The Cleveland Browns do not regularly appear in mock drafts anymore after falling not only out of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft but out of the second round as well. This makes projecting who they will take in the draft a bit of a mystery to figure out. And the best way to figure out exactly who could be on their board that late in the draft is to see who they are most commonly mocked by analysts and media members pumping out content.
Skimming through mock drafts, four common names have been repeated throughout them.
Auburn EDGE Derick Hall
As the Browns plugged a ton of their gaps on the roster in free agency, depth off the edge is still an issue. The only players on the roster behind Myles Garrett and Ogbo Okoronkwo are second-year players Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas.
Derick Hall is a bit of a weird player where his skillset best translates as a 4-3 end but played his entire collegiate career as a 3-4 standup rusher. If he landed in Cleveland, the explosive and heavy-handed pass rusher would fit in as a rotational end as either a big end or the occasional wide-nine look.
Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims
Wide receiver remains a need for the Browns despite the trade for Elijah Moore.
Donovan Peoples-Jones has just one year left on his contract, the team has a decision to make on the $23 million cap hit of Amari Cooper beyond 2023, and the rest of the depth below Moore is negligible. With Marquise Goodwin on just a one-year deal, the Browns may decide to round out the room long-term with a talented speedster on a rookie deal.
While Cincinnati’s Tyler Scott remains the preferred option, one of the most common options after falling back to pick 74 has been Oklahoma’s Marvin Mims. An explosive vertical threat, Mims has proven capable of winning both inside and out while averaging a ridiculous 20 yards per catch throughout his career.
SMU WR Rashee Rice
Another common wide receiver to see landing with the Browns is SMU’s Rashee Rice. This is perhaps the least favorable option of all of the names listed as there is just no calling card to the game of Rice.
He is not fast, his route tree is thin, his hands remain skeptical, and he does not play through contact at a high level. Drafting Rice if players like Mims or Scott are on the board would be a significant disappointment. Don’t do it, Andrew Berry.
Wisconsin EDGE Nick Herbig
There may not be a better player to draft on the board at the 74th pick in the draft than Wisconsin pass rusher Nick Herbig. While he is a bit of a tweener and perhaps a sub-package player, Herbig has real juice, bend, and nuance as a pass rusher when he is asked to pin his ears back off the edge.
As the Browns look to add to their linebacker room and add defensive end depth, Herbig could be the best of both worlds as a base SAM linebacker and pass rush specialist in obvious passing situations. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz could have a ton of fun scheming up ways to deploy Herbig.
