), Wyatt Teller (RG), Colby Gossett (22)
C - JC Tretter, Nick Harris (24)
 
DEFENSE:
DE - Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon, Adrian Clayborn, Chad Thomas (28)
DT - Sheldon Richardson, Larry Ogunjobi, Andrew Billings, Jordan Elliot, Daniel Ekuale (33)
LB - Mack Wilson, Sione Takitaki, BJ Goodson, Jacob Phillips, Jermaine Grace, Tae Davis (39)
CB - Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Kevin Johnson, Terrance Mitchell, Donnie Lewis Jr., Tavierre Thomas (45)
SS - Karl Joseph, J.T. Hassell (47)
FS - Grant Delpit, Andrew Sandejo, Sheldrick Redwine (50)
SPECIALISTS
K - Austin Seibert (51)
P - Jamie "Scottish Hammer" Gillan (52)
LS - Charley Hughlett (53)
 
 
What to expect in 2020
 
QB Grade: Incomplete
Baker Mayfield - This is the wildcard for the entire team. There is arguably not a better supporting cast in the league for a Quarterback. Assuming at minimum competent coaching there is no excuse for Mayfield going into year 3. There will be a long leash I am sure but Keenum is waiting in the wings if Mayfield looks like he did last year as opposed to the record setter he was in year 1.  
As goes the arm of Mayfield so goes the Browns Playoff hopes.
 
RB Grade: A+++
Nick Chubb - Quiet, professional, will run you over and laugh at your pitiful tackle attempts. Nick Chubb is a beast, lead the league in yards after contact and nearly won the rushing title. In this new RB friendly system with an improved O-Line and an actual fullback Chubb is going to eat.
 
Kareem Hunt - It's not often that your backup running back is also a league rushing champion. Last year after serving his suspension he came in and made quite a few spectacular plays in the passing game and showed he still had that spark in the running game. This one Two punch is going to be fun to watch!
 
Pass Catchers WTE Grade: A
Goodness where to start... This might be an unpopular take but Jarvis Landry is the Best WR on this team and a top 5 pass catcher in the league. He has the most catches ALL TIME in a players first 6 seasons in the league. No longer relegated to slot duties as he was in Miami he had is best year in 2019.
 
Both Landry and OBJ went over 1000 yards last year which is stunning to me because it felt like both were under utilized all year long. With an increased emphasis on the running game and a deceptive scheme there should be a lot of wide open receivers for the Browns this year
 
Adding in a third down catch machine in Austin Hooper oh my.. The room is stacked.
 
Offensive Line Grade: B Minus
The OL has been a major issue at the tackle spot since Joe Thomas retired. It now feels like we have the complete package assuming Wills can make the transition to LT in this super strange offseason. The interior is still super solid. There will be a lot riding on the rookie.
 
Defensive Line A Minus
Oh noooooo MYLES!!!! How different would 2019 have been had Myles Garrett kept his cool. Fresh off signing a new mega deal Myles Garrett needs to be the great pass rusher he has been in his first few seasons. He was averaging a sack per game before the suspension and should easily go into double digit sacks this season as well.
Olivier Vernon when healthy is a QB pressure machine but he has problems staying on the field. When he is playing though He and Myles make a great bookend.
The interior is solid with Sheldon Richardson and Larry O, in the middle. This will probably be Richardson's last year with the Browns so I expect him to show out to push for that one last contract.
 
Linebackers Grade: I was told there would be no math
Do I believe in Mack Wilson? Ask me on a day he writes a fired up hype tweet and I will say he is going to be a stud. In the quiet times though I think to myself boy I hope the opposing team does not have a decent tight end because our LB core is going to get burned. I don't know what to think of the rest of the room as it is totally shuffled. Maybe Takitaki is something more than a special teamer? Was B.J. Goodson a diamond waiting to be polished?
The Browns need Takitaki, Wilson, and Phillips to grow up fast in this defense. Goodson has been a part-time player in his career and should have the opportunity to get more playing time than he has had to date in his career. With a one-year prove-it deal, Goodson has the motivation to show that he deserves a multi-year deal.
This is by far on paper the weak point of this team.
 
Cornerback Grade: B
This is the Ward and Greedy Show. Ward is occasionally dinged up but most of the time he is a shut down corner. Super young and is a willing tackler if a bit reckless in his form. Ward has the potential to be a top 5 CB in the league.
Greedy Williams had a decent season on the other side when he got into the game but it is his spot full time now and he needs to step up. The talk when he was drafted was he could not tackle. (Much like Delpit this year) but he showed he was more than willing to tackle and even come up and rush the passer and play the run when needed. With Ward on the other side he is going to be targeted a LOT.
 
Safety Grade: D
Who the hell knows.. Really. I know I said that Linebacker was the weak point but man Safety is as much of a question. Karl Joseph is a Thumper and with that he ends up injured a bit. Delpit has huge potential but is a rookie at FS and but supposedly has tackling issues. Outside of those two you have Sendejo in his 11th year in the league and Sheldrick Redwine who was a beast in college but has yet to really prove himself in the league.
Here is hoping Delpit lives up to his potential because man this is a thin group.
 
Specialists Grade: B
Scottish Hammer That is all... The Punter might be the best form tackler on the team hopefully he does not have to do that this season. Or we can stick him in at Linebacker.
But seriously things stabilized with two rookie kickers last year and they both look serviceable. Jojo Natson was brought in to do one thing and that is to return kicks.
 
 
Training Camp Battles
 
On Offense there is very little up for grabs maybe who wins the 3rd WR spot but given Higgins relationship with Mayfield it is his job to lose.
On Defense a lot of the battle is going to be who shows up at LB and Safety as discussed above. there are slim pickings at both positions and really the only people who seem to be safe are Mack Wilson just due to the playing time he got last season and Karl Joseph just based upon his experience in the league.
 
 
Scheme Descriptions
 
Offense: Kevin Stefanski as Minnesota’s offensive coordinator in 2019 produced an offense determined to run the ball and crush teams with play-action. Under the watchful eye of consultant Gary Kubiak he installed a Wide Zone blocking scheme that is time tested and very OL and RB friendly. It is considered a Run first offense which should play right into the Browns strengths. If Mayfield can tighten up the play action fake game the Wide outs should feast as well.
 
Defense - Who knows? I am not even sure Joe Woods knows yet what type of Defense the Browns will run. During his tenure as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator he ran a Base 3-4 Under defense. During his time with the Minnesota Vikings the team ran a base 4-3 which is also the case for the San Francisco 49ers defense this past season.
When asked Woods usually replies with something along the lines of "it's a secret"
Based on the Browns current roster,the preference would be an attacking 4-3 scheme given the strength on the defensive line and questionable linebacker core.
 
