Cleveland Browns: Re-drafting Day 3 of 2017 NFL Draft
By Cory Kinnan
Round 5, Pick 160: Matt Milano, LB, Boston College
Original Pick: Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State
With the 160th pick in the draft, the Browns took offensive tackle Roderick Johnson; he too did not play a snap in Cleveland after landing on injured reserve as a rookie and then cut the next year. Johnson was later signed by the Houston Texans, but even behind their bad offensive line, he could not find much playing time in 2018 either.
Boston College linebacker Matt Milano went just a few picks later to the Buffalo Bills and has had a much better start to his career to this point. In 18 starts for the Bills, Milano has stuffed the stat sheet playing at the second level of the Buffalo defense under head coach Sean McDermott.
Milano has tallied four total interceptions, nine passes defended, one sack, 81 solo tackles and 19 tackles for loss as a 4-3 outside linebacker. He really burst onto the scene in his second year in 13 starts, recording three picks, seven passes defended, 52 solo tackles and 12 tackles for loss.
While the Browns had a revolving door at left tackle last year with Desmond Harrison being replaced by former second overall pick Greg Robinson, the Bills have constructed a solid, young linebacking core with Milano and 2018 first rounder Tremaine Edmunds. In this re-draft, the Browns land Milano here instead of project tackle Johnson.