It’s the morning of the 2019 NFL Draft, and while the Cleveland Browns don’t own a first-round pick, there’s no shortage of rumors and speculation. Unless there is a trade, the Cleveland Browns won’t pick until the 49th selection, which falls on day two of the 2019 NFL Draft. General manager John Dorsey and his staff may be targeting linebackers. This nugget came from The Athletic’s Zac Jackson, who said a source critiqued his only mock draft of the season by stating the scribe was “Light on linebacker when it came to how the Browns are prioritizing the position in this draft.” In his mock, Jackson had has the Browns taking Trysten Hill from Central Florida at 49. Jackson’s only linebacker was mocked to the Browns in the third round when he picked Blake Cashman from Minnesota. In rounds 4-7, Jackson had the Browns going corner, EDGE, safety, corner, OT and wide receiver. Our own Mike Graham has been mocking the Browns throughout the draft season and had the Browns landing Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson at No. 49 during his third edition of prognostications. Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto also made the case for the selection of a linebacker, noting how thin the Browns are at the position, even after the signing of Adarius Taylor, who played for the Bucs last season. • Will the Browns trade up into the first round? Jackson pegged a starting point to get into the first round would start with the Seahawks, who own the 21st and 29th picks. The Raiders also own 24 and 27 and there’s a train of thought that the team may try to flip one of their three first-round picks into a 2020 first-rounder. Remember, a report came out earlier in the pre-draft season stating Dorsey only really considered 15 players true first-round picks, so it may not be a great time to have a pick in the mid- to low- 20s. • What would it actually take to move into the first round? An article on Ohio.com writer Nate Ulrich suggested Dorsey could use the 49th pick, a second-round next year and a player like Duke Johnson to get back into the end of the first round. Fun to talk about, but a trade up is unlikely. I think it’s a lot more likely for the Browns to trade up in the second round if there’s a player Dorsey really covets. • Justin Layne continues to generate a lot of buzz among the media. He’s a local product having played at Benedictine High School and he played at a big-time program in a Power-5 conference.<doc-sep>Fans excited for the Cleveland Browns to make a draft pick may not have to wait Lon if general manager follows through on his hope to trade up. The Cleveland Browns will finally make a selection on Day two of the 2019 NFL Draft, but it may come earlier than the 49th overall pick, which is the 17th pick in the second round. General manager John Dorsey hopes to move up in the second round, according to ESPN Cleveland analyst Tony Grossi. Grossi wrote about this nugget after sharing that Dorsey had tried to move up into the first round. He had targeted three specific players, but the price to move up was apparently too steep. If you were being realistic about the Browns’ expectations entering draft weekend, this news should suite you just the fine. Dorsey didn’t do anything reckless by trading into the first round just for the sake of doing so. The price for moving up? We have a pretty good idea of the price tag to move into the mid-20s based off a trade between the Redskins and Colts. Indianapolis traded their 26th pick to Washington in exchange for the Redskins’ second-rounder (46th-overall). Washington also had to give up a 2020 second-round election. The Browns need a cornerback and with just one being taken in the first round, a run on corner backs is expected to dominate the headlines of day two. Entering Thursday night, the Browns were heavily linked to Michigan State’s Justin Layne. With corners expected to fly off the board, the Browns may have to move up to get their man. It will take a heck of a lot less to move up into the low 30s or early 40s than it would have to get into the 20s. Rounds two and three of the draft commence tonight at 7 p.m. Our Mike Graham mocked the second and third rounds and had the Browns acquiring two future starters in these critical rounds. I’ve also looked at corners the Browns should be considering now that the first round is in the books.