 
Season Predictions
It is an impossible task to predict a Browns season. Typically you could say 3 - 5 wins and chances are you would be right. This season with a new head coach, no preseason, maybe no training camp who the hell knows.
So instead of going game by game I am going to make some bold predictions.

• The Browns will make the playoffs
• Nick Chubb will win the rushing title
• Jarvis Landry and OBJ will both go over 1000 yards again
• The Browns will split all of the division games
• The Steelers, Ravens, and Art Modell still suck
• Final Record 10-6 with a Wild Card game win

 
 
Thank You's and Final Thoughts
If you read all this you are a better person than I. Big thanks to u/Marzman315 for lending me the draft section. Also a hearty Woof Woof to u/Usuallyrelevant who keeps us entertained over at Browns
Also the crew at LakeErieBros for sharing together our collective misery.
And finally I want to thank the Bull City Browns Backers in Durham NC for being awesome and showing up to every game with hope in your heart and unwavering dedication.

I did not hear from the non fan for the post so maybe we can add it later.

Link To Hub

The campaign for The Killers’ new LP Imploding The Mirage has already endured a delayed album, postponed tour and potential scandal against the dystopian backdrop of Covid-19. Here, the band’s Brandon Flowers and Ronnie Vannucci, manager Robert Reynolds, WME agent Kirk Sommer and EMI’s Clive Cawley reflect on a turbulent few months – and roll out plan B...
For one of Las Vegas’ favourite sons, Brandon Flowers plays his cards close to his chest. The Killers frontman has retained an enigmatic aura in the age of celebrity and social media, so having a fellow indie rock‘n’roller on hand to fill in the blanks feels like hitting the jackpot.
“Brandon is a workhorse,” enthuses Travis singer Fran Healy, Flowers’ one-time touring partner. “He’ll come off stage and go and run for an hour on a treadmill; then he’ll have a shower, go to the back of the tour bus and start songwriting until 3am. He doesn’t stop.”
“I don’t know that he’s any different to me, maybe no treadmills,” chuckles Flowers, confirming the veracity of the account. The rock superstar co-wrote Here With Me – the final single from the US band’s 2012 Battle Born LP – with Healy.
“We love Fran,” beams Flowers, speaking to Music Week from his home in Park City, Utah. “At our very first gig me and Dave Keuning, our guitarist, did an open mic night at a café and played a Travis song, Side, which I love. So getting to know him and becoming friendly has been really nice. It’s always good to be able to talk to someone who’s shared some of these experiences and has done it before you.”
This was meant to be The Killers’ year. A career-defining Glastonbury headline slot (see panel on p18) laid the groundwork for their biggest ever British tour (250,000 tickets sold in under two hours), while outstanding new album Imploding The Mirage looked set to enshrine their place in rock’s Champions League.
Alas, 2020 had other ideas. The group’s UK stadium run was put back 12 months, while the accompanying long-player finally saw the light of day last Friday – three months later than originally planned (thanks to you know what).
“It brought a lot of activity to a halt unfortunately,” sighs their agent, WME partner and head of music Kirk Sommer. “We had a complete 18-month plan with some additional stadium shows in other territories.”
Forecasting the chaos that was to come, Sommer moved quickly to secure alternative dates for 2021.
​

"I've noticed songs are coming easier as I get older."
- Brandon Flowers

“I had some early visibility as I saw what was happening in Asia and some other territories, and by the end of February or first week of March – while shows were still playing out in the UK – we were able to successfully hold the same markets,” he says. “I do not have a crystal ball and there is no science or data to support this will be a viable time period, but it’s as late as we could go in these venues and there are other tours getting confirmed and going on sale for the spring in the UK and in far worse impacted territories. So we remain very cautious, but have to remain hopeful as well. Demand remains very strong.”
Nevada-born Flowers, who turns 40 next year, upped sticks from Vegas a couple of years ago and has been relishing life in lockdown with wife Tana and their three sons. “I feel a little bit guilty,” he confides. “I’m so used to travelling so much and being away that I’m enjoying the extra time being in such close proximity to everybody. It’s been a nice experience.”
“I’m spending a lot more time in the kitchen,” chips in drummer Ronnie Vannucci, halfway through making a sandwich. “I don’t mind it so bad, except that I was really looking forward to sharing these songs and playing them for people and now it’s... a little different.”
On the album delay, The Killers manager Robert Reynolds says the decision was effectively taken out of their hands.
“It was hard, but there were two factors,” explains the Reynolds Management boss. “First, the album wasn’t completed. Part way through mixing we couldn’t get into the room with our mixer, who had a new baby. Things were done remotely and certain finishing touches had to be completed.
“Still, everyone hoped that Covid-19 would be resolved quickly. At first, the label hoped we could delay a few months and perhaps things could be different. When it became clear that performing live wouldn’t happen for a while, we just did our best to get this music finished and out to our fans as soon as possible.”
“People need music now more than ever,” asserts Flowers. “Music has always been a place that I go to for comfort or escape, or to feel like I’m not alone, and I think those attributes of music are still alive and kicking and people need them now.”
Even with the intervention of a global pandemic, EMI MD Clive Cawley says the campaign’s core objective remains the same – to deliver a sixth straight UK No.1 studio album for The Killers.
“It’s been a stop-start process since we launched a ticket pre-order bundle as far back as November 2019,” reflects Cawley. “With the album originally slated for a May release, it’s been somewhat of a challenge to maintain public and media interest and enthusiasm. Full credit to both the band for delivering an excellent record and our team working the project for never giving up and making sure we do it justice across every department. It’s just kept rolling along very nicely indeed.”
Lead single Caution (49,560 sales, OCC), which features former Fleetwood Mac star Lindsey Buckingham on guitar, got the latest Killers era off to a flying start, reaching No.1 on the US rock airplay chart. Three other tracks: Fire In Bone, My Own Soul’s Warning and the soaring Dying Breed were also put out ahead of time. “We released as many tracks before the album dropped as we could,” says Reynolds. “It’s hard to sit on songs you know are great.”
​

"The Killers have never wanted to headline rooms too big, too fast."
- Robert Reynolds, Reynolds Management

