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

Round 3: Andrew Brown, DL, Virginia –- 6-3.5, 294 lbs.

• 40 solo tackles (2.9 percent), 10.5 sacks (13.2 percent), 26 tackles for loss (12.2 percent) in past three seasons. 37 solo tackles (4.1 percent), 9.5 sacks (17.9 pecent), (23.5 tackles for loss (17.2 percent) over past two seasons.

Arm: 35 1/8″
Wingspan: 82 3/8″
Hand: 9 1/8″

Andrew Brown is one of this draft’s hidden gems. He’s a former 5-star recruit who came in for the Cavaliers and did exactly what they asked him to do, which is hardly glamorous. It’s a lot of 2-gap clogging, stacking opposing blockers with those long arms and enabling teammates to make the big plays. That didn’t stop Brown from having a productive career in Charlottesville, but it’s also why some may not find him all that impressive.

Brown played all over Bronco Mendenhall’s defense, which was a staple when he was the head coach of BYU, putting players in positions to make an impact. Players like Kyle Van Noy and Bronson Kaufusi were outstanding for the Cougars in Mendenhall’s scheme. Brown played a 5-technique defensive end, slid inside to play the three, and occasionally even played on his feet as an outside linebacker.

As an outside backer, he’d vary between jamming opposing tight ends into oblivious and being an enormous power rusher that occasionally showed some quickness. Brown also has a ton of experience dropping into coverage (Gregg Williams should love this) but looks very fluid getting there and actually can do something in that capacity.

At the Senior Bowl, Brown was played at the three, where he wants to be. He’s up to 294 pounds and looks fantastic. And instead of being asked to be a clogger, Brown was responsible for just one gap and and free to just attack. He demonstrated incredible quickness off the ball, using that to create an immediate advantage and then finishing plays with his strength and agility.

Brown looks like someone who should test really well athletically. If that happens, he may put himself in the top-50 conversation, but if teams want to let him slide, they can get him in the exact same spot they got Larry Ogunjobi last year. He’ll be a true 3-tech that can give them a dynamic athlete as a pass rusher who has outstanding technique when it comes to spilling the run and protecting his linebackers. Andrew Brown looks like the total package.