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Cleveland Browns: Don’t fall for a first-round receiver

By Martin McConnell

OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 8: D.K. Metcalf #14 of the Mississippi Rebels catches a pass for a touchdown during a game against the Southern Illinois Salukis at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels defeated the Salukis 76-41. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 8: D.K. Metcalf #14 of the Mississippi Rebels catches a pass for a touchdown during a game against the Southern Illinois Salukis at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels defeated the Salukis 76-41. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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The Cleveland Browns are in need of a top-flight wide receiver to complete their offensive unit. But for a variety of reasons, fans shouldn’t be falling for a receiver in the first round.

Offensively, the Cleveland Browns are the best they’ve been in a very long time. With a solid group of weapons highlighted by Rashard Higgins, Jarvis Landry and David Njoku, and a two-headed monster at running back with Nick Chubb and Duke Johnson, the Browns have a fine offensive attack.

Not to mention, they finally have the quarterback in place in the form of Baker Mayfield, who can really make the offense go. However, they’re missing that one last piece: a true, game-breaking, No. 1 wide receiver.

Unfortunately for Browns fans, their team probably won’t be making the “sexy” pick on draft night, for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, wide receiver isn’t even close to being their biggest need. The Browns’ defense is good, but it has so much potential to be even better if they add a piece in the 2019 NFL Draft.

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The Browns have based their defensive unit on explosiveness, athleticism, and big plays. Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi and Denzel Ward are all perfect examples of this strategy. Jabrill Peppers and Damarious Randall as a safety tandem are a big help, but the Browns need more pieces on the first and second lines of defense.

An addition like LSU linebacker Devin White or Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver could be huge for Cleveland at No. 17 overall. This would fulfill a massive need for the Browns, and one that is much more urgent than wide receiver. But, even if receiver was higher on Cleveland’s wishlist, John Dorsey’s track record shows that he’s not fond of picking them on day one.

Dorsey has been in NFL front offices for 28 years, a great sample size when looking for patterns. Throughout that time, Dorsey’s teams have only picked a receiver in the first round once, in the form of Florida State product Javon Walker, at No. 20 overall in 2002. In that same time frame, the same teams have picked 19 receivers on days two and three of the draft.

So, it’s unlikely that Ole Miss’s A.J. Brown or D.K. Metcalf will be Cleveland’s pick at No. 17. Although Metcalf may be the fan favorite at this point, he’ll likely be passed on by John Dorsey and the Browns, if he’s even on the board at all. Iowa State product Hakeem Butler might be a more realistic pick, if the Browns want to go with a receiver on day two of the draft.

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Overall, taking a wide receiver just isn’t a pressing issue for the Cleveland Browns. Sure, a true No. 1 would be nice to have, but Baker Mayfield is going to spread the ball around more than almost any quarterback in the league. The Browns have more pressing issues, and it’s unlikely that John Dorsey will take a first round receiver, especially for the Browns in their current state.

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