Recorded in studios in Utah, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, Shawn Everett and Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado were drafted in to handle production duties, with other cameos including KD Lang, Weyes Blood and The War On Drugs’ Adam Granduciel on what is trumpeted as the band’s “most collaborative” record to date.
“I feel good about it,” nods Vannucci, who names Blowback and Running Towards A Place as personal highlights. “We went off track a little bit with the way we do things and arrived at a very pleasing spot,” he continues. “It was like going camping without knowing where you’re going, and then arriving at a really good camp spot.”
Every track is brimming with mass singalong potential, befitting the enormous stages on which they were intended to be played.
“We’ve always written a certain type of song that resonates with a lot of people,” notes Flowers. “We’ve never been shy about our admiration for the Rolling Stones, U2 and these bands that do that well and so I think it’s just part of our DNA. It’s definitely there and it’s something that you think about.”
Reynolds admits to keeping his initially sky-high expectations in check due to world events. “Now that we won’t have touring to support the new songs, I’m not sure what to expect,” he concedes. “Bands that aren’t using the biggest pop writers to dominate Top 40 radio rely on live performances to expose fans to their music. All of The Killers’ hits – and even non-hits that became fan favourites, like All These Things That I’ve Done – became such as a result of live performances. I can’t wait for us to get back on the road to do this album justice.”
Guitarist Keuning and bassist Mark Stoermer stepped back from touring prior to the 2017/18 Wonderful Wonderful tour (“I wanted to have more of a normal life,” Keuning told MW last year). Though Stoermer contributed to Imploding The Mirage, the record is the group’s first to be made without Keuning’s involvement. However, Reynolds insists both founding members remain part of the band. “Extensive touring takes its toll,” he says. “Everyone is getting along fine and I expect that both of them will be more involved on the next album cycle.”
Seasoned festival headliners, The Killers are already a proven draw at the highest level, but their 10-date jaunt now set for 2021 – scheduled to kick off in Doncaster on May 25 and conclude at Manchester’s Emirates Old Trafford on June 12, prior to two outdoor shows in Ireland – will be their first UK stadium tour.
“The Killers have never wanted to headline rooms too big, too fast,” says Reynolds. “Other bands in similar positions would have played full stadium tours at an earlier point in their career. We were certain we would sell the shows out, and the band have been touring in the UK with consistent No.1 records for six albums now. The time felt right.”
“We also wanted to launch with something really big that would reverberate around the world,” adds Sommer. “We had already sold out Wembley Stadium on a previous campaign and sold out Hyde Park in record time to signify the beginning of the last campaign, which was immediately followed by a sold-out arena run.
“We put our toe in the water [in 2018] with a couple of outdoor regional shows in Swansea and Bolton that accompanied a larger European festival run to see how the band and the fans would like them. It was an easy way to try a couple before we overcommitted to something more extensive that we might not love. The thought was that, if they were a success, we would and could plot the whole next UK and Irish album run outdoors.”
The year took another unwelcome turn in the last week of July, when The Killers camp was rocked by lurid sexual misconduct accusations dating back more than a decade. In a blog, Chez Cherrie, an audio technician who worked on the band’s Day & Age tour for three weeks in 2009, described a misogynistic backstage culture and, most seriously, alleged hearing crew members boast of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman in a dressing room at a Milwaukee venue.
​

"They are cementing themselves even deeper in the history books."
- Clive Cawley, EMI

​
A subsequent internal investigation deduced the claims were “an attempt at a joke or a ‘hazing’” by a front of house (FOH) engineer after interviewing crew and tracing the alleged victim, who confirmed “she did not experience, witness or hear about a sexual assault”. The group’s lawyers identified the FOH engineer, dismissed from the touring team in 2013, as a “problematic workmate” whose “pattern of poor management” and “series of sexist remarks and rude comments” had caused “great distress” to the complainant.
Reynolds tells Music Week that although the band were “shocked” by the allegations, they were determined to find out exactly what had happened. “It was important to us that we were thorough in our investigation – including reports from the venue, security, and depositions of crew members conducted by a separate law firm – transparent in our findings and also that we carefully considered what changes can be made going forward,” he explains.
“I’ve seen first-hand what bad men can do to a woman’s experience in this life,” says Flowers. “So if there was something like that going on in our camp, of course, I wanted to get to the bottom of it and thank God, it was proven to be a false alarm. I want our fans to know that we would never turn a blind eye to an assault. We respect women and we want everybody to know that.”
For a band whose two decades in the business have been devoid of scandal, the episode was a reality check.
“It changed our way of thinking about everything,” remarks Vannucci. “We are constantly trying to promote good living and responsibility; that is how we run the ship and we’re going to continue to do so – perhaps with a little bit more of a vision and an outlook for keeping people safe and making them feel safe when working under our umbrella.”
The Killers have directed their team to establish an off-site independent HR contact for future tours.
“If there is something positive to come out of this, we’re going to have a HR development on our next tour where if anybody feels scared or like they are being treated unfairly, or feel uncomfortable in any way, they’ll have a number to call,” says Flowers. “Hopefully that will make women especially feel more comfortable on a job that is predominantly men.”
“Touring and the music industry as a whole was really different 10 to 15 years ago and we hope we can be part of the change to make it more welcoming to everyone,” reflects Reynolds. “We all need to be vigilant that no one is ever made uncomfortable. Unlike other large companies, touring bands don’t have HR departments. For that reason, we decided to retain a third party HR company going forward. I’d suggest every band do this so that all crew members feel like they have a reliable third party to voice and investigate concerns.”
Imploding The Mirage’s predecessor, 2017’s Wonderful Wonderful (182,398 sales), gave the rockers a first No.1 LP in their homeland, although much of the attention was focused on ubiquitous first single The Man (345,592 sales) and its memorable music video. “I always associate the record with the tour and I loved the tour,” says Flowers. “I’m really proud of songs like Rut, The Man and Run For Cover, I feel like they are going to stick around.”
For Vannucci and Reynolds, the period conjures up mixed emotions. “That was an odd time for me personally,” recalls Vannucci. “My father died and I was fresh off the heels of a divorce when we were writing that record. I wouldn’t say it was dark, but there was definitely change in the air. But I really enjoyed the tour.”
“The Man was very successful — a great video and the first [US] alternative No.1 in 10 years since Read My Mind,” notes Reynolds. “Still, there are songs on that album which I don’t think enough people are familiar with. The campaign went well, but I wish music consumption today wasn’t so singles-oriented and people spent more time appreciating entire albums.”
Flowers, for one, hasn’t lost sight of the power of deeper cuts. “We still strive to create an overall listening experience or a feeling with an entire record,” he reveals. “You can’t really do that without having those types of songs and sometimes those are people’s favourites. When I was growing up, I didn’t necessarily know what the singles were when I bought an album. I gravitated towards what my heart gravitated towards.”
Lest we forget, The Killers sold records when bands really sold records – 2004 debut Hot Fuss has moved 2,333,888 copies in the UK, while sales of follow-ups Sam’s Town (2006) and Day & Age (2008) have also reached seven figures. The group has amassed over 15 million monthly Spotify listeners – outranking the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, Kings Of Leon, The 1975, Muse and Radiohead – and continue to straddle the line between the old and new (albeit, just 16% of Wonderful Wonderful’s sales were from streaming). But it’s not a subject Flowers is losing any sleep over.
“It’s kind of out of our hands,” he shrugs. “It’s interesting to watch it happen – Napster was just making headlines when we were starting, so it was in its infancy and it seems like there is no going back. Sometimes I’ll get a statistic and hear how many people are streaming you per month and it’s amazing. But my heart goes out to a young band that have to prove their statistics before they get a certain amount of attention from their record label. I’m a lucky one because our foot was already in the door.”
Vannucci is hopeful rock music can re-establish itself as a mainstream force. “Everything is cyclical,” he says. “I really hope there is a resurgence.”
The band’s 2013 compilation Direct Hits (752,492 sales) remains ingrained in the albums chart, due in no small part to their cross-generational anthem Mr Brightside (3,212,710 sales!), incredibly still a fixture of the Top 100 almost 17 years after it was first released.
“The strength and depth of their hits over more than a decade clearly keeps winning over new audiences week in and week out,” observes EMI’s Cawley. “Stick it on, I’d be amazed if you skip any of those tracks and also if you manage to resist the urge to crack open an ice cold cider or foamy lager of choice to enjoy it with.”
With the globe in such a state of flux, questions about the future can seem misguided, but Flowers’ ambition is undimmed.
“We were just about to go on our biggest tour that we’ve ever gone on. I was really looking forward to that and I’m still looking forward to that,” he says. “But I just want to evolve and keep getting better. I have started to notice that songs are coming easier as I get older and as I write more and exercise these muscles that I’ve developed over the years. So I’m really looking forward to the next decade and it’s something that I’m definitely on top of.”
“I just trust that we’ll make better and better records,” offers Vannucci. “That is our objective right now – trying to do good with what we’re given.”
Sommer’s thoughts are naturally fixed on the live arena. “We have multiple global options held but refrained from putting anything further on sale to preserve the cash flow of our fans and ultimately be mindful of everyone’s health and safety,” he says. “Once we have more visibility and a better handle on timing we will be ready to go. The guys thrive in the live setting and I know they can’t wait to get back out there and perform some of these great new songs.”
“Every tour cycle has been more successful than the last,” finishes Reynolds, who already has one eye on LP number seven. “Nobody is ready to rest on any laurels,” he insists. “I can’t drop any names, but let me just say that one of the top three Killers songs ever written is on the next album. It’s the best of early Killers while staying fresh and reflecting their development as a band. I can’t wait for the world to hear it.”
EMI is bidding to keep both the band and Imploding The Mirage at the forefront of people’s minds through the end of the year, with a view to a second promotional push around the rescheduled stadium dates.
“There’s plenty of quality in there,” sums up Cawley. “It all feels very much like they are cementing themselves even deeper in the history books of greatness.”
Maybe 2020 will still be their year after all...
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The Brightside of life: The Killers reflect on Glastonbury 2019

