The NFL Honors have come and gone, leaving just the 2024 NFL draft for the Cleveland Browns to conquer. Could they look to overhaul their offense with a name like wide receiver AD Mitchell or running back Braelon Allen?
The Browns, once again, do not have a first round pick. This is the last year without one, however, after the trade to acquire quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans. Luckily for the Browns, general manager Andrew Berry has managed to hit on a chunk on mid-round picks over the last two drafts, including cornerback Martin Emerson Jr., defensive end Alex Wright, offensive tackle Dawand Jones, and cornerback Cameron Mitchell.
Can the Browns find the same success this year as they look to keep their competitive window open as long as possible?
Here are 10 early and realistic 2024 NFL draft crushes that could be on the board when the Browns come on the clock with the 55th overall pick.
WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
Want a receiver that can eat up yards after the catch, thrive on manufactured touches, and mow defenders over with the ball in his hands? Look no further than Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley.
Racking up 984 yards receiving this past season for the Hilltoppers, 683 of those yards came after the catch. He forced 15 missed tackles a year ago. The Browns do not have a guy that can handle manufactured touches on their roster. They though Elijah Moore could, but he has proven to separate at a high level when actually running routes.
Corley could be their man.
RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
It was not too long ago that Braelon Allen was considered a phenom at the college level as he took the Big Ten by storm at just 17 years old. Still only 20 as he gets set to enter the draft, Allen brings a level of grit that emulates how Nick Chubb runs the football.
Playing in a new offense this season compared to his first two years at Wisconsin, Allen saw his production take a dip. Even in a down year, Allen ran for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Badgers. He did, however, catch a career-high in passes, nabbing 28 out of the backfield for another 132 yards.
No, he is not as explosive or agile as Chubb, but he could be a day-one RB2 in Cleveland with the potential to take over as the starter whenever the Browns and their superstar running back hit the end of the road.
TE Theo Johnson, Penn State
What if I told you there was a 6-foot-6 tight and 250-pound tight end that was going to run a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the combine? While Penn State did not utilize their tight ends in 2024, Theo Johnson proved at the Reese’s Senior Bowl that he is an elite mismatch when used correctly.
He managed just 341 yards and seven touchdowns this season for the Nittany Lions, but Johnson is going to get drafted much higher than people imagine. While he may not be an ideal target at 55, pairing him with David Njoku in 12 personnel looks would give the Browns a lethal duo of tight ends to create mismatches in the passing game.
OT Roger Rosengarten, Washington
Still a rather unfamiliar name at this point in the process, but on the rise after a strong Reese’s Senior Bowl showing, Washington’s Roger Rosengarten is smooth pass protector who has the tools that NFL teams will covet. He played on college football’s best offensive line this past season and was a key part in that unit winning the award.
Do not discount the Browns looking at an offensive tackle as early as 55. If they do, Rosengarten is a prime target.
OG Christian Haynes, UConn
The Browns are not getting any younger along their offensive line and may make a move to plan for the future earlier than expected in the 2024 NFL draft. If they do make a move for an interior player on Day 2, UConn’s Christian Haynes fits their style like a glove.
He is proficient in wide zone, is strong in a phone booth, and is built from top-to-bottom. Haynes was perhaps the best offensive lineman at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
EDGE Austin Booker, Kansas
If the Browns want a pass-rush specialist who can explode off of the ball on passing downs, Austin Booker from Kansas is their guy. He is an elite athlete who is going to catch eyes at the NFL Scouting Combine at the beginning of March. Transferring to Kansas this year, Booker racked up eight sacks and 12 tackles for loss. He had a stellar week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl as well.
LB Junior Colson, Michigan
The Browns need an infusion of youth at the linebacker position, and there are no better chase-and-tackle linebackers in this year’s class than Michigan’s Junior Colson. He was extremely productive over the last two seasons with the Wolverines and fits what the Browns would ask their MIKE linebacker to do at the NFL level.
S Beau Brade, Maryland
The Browns may find themselves needing a new nickel this offseason. And they will most certainly need a new third safety after the season-ending injury to the veteran Rodney McLeod (who was on just a one-year deal to begin with).
Maryland’s Beau Brade is one of the most slept-on players in the 2024 NFL draft. He is explosive, possesses a quick trigger, and shows the ability to align in a variety of looks defensively. NFL Assistant Coach of the Year Jim Schwartz would love him.
WR AD Mitchell, Texas
This one is a bit of a stretch as there is a chance that Texas wide receiver AD Mitchell goes in the first round. However, every year there are players that fall down the board and find themselves in a position to be taken in the mid-50s in the draft. Mitchell could be that player.
Despite his size, Mitchell is a fluid mover who catches the football extraordinarily well. He is a big play threat, smooth as butter tracking the football down the field. The Browns will need to overhaul and plan for the future in the wide receiver room, and Mitchell has legit WR1 potential.
RB Carson Steele, UCLA
If the Browns want a late-round running back, Carson Steele is their guy. Transferring from Ball State to UCLA this past season, Steele racked up 847 yards and six touchdowns, adding another 163 yards and two touchdowns on 17 catches out of the backfield. UCLA split their backfield, so this was a dropoff from Steele’s elite 1,500-yard season in the MAC the year before.
He is an explosive, decisive, and mean runner, and would fit the bill of what the Browns need in their running back room.
