We are now in the thick of the pre-draft process as the Senior Bowl has come to an end and the NFL Scouting Combine is set to take place next week. In need of infiltrating their roster with young talent, the Cleveland Browns need to nail down the 2023 NFL Draft with the eight picks they currently hold.
They do not need to overthink this, as there will be some real value on the board when they come on the clock with the 42nd overall pick. However, there is some highly thought of players who just do not show that same level of hype on tape. Here are five 2023 NFL Draft prospects the Browns would be wise to let other teams over-draft.
Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt
NFL teams are going to fall in love with Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt. This happens all the time with guys who run fast in a straight line, even if their tape shows they have no nuance or savvy other than an ability to run in a straight line. To make matters more interesting, the owner of the Browns, Jimmy Haslam, is a University of Tennessee alum. Luckily, Hyatt is likely to be off the board before pick 42, but even if he isn’t, that’s not a risk the Browns should take.
Pitt DT Calijah Kansey
The Browns are a very data-oriented team in terms of assessing risk with outliers. So this means they should be out on a defensive tackle that is barely 6 feet tall and 280 pounds soaking wet. However, his production is off the charts, which is enough to keep them interested. The size of Kancey, however, shows up in a big way against the run, and that’s not a player worth investing in for a team with a historically bad run defense a year ago.
Oregon State TE Luke Musgrave
The Luke Musgrave love is getting out of hand. Sure, he is explosive and can separate down the field, but he played just two games in 2022 and has proven to be a bad blocker and a stiff route runner when asked to do anything other than run a seam shot or crosser. Another player that will likely be off the board by 42, the Browns would be better off getting a bang-for-buck player like Purdue’s Payne Durham on day three.
Army EDGE Andre Carter II
There are levels to discussing Andre Carter II. He is a flexible and explosive pass rusher who has a proven track record of wreaking havoc. However, his play strength is well below the standard, as he gets blown off the ball far too often in the run game. The Army academy does have weight requirements based on height, however, so there is a reason to believe the long pass rusher may now be able to add muscle to his frame. For now, he’s just a situational pass rusher.
Baylor DT Siaki Ika
The Browns should not have much interest in a player who was prone to coming off the field when opposing units came out in 11 personnel. The 2022 tape of Baylor defensive tackle Siaki Ika was underwhelming, to say the least as he proved to be nothing more than a two-down player for the Bears. There are defensive tackles like Alabama’s Byron Young and Wisconsin’s Keeanu Benton who can provide similar work against the run while still bringing juice in passing situations.