How The Killers defied the odds to conquer Glastonbury 2019...
It was one of the greatest nights of their careers, but The Killers’ second time around headlining Glastonbury was not always a surefire home run.
The band came into last year’s festival cold and off-cycle, with no new music to promote, having wrapped up their Wonderful Wonderful tour the previous autumn. But the chance to right the wrongs of their Pyramid Stage headline debut 12 years earlier was too good to turn down.
“I don’t recall exactly when it became a real possibility, but I had been gently petting at the potential opportunity for many months knowing the [50th] anniversary year would be forthcoming and we already had our own pure outdoor headline plan for 2020,” reveals WME’s Kirk Sommer. “I knew if given the opportunity it was something we could not refuse, it was one of the biggest and most credible televised music events in the world to spring-load the next album tour campaign with. There was a little healthy discourse around it given the unique timing but they ultimately said, ‘Let’s do it’.”
Brandon Flowers admits he took some persuading to get on board. “My first thought when we were asked was to say no,” he admits. “We were in the middle of downtime and it was a little nerve wracking to be thrown into it like that. But our people rallied behind the idea and them having that faith helped us and it ended up being a great experience.”
“We’re always doubting ourselves,” says Ronnie Vannucci. “We always want to be delivering something new and fresh and we were worried that, having been [in the UK] such a short time before Glastonbury, we were a little at risk of overstaying our welcome.”
The night was an unequivocal triumph, propelling Direct Hits 66-5 in the charts in the wake of the performance, with an immense 323.4% week-on-week sales increase. Ironically, after their 2007 bow was marred by sound issues, the 2019 gig was reportedly the loudest in the event’s history.
Both band members consider the show, which saw them joined by childhood idols Pet Shop Boys and Johnny Marr for the climactic encore, an all-time live highlight.
“I really believe it’s No.1,” grins Flowers. “Not to downplay any other experience along the way, but it’s such an iconic gig. I equate it with something like the Wimbledon final or the Super Bowl and I was so happy with the outcome. The crowd were great and we were a well-oiled machine. We were able to celebrate our career and pay a nod to a couple of our heroes and inspirations. Talk about the stars aligning, they did for us that night.”
An excerpt from Fran Healy's interview in the same issue:
I came to co-write The Killers single Here With Me with Brandon Flowers because…
“We hit it off many, many years ago. He’s amazing. He came to a show that we played with Oasis in Las Vegas and it was a very memorable show for him. All his band members were there, independently of him, before they were in The Killers. I did a solo record in 2010 and I asked Brandon if I could support him on his solo tour, just over in America, so I travelled about and slept in a bunk on his tour bus for a few days. One night, I came in at the back of the bus and went, ‘Oh shit, I’m sorry, man’. He was like, ‘No, come in. I’m writing this song’. He played the melody and I was like, ‘Can I make a suggestion?’ And then we wrote it together. I basically barged into his songwriting session and elbowed my way in.”
Music Week

As I do every year, I wanted to give an extensive recap of what happened over those three days. However, I don’t like handing out grades, because they don’t encapsulate the real value of a pick in my opinion. Instead I wanted to identify some of the biggest winners and losers, steals and reaches coming out of the draft. Yet, I didn’t only look at the different clubs, but I also included certain players and how it affected them.
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Biggest winners and losers:

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Winner – Drew Lock

Nobody received more help around him over the draft than Denver’s sophomore quarterback. First, the Broncos decided to stay put at number 15 and still got their guy in my number one receiver Jerry Jeudy. The Alabama standout is a perfect complement to Courtland Sutton, as they can move the rookie around and create easy completions for Lock to the savvy route-runner. Then they came back in the second round and added a jitterbug like Penn State’s K.J. Hamler, who can take your breath away with his ability to eat up cushions and is tough to put a hand on with the ball in his hands. Late on day two, the Broncos landed an absolute steal in LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry, who was my 35th overall prospect in the draft and should immediately compete for the starting spot at right guard next to recently acquired Graham Glasgow. And then early in the fourth round they selected Missouri tight-end Albert Okwuegbunam, who can be used in a similar fashion as last year’s first-round pick Noah Fant, as a seam-stretcher and flexed out wide in some capacity. Using an ace set with both those TEs on either end of the O-line and letting them streak downfield with a big-bodied receiver like Sutton breaking inside underneath should be a scary sight. And that red-zone personnel is towering over defenses. Combine that receiving corp with a much-improved offensive line and an excellent duo of running backs with Philip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon and they are pretty close to rivaling the fire power of Kansas City on offense. The Broncos also nailed their other picks with the long and physical Iowa corner Michael Ojemudia, an explosive penetrator on the interior D-line in Arkansas’ McTelvin Agim, a mobile linebacker who is slippery working around blocks and brings some thump at collisions in Wake Forest's Justin Strnad, a technically sound edge rusher in North Dakota STate's Derrek Tuszka and a guy in Fresno State guard Netane Muti, who can add some competition, if he can finally stay healthy, since when he was on the field his natural power and mean-streak really stood out.
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Loser – Tyrod Taylor

