Cleveland Browns: 7-Round 2018 mock draft, Vol. 5
By Peter Smith
Summary
1. Baker Mayfield, QB Oklahoma
4. Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB Alabama
33. Ronald Jones II, RB USC
35. D.J. Moore, WR Maryland
64. M.J. Stewart, CB North Carolina
65. Andrew Brown, DL Virginia
103. Olasunkanmi Adeniyi, EDGE Toledo
126. Brandon Parker, OT North Carolina A&T
140. Royce Freeman, RB Oregon
161. Cedrick Wilson, WR Boise State
178. Frank Ginda, LB San Jose State
219. Tegray Scales, LB Indiana
The Cleveland Browns get the best quarterback in the class in Baker Mayfield. Beyond, that first two rounds feature skill positioned playmakers. On offense, that comes in the form of speed as well as strength in Ronald Jones and D.J. Moore and on defense that is adding to the secondary with Minkah Fitzpatrick and M.J. Stewart.
Jones and Moore add a ton an element of playmaking that’s really difficult to account for. Both bring speed, but they also have elusiveness and can make plays from all over the field. Be it on screens or out in the passing game, both are difficult to bring down in the open field and offer a homerun threat that adds to players like Josh Gordon, Corey Coleman and David Njoku. It’s difficult for defenses to account for everyone at once.
Defensively, the secondary adds a ton of toughness and physicality as both Fitzpatrick and Stewart can tackle and make an impact. They obviously can both cover and make plays on the football. Stewart fits what seems to be Gregg Williams preferred style of defender while Fitzpatrick has rare ability to cause turnovers and can be used as a true wild card, playing in coverage, the run and blitzing opposing quarterbacks.
Andrew Brown looks like he could be something special much like Larry Ogunjobi was last year. If the Browns get the opportunity to grab him and add him to their defensive line rotation, they should. He has the athleticism to rush the passer from the interior and the is a terrific run defender.
Olsunkahnmi Adeniyi is a pure pass rusher and adds a completely different element to their group of defensive ends. He’s smaller, incredibly fast and has a non-stop motor when he’s on the field. With sub packages and pure rotation, he looks to be someone that can supplement a talented pass rush and bring it from a number of different angles.
Brandon Parker is a small school offensive tackle project with a ton of size and a fantastic attitude. He’s charismatic, easy to like and has the body teams tend to drool over. If he continues that and works hard for the next year, he could be the franchise tackle that handles the position for a decade, just as Joe Thomas has.
Royce Freeman continues to be an underrated back, but he’s also a nice complement to Jones and Duke Johnson. He’s got size and power but he can make opponents miss and he’s a valuable asset in the screen game as well. Freeman brings a different element to the backfield and looks like he could be a closer for the Browns.
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Cedrick Wilson is one of the most productive receivers in college football and even with a loaded depth chart, has the talent to make noise in the NFL. His incredible ability to track and catch the ball makes him really difficult to cover, be it going for the deep ball or underneath, moving the chains.
Finally, Frank Ginda and Tegray Scales look to address the issue the Browns have in terms of linebacker depth. Both have outstanding production in their collegiate careers and could compete to earn themselves roster spots, contribute on special teams and potentially develop into more down the road.