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Cleveland Browns: 7-Round 2018 mock draft, Vol. 5

By Peter Smith

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29: Sammie Coates of the Cleveland Browns looks on during the NFL International Series match between Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns at Twickenham Stadium on October 29, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29: Sammie Coates of the Cleveland Browns looks on during the NFL International Series match between Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns at Twickenham Stadium on October 29, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NC – OCTOBER 14: M.J. Stewart #6 of the North Carolina Tar Heels defends a pass to Andre Levrone #14 of the Virginia Cavaliers during their game at Kenan Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC – OCTOBER 14: M.J. Stewart #6 of the North Carolina Tar Heels defends a pass to Andre Levrone #14 of the Virginia Cavaliers during their game at Kenan Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Round 2 (via PHI):  M.J. Stewart, CB, North Carolina –- 5-10.675, 198 lbs.

  • 129 solo tackles, 41 pass deflections (20 percent), 6 interceptions (16.2 percent), 11.5 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles in 50 games.

Arm: 31 1/2″
Wingspan: 75 1/8″
Hand: 9 3/8″

M.J. Stewart is quite possibly the meanest corner in the draft. He’s got a really strong build and plays with a lot of power at the position which often had him look like a bully on the perimeter for the Tar Heels. He’d just beat up opponents.

Stewart is not just a corner that will tackle, but approaches it as an opportunity to intimidate opposing players. He makes plays on both sides of the line of scrimmage, is an aggressive run defender and fights through blocks. Stewart is a difficult opponent to screen against as he has a tendency to blow them up.

In coverage, he has experience in press man as well as off man coverage. Not surprisingly, Stewart is physical and makes opponents work to get off of the line of scrimmage. He has a ton of pass break ups in his career. That physicality can make it difficult for opponents to separate and he appears to have the closing speed to get back into plays and rip the ball out of receivers.

Stewart has six interceptions in his career; four from his freshman year and two from his sophomore campaign. He hasn’t recorded an interception in either of the past two seasons, but has no less than 11 pass breakups in each of his past three seasons, so he’s always around the ball.

Teams will have to investigate his maturity after some incidents as a sophomore that resulted in a two-game suspension; the same incident that had Mike Hughes end up transferring to UCF. Stewart hasn’t had an issue since and was ultimately named a captain in 2017, so it appears he’s learned and grown from it.

Stewart isn’t as heralded as some of these other corner prospects, but he’s a ton to offer a team. For the Browns in particular, it fits a physical style this secondary is putting together. They gave up so many cheap yards last year and Stewart is someone who will force opponents to scratch and claw for all of them. Stewart, like Jabrill Peppers, plays with an edge and a fire that the Browns have in a lot of these players on the defense as a whole.

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