You could put the L.A. Chargers here altogether, but let’s just talk about Tyrod. His first four years in the league he backed up Joe Flacco in Baltimore, then he was brought in to be Rex Ryan’s starting quarterback in Buffalo, where he did play like an above-average QB for three seasons, really taking care of the ball. In 2017 when Sean McDermott was brought in as the head coach, it became clear that Taylor’s conservative style of play wasn’t even for them, as they (falsely) threw rookie Nathan Peterman out there, who famously tossed five interceptions in the first half of their game against the Chargers. While the veteran signal-caller did start the rest of the season and almost won a playoff game against Jacksonville, the Bills decided to go a different route and ultimately drafted Josh Allen. Tyrod went on to sign with the Browns and earned the starting gig, until he lost his job three weeks into the season to number one overall pick Baker Mayfield – which absolutely was the right move. Last offseason he decided to sign with the Chargers to back up Philip Rivers and with the long-time idol being let go, it finally looked like a team really wanted Taylor, especially with head coach Anthony Lynn saying he is their guy. Well, I think the Chargers had to settle for Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick because of the top two quarterbacks being off the board and I think he is not ready to start, but you know how things work out with guys being selected in the top ten. Tyrod has one of the best rosters around him, but as soon as the offense stalls – and it will because he tends to take his eyes down when the rush gets to him and L.A. did not select a single offensive lineman – people will be calling for Herbert to get out on the field. I also really like the potential of OU linebacker Kenneth Murray, but I disagree the strategy of trading back up into the first round in exchange for both their picks on day two, which they really need in terms of adding depth.
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Winner – New York Jets

There’s only maybe three or four draft classes that I would put ahead of what Joe Douglas and Adam Gase put together. They started things out with the massive Louisville tackle Mekhi Becton, who will immensely upgrade their zone rushing attack and has the agile feet to develop into an excellent pass-protector down the road, and then they came back in the second round and grab Baylor wideout Denzel Mims, after trading down with the Seahawks for a late third-round pick, who should immediately jump in as their starting X receiver and should improve one of the worst red-zone offenses in the league right away. Those two picks should make Sam Darnold very happy as well. With the 68th overall selection they bring in Cal safety Ashtyn Davis, who I had already penciled in as a second-rounder and can legitimately line up at nickel day one because he has the hips and electric change-of-direction skills for it, but also the range for a true single-high free safety in case they want to let Marcus Maye leave in free agency next year. That additional third-rounder they picked up was used on Florida’s Jabari Zuniga, who Gregg Williams can groom into an explosive edge rusher with inside flexibility in sub-packages. I liked some other guys better than Lamical Perine, who they selected with their first pick of day three, but in that zone-heavy rushing attack he is a pretty good fit, and spending number 125 on FIU quarterback James Morgan was somewhat surprising, but people around the league were pretty high on him as a developmental player, who they could swap for some picks down the road. After those two, they grabbed Charlotte OT Cameron Clarke, who actually has some of that Mekhi Becton quality of torqueing pads and finishing defenders on the ground in the run game, who could move inside at the next level, and then Virginia’s Bryce Hall in the fifth round could turn out to be one of the biggest steals in the draft due to some injury concerns, as a smart corner with great ball-skills. Since you spend sixth-round picks on special team contributors anyway, I can’t hate grabbing the best one in punter Braden Mann from Texas A&M either.
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Loser – Seattle Seahawks

John Schneider and those guys in the Pacific Northwest do this every year – they take somebody in the first round who nobody values as highly, they pick some guys they like more than others in the middle rounds and then they bail themselves out to some degree later on day three. I thought they overdrafted players with each of their first-round picks. Texas Tech’s Jordyn Brooks is a downhill linebacker who people around the league seemed to like quite a bit and the Hawks see as a free-flowing player, but I had him ranked as a third-rounder because he struggles to deal with blocks and doesn’t show great awareness in zone coverage. Considering the Ravens scooped up LSU’s Patrick Queen a pick later, who I thought was a top-20 prospect, makes matters even worse. Then to trade up 11 spots in the second round and giving up a third-rounder to select Tennessee edge rusher Darrell Taylor, who isn’t very technically sound with his hands and is kind of predictable with his rush, doesn’t make too much sense to me either, since I have their fifth-round pick Alton Robinson from Syracuse a spot ahead of him in my edge rankings actually. And with an early third-round selection they bring in LSU guard Damien Lewis, who is a powerful run-blocker and some of his agility concerns won’t come to light as much in their run-heavy offense, but you just had to look at the guy one spot next to him in center Lloyd Cushenberry, who I think actually is a much better player and I had as my 35th overall prospect. As usual Seattle softens the blow on day three with guys like the big-bodied and sure-handed Stanford tight-end Colby Parkinson, an excellent passing down back in Miami’s DeeJay Dallas, the aforementioned Robinson, a speedster in Florida receiver Freddie Swain, who can contribute for them in the return game, and a seam-stretching big slot/flex tight-end in LSU’s Stephen Sullivan, but some of the picks they make early on are just confusing, no matter how much they seem to value their personal meetings with those guys.
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Winner – Tua Tagovailoa

With the way the Dolphins 2019 offseason went and how they built their roster, it didn’t look like they would be in position to compete at a high level, but after getting blown out by the Ravens and trading away left tackle Laremy Tunsil, fans started making those “Tank for Tua” signs and it ultimately materialized. This past week especially, reports started coming out about how the Alabama quarterback could slide leading up to Thursday. In the end however, Tua was the pick at number five overall and while there is obviously a lot of risk due to injury concerns, I think this was the right call, because he can be one of the premiere passers in the league if he can stay healthy. Yes, going one spot later to a talented Chargers roster would have been nice as well, but I believe Miami might be building something special here, because Brian Flores is setting the tone for a culture that is slowly adding the pieces to the puzzle and has already shown a lot of fight in wins over the playoff-seeking Eagles and at New England in week 17 to cost the Patriots a bye week. And after fielding one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, the Dolphins also made it a priority to put protect their new signal-caller whenever he’s ready. While overrated to me, they added a very talented tackle in USC’s Austin Jackson at number 18, one of my favorites in Louisiana’s pancake machine Robert Hunt early in the second round and the massive Georgia guard Solomon Kindley with the fifth pick on day three. Miami also brought in former 49ers running back Matt Breida in exchange for a fifth-round pick. The rest of their picks was invested into defense and a long-snapper, before grabbing Navy QB/RB/WR Malcolm Perry. He should be an interesting gadget player if he makes the roster, who can do some wildcat quarterback stuff and take the pressure off Tua. Ryan Fitzpatzrick will still most likely start and his play should determine when they throw the rookie QB out there, who is still working back to 100 percent. Tua is set up to succeed long-term.
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Loser – AFC defenses going up against the Chiefs

