Over his previous six drafts in charge, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has only made three first-round selections. He has never taken a wide receiver inside the first 70 picks. Berry has also never previously entered a draft with multiple first-rounders, so an already complicated guessing game becomes even more difficult given that the Browns have a screaming need for receiver help.<\/p>\n
For Berry and the Browns, is it as simple as targeting the two most obvious immediate needs, left tackle and wide receiver, in some order with those Round 1 picks at Nos. 6 and 24? Could Berry trade down in the first round for the second consecutive year? Or \u2014 depending on what happens in the first five picks \u2014 might the Browns take a longer-term approach and select a defensive player (or even a running back)?<\/p>\n
Months of guessing on the next phase of Berry\u2019s ongoing roster rebuilds end on Thursday. The Browns either will select another cornerstone player at No. 6 or trade down, continuing to add picks and flexibility to a pretty murky blueprint for how they\u2019re actually going to fix an anemic offense.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love how everybody last year thought we weren\u2019t trading down and this year, everyone assumes we are,\u201d Berry said last week.<\/p>\n
What Browns fans would really love is more touchdowns. Maybe those come via Ohio State\u2019s Carnell Tate, who\u2019s generally regarded as the No. 1 wideout in this class and near-certainty to be picked in the top 10. Maybe the Browns will continue to restock their offensive line after inexplicably not drafting an offensive lineman last year, despite having an aging group in place.<\/p>\n
Though gifted players such as Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs might be a tough sell based on the current Cleveland roster, the Browns don\u2019t seem to be one player or one decision away from returning to relevance. And if no real answer at quarterback emerges, the future of defensive veterans Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward could again become a topic of discussion.<\/p>\n
For my final mock draft, I\u2019m guessing all the trade talk will end up being just that. The Browns should be open for business, but finding a realistic trade partner likely won\u2019t be as easy as the mock draft universe makes it seem.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m bucking another trend (and my own previous ideas) by guessing that Cleveland either won\u2019t get the chance to draft Tate or will pass on him. I\u2019ve become slightly more open to the idea of the Browns actually starting their draft with a defensive player, but I\u2019m going big at No. 6 and taking an offensive lineman.<\/p>\n
Round 1, No. 6: Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m going with Proctor here, a player who fits the mold of previous Berry selections as a young (20) prospect with rare athletic gifts for a player his size. At Alabama\u2019s pro day last month, Proctor was a shade over 6-foot-6, 358 pounds. He\u2019s worked to keep his weight down, which will be key to him reaching his full potential.<\/p>\n
If it\u2019s Tate, I\u2019ll gladly be wrong and support the idea of the Browns embracing the forward pass, but building through the line first is probably the route the team will choose. More accurately, I should call it the route the Browns will continue to choose.<\/p>\n
Two of Cleveland\u2019s three external offensive line additions from March are 30 years old. None of the returning offensive linemen has shown any long-term reliability or production. Whether the Browns think they\u2019re patching together a viable quarterback room or just planning to remake the group again next offseason, line is the pick.<\/p>\n
The Browns can still draft two receivers later or even pursue one via trade. The lack of activity in the receiver room thus far suggests that something may be in the works.<\/p>\n
Am I certain the Browns will pick Proctor at No. 6? No. But do I think they want either Proctor or Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling? Yes. I wouldn\u2019t even rule out Penn State guard Vega Ioane after a potential trade-down. I think the team wants athleticism and upside on the offensive line and can figure out positions later.<\/p>\n
What about a potential trade and then a selection of Proctor or Freeling? I think it\u2019s possible, but Cleveland needs to find a fit. The Dallas Cowboys, with two first-round picks (Nos. 12 and 20), make sense. Would the New York Jets \u2014 who own No. 16 this year and three first-rounders in 2027 \u2014 want to make a big move to No. 6?<\/p>\n
My answer? Maybe. For this mock, I\u2019m sticking with the picks the Browns have. It\u2019s my mock draft, and I\u2019ll cry (and pick three tackles) if I want to.<\/p>\n
Round 1, No. 24: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M<\/p>\n
He\u2019s had some drop issues and recently needed a knee scope, but the Browns have been tracking Concepcion since his breakout freshman season at NC State. Starting the draft with an offensive lineman, then furthering the remake of the receiver room with Concepcion as a Zay Flowers-like player, would make sense.<\/p>\n
Concepcion is neither a finished product as a wide receiver nor a traditional, big-bodied outside player, but he\u2019s electric with the ball in his hands. For a team that needs playmakers and has valued run-after-catch ability, Concepcion is sensible here. An addition (or two) to the outside receiver group can be made later.<\/p>\n
Round 2, No. 39: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo<\/p>\n
The whispers about the Browns\u2019 interest in McNeil-Warren are loud. He\u2019s a versatile, modern safety who isn\u2019t afraid of contact, and the team\u2019s future at the position is uncertain with Grant Delpit signed only through 2026 and Ronnie Hickman currently set to play on a one-year restricted free-agent tender.<\/p>\n
What stands out is that McNeil-Warren is not a left tackle, quarterback or wide receiver. In a bit of an understandable victory lap, Berry has continually referenced last year\u2019s selection of Carson Schwesinger as one the Browns didn\u2019t necessarily plan on making \u2014 and one that was made at what could be considered a non-premium position. The Browns used the first pick of the draft\u2019s second day on a player who became the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and seems to be a cornerstone player.<\/p>\n
What that exactly means for this draft or McNeil-Warren\u2019s chances of becoming a Brown isn\u2019t clear, but it seems to be a strong hint that, inside the draft room, Cleveland\u2019s decision-makers will value players they see as top-tier prospects over perceived positional need or value.<\/p>\n
Round 3, No. 70: Markel Bell, OT, Miami<\/p>\n
Bell has a Dawand Jones body type and natural left tackle skills. He only played two years of major college football and needs more seasoning, but his wingspan and feet make him a rising prospect. If the Browns don\u2019t take a true left tackle early in the draft, they could target Bell earlier than most forecasters believe. I still feel good about this pick here because Proctor and Bell could end up being tried at multiple spots before finding a permanent one.<\/p>\n
Notice the theme of this mock? There\u2019s a clear emphasis on upside and getting ahead of things in future offseasons.<\/p>\n
Round 4, No. 107: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State<\/p>\n
Hurst is big, fast and interesting. He\u2019s probably not a finished product after spending his college career playing at the Division II level and then in the FBS\u2019s Sun Belt Conference, but with the right development, he could become an outside receiver and red zone target.<\/p>\n
Round 5, No. 146: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State\u00a0<\/p>\n