Duke Johnson a great pick for Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns added Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell last year, and both backs showed some potential, with Crowell looking especially intriguing despite the fact that his playing style isn’t conducive to forcing missed tackles. Crowell’s big runs, nasty cuts, and promising rookie season as a potential feature back in this league didn’t deter the Browns from spending a third-round pick on a draft for a second straight year (last year it was West, as Crowell was a UDFA), as they selected Miami product Duke Johnson at No. 77.

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Johnson is one of the best backs in the class, and I actually would have taken him ahead of Tevin Coleman, whom the Atlanta Falcons selected shortly before Johnson joined Cleveland. Of course, Coleman is such a great fit for the Falcons that it was perfectly fine for them to select him, especially since many draft analysts saw him as an even better prospect than T.J. Yeldon, who was the first RB selected today.

Meanwhile, Johnson is an excellent running back prospect, and I’d say that he’s the team’s best running back on the roster in terms of pure talent. Crowell is a great back as well, but I just can’t ignore Johnson’s all-around playmaking ability and underrated toughness inside the tackles. Not only is a he home-run threat, but he can consistently churn out yardage. Outside of durability concerns, I don’t have any glaring issues with his game and am a big fan of his versatility.

While some might criticize the Browns for going with another running back and would have preferred a wide receiver, I like their idea of going with a very talented and well-rounded RB. He is so good at making defenders miss when moving sideline-to-sideline, as he has quick feet, smooth hips, and is incredibly difficult to bring down in the open field. Armed with good vision and blessed with elite agility, Johnson is a playmaker in every sense.

It will be interesting to see how many carries and touches the Browns give to him, since some of those touches will come in the form of receptions, as I think he’s clearly their best pass-catching back. He and Crowell should be the lead backs in their committee with West only sprinkled in. While West is a nice player, I just don’t think he’s nearly as talented as either Johnson or Crowell.

Duke Johnson probably won’t get many carries in his first season with the Browns, as I think they’ll make sure to check out his durability. Again, he’s a three-down playmaker, and the Browns will want to make sure that they don’t overwork him early, especially since they have a huge amount of depth at the position. With uncertainty at quarterback, the Browns have clearly built a run-based offense, stacking up their line after adding yet another talented interior guy in Cameron Erving, and mainly spending their time adding veteran receivers to move the chains in Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe.

All signs point to a run-heavy offense, but Johnson won’t receive too many carries as part of the Browns three-headed monster. That’s Cleveland’s ideal set-up, and I’m guessing they also think it’s ideal to have a running back like Johnson who can make an impact in the passing game.

Some will say that the Browns didn’t need an RB, but I want those people to look at things differently. The Browns needed playmakers, and Johnson is a playmaker; he fills an important need in that respect.

Next: Round 2 Grades and Analysis

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