<doc-sep>[FRIDAY DAY 2 LIVE BLOG IS HERE] The 2019 NFL Draft officially begins for the Cleveland Browns and the rest of the teams in the NFL tonight at 8:00 PM ET. The mock drafts that are staff completed for the first round (and part of the second round) can be found here. We will have all of your Browns-related coverage on the draft here at Dawgs By Nature throughout the weekend. There will be individual posts about each draft pick that Cleveland makes, or any other significant news. This thread will act as a “live blog” of sorts, with short one-liners about the latest small rumors, picks, or trades involving Cleveland or other NFL teams. You should also use the comments section as your NFL Draft open thread! (Newest updates will be at the top of the live blog below) Browns NFL Draft Live Blog [FRIDAY DAY 2 LIVE BLOG IS HERE] 12:04 AM: GM John Dorsey is actually doing a press conference still! He basically said that there was never a serious trade partner for the three players they may have been interested in. He also noted the number of cornerbacks available still; and how Day 2 is when they will be more serious about working the phones to move up or down in trades. Dorsey joked that this draft was unique because he was able to actually relax — listen to the TV draft commentary, and grab dinner (twice)! #Browns GM John Dorsey said there were about three guys we were looking at who we thought may help us, but I thought compensation was too rich to get up where they were picked — Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) April 26, 2019 Goodnight, everybody. 11:55 PM: We’ll leave you with some optimism heading into Day 2: Players left for the #Browns at key positions: CB - Greedy, Murphy, Layne, Oruwariye, Love, Long OT - Taylor, Little, Cajuste, Risner, Ford, Scharping S - Thornhill, Gardner-Johnson, Hooker, Rapp LB - Wilson, Cashman Setting up realllllly nicely for a big Day 2. — Jake Burns (@jake_burns18) April 26, 2019 11:53 PM: With the 32nd pick of the first round, the Patriots drafted WR N’Keal Harry. And with that, the first round is over. Business will pick up Friday for Browns fans, as Cleveland is on the clock mid-way through the second and third rounds. We’ll have a new live blog, as well as mock drafts and updates to our big board/visit tracker. 11:48 PM: No action for the Browns tonight. Why? As Lane Adkins of The OBR says, the team didn’t want to trade their second- and third-round picks to move up. Browns not willing to deal 49 and 80 — LA (@TheRealLA__) April 26, 2019 11:46 PM: The Rams traded the No. 31 pick to the Atlanta Falcons, where they took OT Kaleb McGary. The final pick is up now. 11:43 PM: At No. 30, the Giants selected CB Deandre Baker. The Rams and Patriots are now the final two picks. There has been no noise on Cleveland making a move tonight. 11:38 PM: The Seahawks have back-to-back picks at No. 29 and No. 30. Based on how long they are taking to milk their picks, I assume they are trying to negotiate trades. At least at No. 29 overall, Seattle stayed put to select DE L.J. Collier. And yes — pick No. 30 has been traded to the Giants, who also get three first-round picks! 11:24 PM: At No. 28 overall, the Chargers are taking DL Jerry Tillery. 11:18 PM: At No. 27 overall, the Raiders selected S Johnathan Abram, completing their three first-round picks. I had Abram going one pick later. 11:12 PM: The Redskins have moved back into the first round at No. 26, trading with the Colts. The Redskins took DE Montez Sweat, who I had going much earlier. 11:05 PM: The Ravens make a nice pick by grabbing WR Marquise Brown at No. 25. 10:58 PM: The reach of the draft went to the Texans, taking OT Tytys Howard at No. 23. Then, the Raiders took RB Josh Jacobs at No. 24, meaning I’ve now hit on four first-round picks! Let’s see who the Ravens get now. 10:42 PM: Now the trades are picking up. The Ravens were originally at No. 22, but now they have traded that pick to the Eagles, who selected OT Andre Dillard. 10:37 PM: The Packers wanted more! They traded up to No. 21 overall, so now the Seahawks hold No. 29 and No. 30. Those are two spots the Browns could consider trading up to for that fifth-year option if the right player is still available. Anyway, the Packers took...S Darnell Savage! Holy crap, I actually got that one right (the slot — I had him going No. 21). 10:29 PM: At No. 20 overall, the Denver Broncos, who traded back, selected TE Noah Fant. You have to consider this a big win for the Broncos; they get a tight end they may have wanted anyway at No. 10, and picked up more picks from Pittsburgh. Another story to watch: very few offensive linemen and zero defensive backs have been drafted so far. That plays into the Browns’ hands if they want to trade up for someone, or stay patient and see who is left at No. 49 tomorrow. 10:22 PM: At No. 19 overall, the host city Tennessee Titans took DT Jeffery Simmons. So, Browns GM John Dorsey never had a shot of getting him. I wonder if this is a buzzkill for the city of Tennessee, knowing they got a guy who is out awhile. Multiple teams viewed new Titans’ DT Jeffrey Simmons as a top-5 pick, even though he went at No. 19. One even called him “the best player in this draft.” Of course there are well-documented disturbing issues with him. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2019 10:15 PM: At No. 18 overall, the Vikings selected C Garrett Bradbury. I guess the Ravens will have to pick another center in a few picks. 