Well, you already had to feel kind of sorry for whoever is out there trying to run with all those track stars streaking down the field and the most talented passers I have seen in my life, but this just added a different dimension. The Chiefs only drafted two offensive players over the weekend, with one of them being TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang, who I like a lot but should be a backup in year one for the most, but like I correctly predicted in my one and only mock draft, they selecting LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with that final pick in the first round and they might have doomed the entire AFC with that. I know CEH was only my number-five ranked back and he was 51 overall on my board, but as we got closer to the actual draft, I thought about moving him up a few spots because I really like the floor he presents as a player and he is just perfect for that Kansas City offense. The former Tigers’ RB gives the Chiefs a physical presence in the ground game, with the low center of gravity and contact balance to bounce or spin off tacklers for yards after contact, but most importantly runs with an enormous chip on his shoulder. However, he is much more than just a bruiser. Edwards-Helaire probably has the best start-stop quickness in the entire draft to attack one edge of a blocker and force linebackers behind the action to overcommit and he can make guys miss in the backfield with jukes and spins to escape from traffic. He also caught the most passes of any draft-eligible RB and gives them another option in the passing game. Just think about the way defenders have to chase all those speedy receivers down the field or on crossing routes and now when they are already tired, they have to come up and tackle this guy catching a check-down? Nobody will want to get in his way and I can already promise you he will convert some crucial third downs by sheer will to extend drives.
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Winner – Jerry Jones

Nobody might have had a better time just sitting back and getting his guys in the draft than the head of America’s Team on his yacht. I did not really study their seventh-round pick in quarterback Ben DiNucci from James Madison other than the FCS Championship game, but every pick before that to me was at or above value for the Cowboys. Wide receiver might not have been the biggest need for this team in the first round, but did you really think Jerry Jones was going to pass on a star receiver from Oklahoma like Ceedee Lamb if he fell to them at 17? Not only did that just create one of the premiere receiver trios in the league, but it also prevented the division rival Eagles from getting my number eight overall prospect, as they reportedly tried to move up one spot ahead of them with Atlanta. Then Jerry selected another standout from the nearby Sooners in defensive tackle Neville Gallimore in the third round, who I had in the 40s and only strengthens an already excellent rotation on the interior and two long, physical press corners in Alabama’s Trevon Diggs and more of a small-school guy like Tulsa’s Reggie Robinson. If the latter reaches his potential, you could have those two guys on the outside and move Chidobe Awuzie into the slot, where he excelled at in college. This makes Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis your fourth and fifth CBs respectively and gives you the opportunity of letting them go if you don’t have the money to pay them. With Dallas’ first pick on day three they selected Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz, who looked like the top interior offensive linemen just a year ago but fell due to injury concerns and the related decline in play last season, which helps with the recent retirement of another former Badger center in Travis Frederick. And then with the final pick of the fifth round to grab Utah’s Bradlee Anae, who I had as my 67th overall prospect is just outstanding. That guy is a man out there on the field, who can set the edge in the run game and give you production as a pass-rusher right away.
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Loser – New England Patriots

Who am I to question the madness behind Bill Belichick and that Patriots organization, right? Bill has managed that roster exceptionally well and that’s why that run continued until the one constant in Tom Brady left this offseason. However, you can objectively look at their last three or four draft classes and question some of the selections they have made. In the last four years the first players they have selected are named like this: N’Keal Harry, Isaiah Wynn, Derek Rivers and Cyrus Jones. None of them have made major impacts for the team and there are only three sure-fire starters from that entire stretch. This year once again I would put their draft class near the bottom, even if I like some of the players the selected. As they like to do, they traded out of the first round for the Chargers two picks on the second day, which is something I can definitely get behind, but I’m not sure about what they did with them. At 37th overall they select Lenoir Rhyne safety Kyle Dugger, who is an explosive athlete with the size to drop into the box possibly and I had ranked as a mid-day two prospect, but he doesn’t strike me as the type of anticipatory player BB would covet and I had better players at safety and WILL linebacker ahead of him depending on where they want to play Dugger. I’m a big fan of Joshua Uche, who they selected later in the second, but they had to give up a third-rounder in a trade-up, where that pick they gave away ended up being Ohio State linebacker Malik Harrison, who actually is that kind of big, thumping linebacker they usually like to have on the field. Edge defender Anfernee Jennings from Alabama in the third looks more like your typical Patriot, but he isn’t a very dynamic player and then the Pats invested two more third-rounders into tight-ends Devin Asiasi (UCLA) and Dalton Keene (Virginia Tech). I actually loved Asiasi as a potential target in the 100-range and Keene certainly has upside as an underutilized pass-catcher after putting in good work as a blocker, but once again they traded up for the latter who might have gone in the sixth round if they hadn’t grabbed him. And no, I didn’t study the Marshall kicker from round five or hear his name called – ever.
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Winner – The analytics-based Cleveland Browns front office

Man, the Browns just killed the draft. As much fun as you could make of their front office, with some of the talk about how their analytics team overviews the gameplans and after just hiring Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski to take over the head coaching position, who was coming off a ten-point showing versus San Francisco in the Divisional Round and a lot of the offensive success was thanks to Gary Kubiak, you have to applaud them for the draft class they just put together. They selected my number four prospect at tenth overall in Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., who is an aggressive run-blocker and technically sound pass-protector, and then they brought in my 29th-ranked prospect at 45 overall in LSU safety Grant Delpit, who has incredible range and can do a lot of things for you if you move him into the slot. With those two they complete the transition from a poor offensive last season to one of the top front-fives in the league combined with the signing of former Titans right tackle Jack Conklin and a true single-high free safety to make life easier on their young corners, if Delpit can just clean up his tackling a little bit. I actually don’t love their two third-round picks Jordan Elliott and Jacob Phillips, but I have to acknowledge that the Missouri D-tackle has a lot of talent, even though I thought he was overhyped when watching the tape. However, I really like those day three picks, starting with John Mackey award winner Harrison Bryant (FAU) adding to that tight-end room as a target to pull away from defenders off play-action, slipping underneath the formation into the flats off split zone plays or getting behind linebackers. My favorite one might be Washington’s Nick Harris, who is super-mobile center with excellent lateral agility and is a perfect fit for that zone-heavy rushing attack Stefanski ran in Minnesota last year, who could take over in the middle with a potential out on J.C. Tretter in 2021. And then Michigan receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones in sixth is just crazy. I had a third-round grade on him as well, as a very explosive and talented pass-catcher, who never actually produced the way he is capable of because of quarterback play.
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Loser – Aaron Rodgers

