The Cleveland Browns suffered a tough defeat against the Chiefs. Now they retool for another playoff run in this 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft after the loss.
After the historic playoff win over the rival Steelers, the magic ran out for the Cleveland Browns. Though the door was opened in the Divisional Round thanks to injuries for the Chiefs, Baker Mayfield and Co. weren’t able to fully climb out of a hole and, as such, will be watching the AFC Championship Game from home.
Even after the loss, fans should be optimistic about the future of the Browns. Mayfield showed tremendous progress throughout the 2020 season while the team as a whole finally realized their potential. But now the task when looking at free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft becomes adding tools to help this team take another step forward.
What kind of pieces can they add to the fold? Let’s examine that as we give the Dawg Pound some fresh faces with a Cleveland Browns 7-round mock draft for 2021 following the heartbreaking loss to Kansas City. This mock draft was simulated using The Draft Network’s mock draft machine.
Cleveland Browns 2021 NFL mock draft for all 7 rounds
While other areas of the Browns defense undeniably need to be addressed this offseason, the one problem area that kept coming up throughout the season was the linebacker group. Sporadic plays were made but the consistent performance simply wasn’t there from the likes of Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki.
Zaven Collins is the type of player that could be an ideal fit for what Cleveland needs in that capacity. The standout from Tulsa is a Swiss-Army knife at the position. He’s capable of crashing down against the run with great effectiveness in addition to moving sideline-to-sideline. Collins is also an adept pass coverage player who often excels in those reps.
Moreover, the Golden Hurricane star has displayed effectiveness when deployed as a rusher. He may not be the greatest athlete in the world but he’s more than adequate and he makes up for any deficiencies with an elite football IQ.
Joining the Browns, Collins could be a move piece that would open everything up. Wilson, Takitaki and the linebackers on the roster aren’t useless but also aren’t every-down players. Collins would allow them to be used more situationally as he wears different hats, something that could shore up the defense as a whole in a palpable manner.