10:10 PM: Here we go, the Browns’ pick at No. 17!<doc-sep>The Cleveland Browns are armed with eight draft picks, though with none on the first day. Despite there possibly being no action on the first day, Cleveland has enough selections to make something happen and add some playmakers. Below is my dream scenario using The Draft Network predictive board on their mock draft tool. I strongly believe that each selection made is a prospect that has the starting-caliber ability. I urge everyone to check out The Draft Network site and check the tool out yourself. 2nd Round- 49th Selection Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State Simmons has day one traits but has fallen to the second in large part due to a knee injury that will prevent him from seeing time immediately. There are also some serious character concerns stemming from a disturbing video that came out while he was in high school, where he is seen physically attacking a female. Had Simmons had a clean bill of health and an unblemished background, he could have been selected in the top five, which is why seeing him in the second round is such a bargain. Cleveland appears to be set on the interior with Larry Ogunjobi developing nicely and recently signed Sheldon Richardson, but behind those two there is very little depth. Trevon Coley was given an opportunity to start last season, but was less than spectacular. If the Browns are going to make improvements, they cannot allow an average of 4.7 yards per carry (24th in the NFL) again. 3rd Round- 80th Selection David Edwards, OT, Wisconsin There are few if any offensive linemen in this class that are as devastating once they reach the second level as Edwards is. He is consistently seen moving backers and gets there quicker than most. Wisconsin has a strong argument for being O-linemen U and being the best in that unit is no small task, but Edwards has worked hard to achieve that honor. Desmond Harrison is a solid swing option for depth, but may never develop into a starter after his rough start to last season. Greg Robinson played extremely well once taking over and can hopefully continue to get better, but mitigating that risk is not a bad idea and Edwards provides that security. Chris Hubbard was the starter on the right side, but his run blocking ability far outweighs his pass blocking potential, which is another reason to explore Edwards as an option. 4th Round- 119th Selection Michael Jackson Sr., CB, Miami (FL) Jackson has the potential to be selected on day two, but we were lucky enough to see the large (6-1, 210 pounds) corner available in round four. He has the length most teams prefer in their starting corner to go with great athleticism. Jackson plays with a ton of physicality, which helps him excel in press coverage and his ideal speed allows him to recover when beaten. Jackson has likely fallen in this situation due to having zero interceptions last season. Denzel Ward is a stud and has proven that he was the right pick last year, but there is not much talent beyond him. E.J. Gaines was supposed to be the answer on the other side, but was disappointing and now no longer in Cleveland. Phillip Gaines filled in mid-season and was also underwhelming. Briean Boddy-Calhoun has also left Cleveland, but he was not exactly a coverage expert during his time as a Brown anyways. 5th Round- 144th Selection Michael Jordan, C/G, Ohio State Like Jackson, it would not surprise me if Jordan was selected on day two, but he fell into the fifth round during this simulation. Jordan is extremely versatile starting at both center and guard during his time as a Buckeye. Although he is seen primarily as a center, players on the interior with his type of athleticism are rare and he should thrive anywhere on the inside. Last season was Jordan’s first at center. He was too slow at setting up after the snap, which is not ideal in a starting pivot. Despite this issue being fixable, especially since he just learned the position last season, it is likely the reason for his fall here. Cleveland does not have a ton of immediate needs as they are more or less just filling holes and looking for depth. Jordan is the definition of depth as he can play multiple positions and is more than up to the task of protecting Baker Mayfield if it is needed. the Browns are now in a position, where their weakest point on offense is the offensive line and shoring it up should continue to be a priority. 