INDIANAPOLIS – Nathan Zegura, Andrew Gribble and Kevin Jones had their eyes peeled and their ears wide open last week at the combine. The trio has reviewed all of the prospects and strung together their first of three mock drafts for the offseason.
These will obviously be subject to change and are solely based on their opinions. Once free agency hits March 10, Browns general manager Ray Farmer will address some areas of need and the perceived priorities of who to draft in the first round could look a lot different.
* Nathan Zegura's Mock Draft 1.0*
1) Tampa Bay – QB Jameis Winston
2) Tennessee – DE Leonard Williams
3) Jacksonville – OLB Dante Fowler
4) Oakland – WR Kevin White
5) Washington – OLB Vic Beasley
6) New York Jets – QB Marcus Mariota
7) Chicago – DL Danny Shelton
8) Atlanta – DE Randy Gregory
9) New York Giants – DE Shane Ray
10) St Louis – WR Amari Cooper
11) Minnesota – CB Trae Waynes
12) Cleveland – WR Devante Parker
The Browns need to upgrade their wide receiving corps and Parker is the last of the big three at receiver. He has the size, speed, hands and playmaking ability to be the No. 1 outside wide receiver NFL teams covet.
13) New Orleans – OLB Bud Dupree
14) Miami – S Landon Collins
15) San Francisco – WR Dorial Green-Beckham
16) Houston – OL La'el Collins
17) San Diego – OL Brandon Scherff
18) Kansas City – WR Jalen Strong
19) Cleveland – DL Malcom Brown
Other than wide receiver, the defensive line is the Browns' biggest area of need. Brown would help shore up the team's struggling run defense (last in the NFL a year ago) and the 320-pounder will add some serious bulk and strength to the Browns' D-line. If the Big 3 wide receivers are gone at No. 12, I would not be surprised if the Browns traded down a little to acquire more assets and took Brown at any pick between 12-19. In that scenario, they would take a wide receiver like Jaelen Strong or Breshad Perriman with their second first-round pick.
20) Philadelphia – CB Jalen Collins
21) Cincinnati – OLB Shaq Thompson
22) Pittsburgh – CB Marcus Peters
23) Detroit – DL Eddie Goldman
24) Arizona – OL Andrus Peat
25) Carolina – OL Cameron Erving
26) Baltimore – RB Todd Gurley
27) Dallas – DE Arik Armstead
28) Denver – TE Maxx Williams
29) Indianapolis – RB Melvin Gordon
30) Green Bay – LB Eric Kendricks
31) Seattle – CB Quentin Rollins
32) New England – OT TJ Clemmings
Andrew Gribble's Mock Draft 1.0
1) Tampa Bay - QB Jameis Winston
2) Tennessee - QB Marcus Mariota
3) Jacksonville - DT Leonard Williams
4) Oakland - WR Kevin White
5) Washington - DE Dante Fowler Jr.
6) New York Jets - WR Amari Cooper
7) Chicago - DT Danny Shelton
8) Atlanta - OLB Randy Gregory
9) New York Giants - OL La'el Collins
10) St. Louis - OL Brandon Scherff
11) Minnesota - WR DeVante Parker
12) Cleveland DL Arik Armstead
While it would be ideal to plug a player like Shelton into the middle of the line to bolster the run defense, the Browns simply didn't lose enough games to pick high enough for the Washington star. Armstead would certainly be a nice consolation prize, as he'd bring massive size (6-foot-7, 285 pounds) and endless potential.
13) New Orleans - OL Ereck Flowers
14) Miami - DT Malcom Brown
15) San Francisco - DE Shane Ray
16) Houston - CB Trae Waynes
17) San Diego - OL Andrus Peat
18) Kansas City - S Landon Collins
19) Cleveland - DT Eddie Goldman
Remember what Mike Pettine said about the No. 1 thing that will have to happen in 2015 for the Browns to make the playoffs? Yes, going with a second defensive lineman in the first round might raise some eyebrows, but Goldman fits a massive area in the middle that was tough to fill when Phil Taylor was injured. There's also plenty of value at wide receiver in the second round.
20) Philadelphia - CB Marcus Peters
21) Cincinnati - OLB Vic Beasley
22) Pittsburgh - OLB Bud Dupree
23) Detroit - DT Jordan Phillips
24) Arizona - RB Melvin Gordon
25) Carolina - OL T.J. Clemmings
26) Baltimore - WR Jaelen Strong
27) Dallas - LB Eric Kendricks
28) Denver - OL Cameron Erving
29) Indianapolis - RB Todd Gurley
30) Green Bay - WR/TE Devin Funchess
31) Seattle - WR Dorial Green-Beckham
32) New England - CB Jalen Collins
Kevin Jones' Mock Draft 1.0
1) Tampa Bay – QB Jameis Winston
2) Tennessee – DE Leonard Williams
3) Jacksonville – OLB Dante Fowler
4) Oakland – WR Kevin White
5) Washington – OL Brandon Scherff
6) New York Jets – WR Amari Cooper
7) Chicago – DE Shane Ray
8) Atlanta –DL Danny Shelton
9) New York Giants – OL TJ Clemmings
10) St Louis –QB Marcus Mariota
11) Minnesota – DE Randy Gregory
12) Cleveland – OLB Vic Beasley
The Browns get their coveted speed rusher to pair with the brute strength of Paul Kruger. Beasley racked up 12 sacks last season at Clemson and ran a blazing 4.53 40-yard dash at the combine. The run defense was an issue last season, but so was ranking 27th in sacks. If Beasley can step in and put pressure on the quarterback immediately, imagine how much better it will make the secondary, too.
13) New Orleans – LB Shaq Thompson
14) Miami – S Landon Collins
15) San Francisco – WR DeVante Parker
16) Houston – CB Trae Waynes
17) San Diego – DL Eddie Goldman
18) Kansas City – WR Dorial Beckham-Green
19) Cleveland – DL Jordan Phillips
Phillips is considered more of a project than some of the other defensive linemen, but his athleticism trumps them all. The redshirt sophomore from Oklahoma can play nose guard and defensive end at 329 pounds. The Browns need a big body to thwart opponents' run games, and Phillips can be that guy. My guess is that the Browns will address the wide receiver position in free agency to ensure they get an impact player who can step in from Day 1, but, if not, wide receiver would also make sense here.
20) Philadelphia – CB P.J. Williams
21) Cincinnati – OL Andrus Peat
22) Pittsburgh – OLB Bud Dupree
23) Detroit – DL Malcom Brown
24) Arizona – OL La'el Collins
25) Carolina – OL Ereck Flowers
26) Baltimore – RB Melvin Gordon
27) Dallas – CB Kevin Johnson
28) Denver – DL Carl Davis
29) Indianapolis – RB Todd Gurley
30) Green Bay – DL Arik Armstead
31) Seattle – WR Jaelen Strong
32) New England – LB Denzel Perryman