There weren’t a lot of mock drafts out there that didn’t have Green Bay selecting a pass-catcher in the first round and I actually had them going with Baylor’s Denzel Mims at 30th overall in my own. However, instead of getting the veteran quarterback some much-needed help at receiver, you draft his replacement in Jordan Love? Rodgers has to be pissed with GM Brian Gutekunst and that front-office. The Packers are coming off a bad loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship game, but when you look at their two matchups last season, it was Raheem Mostert and those other backs for San Francisco running all over the defense, while all the receivers for the Pack were blanketed on the other side. So even going with an interior D-linemen would have been more towards the liking of Green Bay’s signal-caller. In fact they did not select a single receiver in a historically great draft at the position that had 36 of them hear their names called. In the second round, Green Bay selected Boston College’s A.J. Dillon as massive running back in the mold of what Matt LaFleur had in Derrick Henry as the Titans’ offensive coordinator, but not only was he a definite day three prospect to me, but he also was pretty much a non-factor in the passing game at Boston College. I like Cincinnati’s Josiah Deguara quite a bit – who they selected in the third round – and I see how he could be their version of Kyle Juszczyk since he played that H-back role for the Bearcats, showing great effort as a blocker and ability to put hands on people in space, but once again, I would think Rodgers would have rather had somebody like Liberty wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden, who went a full round later. In the sixth round, Green Bay picked up three offensive linemen and I think Michigan’s Jon Runyan can actually make an impact early on if you move him inside, but none of those guys really move the needle in terms of the immediate help for a team looking to compete for the NFC. While I hope this lights a fire under Rodgers and he raises his level of play after what you may call a couple of down-years, this draft does not give their signal-caller a lot of help.
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Winner – Jonathan Taylor

I’m sure Taylor would have loved to hear his name called in the first round, but in the end this may be the best situation he could have found himself in. He will be running behind what I think is the best offensive line in football for the Colts. Indy does run quite a bit of zone, where they will allow Taylor to make that one cut and get upfield, but they also run a lot of power schemes, where the running back can really build up momentum exploding through a wide open hole. Insert a 225-pound bowling ball like Taylor with a ton of explosiveness and 4.39 speed and this becomes a scary sight. Marlon Mack is a nice back and he has had a lot of success in that system, but unless Taylor’s fumbling problems remain such a big problem, the rookie should become their true workhorse in 2020. Only four teams ran the ball more than the Colts did last season and while Taylor still has to establish himself as a third-down back – especially with Nyheim Hines already there – with Philip Rivers under center those guys will catch a lot of check-downs when you look at how often the quarterback relied on Austin Ekeler last year. Considering all of that, Taylor is my early favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Add one of my favorite wideouts in the draft USC’s Michael Pittman Jr. earlier in the second round to the mix with one of the better receivers in the league when healthy in T.Y. Hilton, last year’s second-rounder Parris Campbell, who could be used more on jet sweeps, quick screens and slants to bind defenders and the Wisconsin RB has some help around him. He will also love tight-end Jack Doyle as an excellent run-blocker and there are some other solid receivers on the roster. With the selection of Washington’s Jacob Eason, who is in a great situation himself thanks to being able to sit at least a year, they could be set at quarterback for the future as well, if they can develop the strong-armed kid.
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Loser – Anybody in that Bears tight-end room

Before Chicago released Trey Burton about a week before the draft, they had the most expensive group of tight-ends in the league after paying Jimmy Graham 16 million dollars over the next two years, despite looking like a shell of himself recently. Adam Shaheen was a second-round pick out of Ashland just three years ago and he has only caught 26 passes since then. Last season it was actually J.P. Holtz who led the Bears tight-ends with 91 receiving yards. So you understand why you would want to upgrade that position, but they just haven’t done it in a way that I would like to see in terms of building a roster. Second-round pick Cole Kmet out of Notre Dame looks like the clear-cut starter and best all-around option, because he can execute a multitude of blocking techniques and has upside as a pass-catcher. So he is the one guy in this conversation that you can classify as a winner. Still, the Bears now have ten(!) tight-ends on the roster currently, when most teams only carry three on gamedays. Kmet is certainly an upgrade and I thought he was the second-best prospect at the position, but staying put at 43 when you actually need more mid-round picks to address a position that you already spent money on is kind of a head-scratcher. When you look at the guys who went a few picks like later, like Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield, who would have been a great fit next to Eddie Jackson, or Penn State receiver K.J. Hamler, who would have given them a true deep threat and could create easy yardage. Then you look at my TE1 Adam Trautman out of Dayton going 105th overall and you really question the value of that selection, when you probably would have gotten Kmet if you had traded back about ten spots. When you look at the other guys in that TE room, Graham won’t get a chance to revive his career probably as more of a red-zone target and even if two of the other guys make the roster, they will likely have to settle for run-down duties in heavy personnel.
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Winner – Baltimore Ravens

When Ozzie Newsome – who is not only a Hall of Fame tight-end but also a Hall of Fame executive – decided to retire a couple of years and Eric DeCosta took over the general manager duties, it was fair to assume the quality of their front office might take a small step backwards, but it just hasn’t. No matter who runs their draft, every damn year they knock it out of the park and with pretty much every pick you go like “that’s so Ravens”. Whether it was being patient with their first round pick and seeing three linebackers selected ahead of their selection, until they picked up the dynamic LSU linebacker Patrick Queen, grabbing a physical, explosive running back in Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins (my RB2) or then trading back with New England to now have four picks in the third round with how much talent they knew would be there. Interior D-line wasn’t an immediate need, but Texas A&M’s Justin Madubuike is a super flexible and explosive kid with a lot of room to grow being part of that group, while he wasn’t rated my best available receiver, Texas’ Devin Duvernay is an excellent addition to that offense, because of what he can do as a slant or bubble option on their RPOs and then Ohio State’s Malik Harrison is another great fit as a downhill MIKE next to first-rounder Queen at WILL. With their first pick on day three, John Harbaugh brought in one of his brother’s standouts in Michigan guard Ben Bredeson, who could immediately replace an all-time great in Marshal Yanda, James Proche in the sixth was of one the best receivers in the country last season at SMU and then in the seventh to grab a really smart and instinctive safety in Iowa’s Geno Stone just puts the cherry at the top. Yeah I wasn’t too high on Tyre Phillips or Broderick Washington, but there’s really nothing that comes to mind for this draft class other than “that’s so Ravens”.
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Loser – Anthony Gordon

