Cleveland Browns add Terrace Marshall, Ifeatu Melifonwu in 7-round mock draft

Round 5, Pick 169:  Tay Gowan, CB, UCF

Yes, the Cleveland Browns added Ifeatu Melifonwu in the second round of this mock and that gives them a pretty stout set of corners. Melifonwu could be the starter but he will have to beat out Greedy Williams. Troy Hill is set to play the slot and M.J. Stewart gives them a reserve who was once a second-round pick.

This is all without even mentioning Denzel Ward, who has the ability to be a perennial All-Pro. The problem is, injuries have decimated this group. Williams missed four games in 2019 and then all of 2020. Ward missed three games as a rookie followed by four in each of the next two campaigns.

With all that going on, they wisely add another pick here in the fifth round with Tay Gowan. A very interesting prospect, Gowan started at Miami before moving to UCF. He played just one season there before opting out of the 2020 season.

There are a lot of questions around him due to the lack of experience but the physical tools are there, making him worth the gamble.

Round 6, Pick 211: Ernest Jones, LB, South Carolina

It would be hard to find anyone to argue that the Browns linebacking corps is a weakness. So why wait until their final pick to address the spot? Simple, their front office and coaching staff seems to think the position is easy to replace — and they have some options in-house that they’re hoping will take their next step.

Mack Wilson and Jacob Phillips have both shown flashes and they also added Anthony Walker in free agency. Considering they want to run a 4-2-5 defense, this could be enough if they’re right about Phillips.

Still, they need to add depth, which is why Ernest Jones from South Carolina is the pick at No. 211. He had 97 tackles in 2019 with two picks and added another 86 tackles in 2020.

Jones won’t set the world on fire but held his own in the SEC and could be a solid developmental player.