5th Round- 155th Selection Tre Lamar, LB, Clemson Another prospect who many consider a day two talent, Lamar is a prototypical inside linebacker with a lot of traits that appear starter ready. Lamar fits best on the inside but can provide depth on the outside as well. Lamar really thrives against the run and is arguably the best backer in this class against the run. He has the ideal instincts to know where the ball carrier is going to be and has the speed to get them quickly. Lamar is not slow when considering his size (6-3, 253 pounds) and he is fast enough to complete most tasks, but he is on the slower side for most backers, which does effect his sideline to sideline ability. He also gets beaten too often by running backs to the edge, but his lack of speed can be masked by a creative defensive coordinator who can keep him plugged in the inside. His lack of ideal linebacker speed is likely what has allowed him to fall to the fifth round. John Dorsey is not a stranger to taking risks and Lamar is the perfect high risk/high reward prospect to take on day three. A creative defensive coordinator like Steve Wilks should be able to mask Lamar’s deficiencies, while utilizing his elite abilities against the run. Cleveland should look to add more tough and intimidating defenders to take this defense to the next level and strengthen the team as a whole. 5th Round- 170th Selection<doc-sep>
[SATURDAY / DAY 3 LIVE BLOG THREAD IS HERE] Day 2 of the 2019 NFL Draft is today, and the Cleveland Browns will actually be on the clock, unlike Day 1 of the draft. We will have all of your Browns-related coverage on the draft here at Dawgs By Nature throughout the weekend. There will be individual posts about each draft pick that Cleveland makes, or any other significant news. This thread will act as a “live blog” of sorts, with short one-liners about the latest small rumors, picks, or trades involving Cleveland or other NFL teams. You should also use the comments section as your NFL Draft open thread! (Newest updates will be at the top of the live blog below) Browns NFL Draft Live Blog [SATURDAY / DAY 3 LIVE BLOG THREAD IS HERE] 11:30 PM: Day 2 is over! Tune back in for Day 3 of the Browns’ draft Saturday starting at noon. 11:02 PM: Here is the Browns’ phone call to their newest linebacker: 10:24 PM: OK, so this one was more of a reach, as Dane Brugler graded him a 6th-round pick. Nonetheless, with the 80th pick, the Browns took LB Sione Takitaki. Our post on him is here. 10:15 PM: The Browns are up next, after the Rams! And there are still some defensive backs remaining on our big board, among other players the team has to like. 9:38 PM: Here is Browns GM John Dorsey making the call to CB Greedy Williams earlier: 9:32 PM: The second round is now over, and the last ten picks or so saw a depletion of the remaining talent on our big board who fans coveted. Here are the players who remain: CB Justin Layne S C. Gardner-Johnson LB Mack Wilson CB Julian Love DL Dre’Mont Jones CB Amani Oruwariye EDGE Jachai Polite EDGE Chase Winovich 8:20 PM: Now that we’ve had a few minutes to decompress, here are the trade parameters: the Browns moved up to No. 46, giving the Colts No. 49 and one of their fifth-round picks (No. 144 overall). 8:16 PM: The Browns got their guy! CB Greedy Williams is the pick at No. 46; our post on him is here, where you can grade it too. The pick is going over very, very well: If the Browns kept the 17th overall pick and selected Greedy Williams it would be an A grade. — Ryan McCrystal (@Ryan_McCrystal) April 27, 2019 8:06 PM: The Patriots beat out the Browns to trade up to No. 45, where they selected CB JoeJuan Williams! Apparently, that wasn’t GM John Dorsey’s pick, because right afterward, Lane Adkins of The OBR tweeted “sigh of relief.” And now the Browns have traded up to No. 46 to be on the clock! 8:00 PM: There we go — our FIRST Browns rumor of this year’s draft! The #Patriots and #Browns are among the teams having discussions about trading up... — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 27, 2019 7:55 PM: The Browns are coming up in about six picks, so here’s an update of the top players left on our big board: CB Greedy Williams WR D.K. Metcalf CB Justin Layne S Nasir Adderley S C. Gardner-Johnson S Taylor Rapp S Juan Thornhill LB Mack Wilson WR A.J. Brown WR Parris Campbell CB Julian Love DL Dre’Mont Jones CB Amani Oruwariye EDGE Jachai Polite EDGE Chase Winovich 7:24 PM: All of the Browns’ prospects are going! CB Rock Ya-Sin to the Colts at No. 34, then OT Jawaan Taylor to the Jaguars at No. 35 (via a trade up). 7:14 PM: Because of the number of picks today, we won’t be covering every one in the live blog — only a select few, like the Cardinals kicking off No. 33 by taking CB Byron Murphy. As Cleveland’s selection gets closer, we’ll update our big board to see who Cleveland “should take,” per the community. 7:08 PM: Day 2 of the NFL Draft is under way! A reminder that Jim Brown is scheduled to announce the Browns’ second round pick, while Christian Kirksey will do the third round pick. 6:10 PM: We are less than an hour from the start of round two! Teams will have seven minutes to pick in the second round. 5:08 PM: Uh-oh, something is brewing! Lane Adkins of The OBR had these cryptic tweets. What it means yet, we don’t know!