This is the only actual draft prospect on my list of biggest losers and it’s easy to understand why he made it – he didn’t hear his name called at all. Gordon transferred from junior college in 2018 and lost out to Gardner Minshew in the battle for the starting spot under center, before taking over last season. In his one year as a starter, all he did was complete 493 of 689(!) passes for 5579 yards and 48 touchdowns compared to 16 INTs. Like it is every year (until now when Mike Leach left the program), a lot of the production for the Wazzu quarterbacks is due to that Air Raid system and Gordon doesn’t blow anybody away physically, but when you look at him as a pure player, I think he is pretty good. He might not have a huge arm, but it is more than adequate. He is not a great athlete, but he can really buy time inside the pocket. And he is way too loose with the ball, but that is something that can be corrected. I really like the way he puts the ball to where receivers don’t have to break stride, setting those guys up for nice YAC opportunities. The former Cougars signal-caller was my eight-ranked quarterback and I thought he could be a target early on day three, especially with how weak this class is after the top four – and to me even more the top two. Overall, 13 quarterbacks were selected through three days and Gordon surprisingly wasn’t one of them. I know he only put out one year of tape and he is far from a perfect prospect, but he has to be frustrated to not have anybody call him after finishing second only to number one overall pick Joe Burrow in both passing yards and touchdowns last season. The Seahawks have since then signed him as an undrafted free agent and they should have an excellent backup with no other QB on the roster other than Russ, but I think Gordon deserves a chance to at least compete somewhere.
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Winner – Saquon Barkley & Daniel Jones

You know what? Let’s give Dave Gettleman and Joe Judge some credit here. The Giants GM deserves some credit here for doing what he was supposed to after surprising everybody by selecting quarterback Daniel Jones out of Duke a year ago and going against what the analytics say by going with a running second overall in superstar Saquon Barkley – protect his investments. While I did have Georgia's Andrew Thomas as my fourth offensive tackle, I still thought he was a top ten prospect and he can immediately jump in at right tackle (even though I would have preferred them to move back a little and grab one of the OTs). In the third round the G-Men selected in a developmental tackle I really like in UConn’s Matt Peart, who should be ready to take over on the right side when the team ultimately replaces Nate Solder at left tackle with Thomas. And then to come back early on day three and selecting another top 100 prospect for me in a road-grading guard like Oregon’s Shane Lemieux, who was a high-quality starter for 52 games with the Ducks, just put them at another level. If Big Blue can move the rookie or Kevin Zeitler to the center spot, they can put their best five out there – which is now pretty strong all of a sudden. Saquon should have a lot more room to work with a great zone-blocking O-line in front of him, while their quarterback should not get killed back there, if he also learns to get rid of the ball when nothing is there downfield. Gettleman had one of the best overall drafts I can remember from him. While he is still way too stuck in his thoughts about just using the draft picks he has and grabbing whoever is there, instead of operating the board, he did select my top-rated safety in Alabama’s Xavier McKinney and a day-one starter at nickel in UCLA’s Darnay Holmes to upgrade that secondary. He spent four of his final five picks on that poor linebacker group, with two of them having outside flexibility.
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Loser – Fantasy football owners

This is somewhat of an off-the-board pick here. For me the draft is always somewhat of a grueling process when I get to watching prospects in the 300-400 range, who probably won’t even be selected, but there are also guys that you get excited about and it gives you an edge in fantasy football, because I have already seen all these guys on tape and can kind of project how they could be used. However, this year more than I can remember in a while, a lot of things have become kind of murky seeing what happened in the draft. So many running back committees have been formed, when you look at Detroit pairing Kerryon Johnson up with D’Andre Swift, Cam Akers now building a one-two punch with Darrell Henderson in L.A. most likely, J.K. Dobbins being thrown in the mix with all those guys in Baltimore, A.J. Dillon joining the backfield with a rising star in Aaron Jones in Green Bay and a few other situations. It will be tough to figure out how all those touches are going to split once the regular season rolls around. We also saw a bunch of receiving corps being upgraded with several weapons to spread the wealth between. Overall there were 36 receivers selected in those three days, with multiple teams selecting more than just one pass-catcher, and there are even some guys I like who didn’t hear their names called. I will have fun going through the depth charts of every team and trying to decipher who is worth a look, but for the casual fan this might be headache. I also think this could lead to some shifts in which positions are being invested in more. I usually don’t draft a quarterback in the single-digit rounds, but could we see the top quarterback rise a little? Or will there be more emphasis on the elite tight-ends? We will see.
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Winner – Buffalo Bills

I don’t believe anything the Bills did over the weekend will blow anybody away, but Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott once again had a really solid draft. Before we talk about any of the actual picks they made, we have to look at Stefon Diggs as their first-round pick in a trade with the Vikings. This was a great class of wide receivers, but when you look at LSU’s Justin Jefferson actually being the pick for Minnesota with that 22nd overall selection, Diggs is a better fit for Buffalo as more of a vertical threat. When they actually were on the clock on day two, the Bills selected Iowa's A.J. Epenesa at pick 54, after I thought he would have been a nice target at their original first-round spot. The Iowa defensive linemen was born to play for the Bills it feels like, with the excellent hand-usage and power to give them a piece up front, who can slide inside on sub-packages. Then Utah running back Zack Moss is the perfect bruising type of runner to complement Devin Singletary, UCF receiver Gabriel Davis is a deep ball specialist perfect to pair up with Josh Allen’s big arm while Oregon State's Isaiah Hodgins is more of a big-bodied contested catch guy, who can bail the quarterback out when he puts the ball up for grabs. Fifth-round QB Jake Fromm from Georgia might be the polar opposite of Allen physically and the kind of risk-averse style of play, but he excels in the quick-game, which the Bills quietly have gone more to with that 11 personnel, up-temp offense. He should be a high-quality backup, they might be able to deal for some draft capital down the road. While I don’t necessarily advocate drafting kickers and I didn’t study the class to much, I know that Tyler Bass has a LEG and could immediately replace Stephen Hauschka, who has converted less than 80 percent of his field-goal attempts in each of the last two years. I’m also a fan of the feisty Pitt corner Dane Jackson, who they picked up in the seventh round and he could actually compete for the starting nickel spot with Taron Johnson potentially. So maybe nothing spectacular, but a rock-solid class.
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Other drafts I liked:

Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers

Other questionable draft classes:

Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles and Las Vegas Raiders
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Biggest reaches and steals are in the comments!
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If you enjoyed the content, I would really appreciate if you could visit the original piece - https://halilsrealfootballtalk.com/2020/04/28/recapping-the-2020-nfl-draft/
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You can also listen to the whole breakdown in video format - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxFFDMcBN8I