Two years ago, the Cleveland Browns made a draft day trade to move up and select Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. While general manager Andrew Berry is a savant at trading down and stockpiling assets, he has proven he is not afraid to make a move up the board if the player and the opportunity present itself. As the 2023 NFL Draft approaches, are there players in this year’s draft that could light a sense of urgency under Berry to make another move up the board? Could it be another linebacker like Iowa’s Jack Campbell?
The Browns have six day-three picks, and there is little chance they select that many players that late in the draft. This puts them in a position to have ammunition to make a trade if the right player is on the board.
Here are four players whose draft stock is all over the map and may just find themselves in a position for the Browns to make a move up the board.
LB Jack Campbell
The Browns have plugged up most of the gaps on the defensive side of the ball in free agency. However, one position that does not have long-term health on the roster is the linebacker position. They re-signed both Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki, but both are coming off of season-ending injuries and are on just one-year deals.
The draft stock of Jack Campbell is all over the board. Some pundits have him as a top-30 player (myself included), some have him more around the 50th overall pick, and some have him even later. If the Butkus Award winner begins to slip into the late-50s or early-60s, the Browns may package up some of their day-three picks to make a move.
He has an ideal frame, is a freak athlete, and is a highly instinctual player from the second level. Campbell would be a great fit for new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
EDGE BJ Ojulari
The younger brother of Azeez, BJ Ojulari might be even better than the current New York Giant. However, he did not test at the NFL Scouting Combine and then did not test well at his pro day. Ojulari later stated he has been dealing with a nagging injury and wanted to compete with his teammates one more time. This could, however, cause his stock to drop regardless.
His stock is already starting to drop according to Grinding the Mocks, as he currently sits with an average draft position around the 50th overall pick. If that continues to sink, the Browns could land a tremendous player at a cost-effective price.
WR Tyler Scott
This wide receiver class is a weird one and it seems like rankings are all over the map from a prospect-to-prospect basis. And one player who could either get drafted outrageously high or fall lower than expected is Tyler Scott. Some teams may fall in love with his elite speed, throttle, and route-running savvy. Other teams, may not value his production coming from a Group of Five level.
Despite adding Elijah Moore, the Browns are in a position to be greedy at the wide receiver position. And Scott’s talents make him not only a contributor right away but a long-term weapon on a rookie contract. This should be quite appealing to the Browns.
DT Keeanu Benton
Signing three defensive tackles in free agency, the Browns will also consider drafting another one with their top pick. The additions of Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill do not move the needle as the amount of guaranteed money they received tells the story. Neither player is a roster lock as they were brought in to compete for rotational jobs.
When simulating a PFF mock draft, Benton tends to come off the board in the late-50s or early-60s. This is a prime range for the Browns to make a move for a defensive tackle with long arms, an explosive lower half, and the ability to anchor in doubles with ease along the interior. Rounding out the room, the duo of Dalvin Tomlinson and Benton would be a massive stride forward.
