Before I post my first mock draft of the season, let’s look at the latest free agent signed by the Browns, DE Adrian Clayborn. This addition is much like the signing of DT Andrew Billings , a very under the radar signing. Clayborn, a former first round pick by Tampa, is 31 and a 10 year veteran. Here’s what Pro Football Focus had to say about Clayborn, “(Clayborn) only had four sacks on the season, but very few edge rushers won a higher rate of their pass-rushing snaps. The top-five edge defenders with 200 or more pass-rushing snaps in pass-rush win rate were J.J. Watt (25.3%), Myles Garrett (25.0%), Joey Bosa (22.9%), Za’Darius Smith (21.2%) and Clayborn (21.1%).” He’s veteran depth, who brings Super Bowl experience to the locker room. He’ll back up Myles Garrett at right DE or could play DE if the Browns move Garrett inside on certain downs. No he’s not the replacement for Olivier Vernon. I have the feeling that Vernon is staying and at his current salary. A healthy Vernon in the last year of his contract, will be a very motivated player. The remaining top edge rush free agents are, Jedeveon Clowney, Everson Griffen and Vinny Curry. Clowney has dropped is salary demands, but word is it’s the length of contract and the incentives that are turning teams off. I have a feeling Griffen is waiting to see what Clowney gets in the way of a contract and the signing of Clayborn takes Curry off the board for the Browns. So lets get to mock draft 1.0.
#10 Andrew Thomas, LT, Georgia. “He aligns at LT for the Georgia spread offense. He is a good proactive athlete for the position that can get out of his stance and “reach block” a 7 technique if necessary. Shows good initial quickness out of his stance and can easily get to cut off on run plays. His tenacity and inline power allows him to get very good vertical movement in the run game. He displays a physical block temperament on double teams and good athleticism to engage LBs at the second level. He displays a very good short set anchor from a 2 point stance, while still doing a very good job maintaining the width of the pocket. He’s physical and strong at the point of attack. Excellent job at getting his second step in the ground in his set. Plays with sufficient length on the perimeter. He also plays with good balance and is rarely on the ground. True positional flexibility and has the skill set to play OG or RT.”(TheDraftNetwork.com).
#41 Raekwon Davis, IDL, Alabama. “All the power and length you can want in a defensive linemen. Frame is engineered for trench play in the NFL. When his hips are leveraged, his anchor is tough to compromise. Plays with surprisingly good leverage for his body composition and fluidity. Illustrates good movement skills in all directions although I wouldn’t call him explosive. Incredible wingspan leads to a massive tackle radius and he frequently finishes through contact and outside his frame. Skill set translates well to defending multiple gaps against the run as a 5-tech. Delivers knockout punches with the pop in his hands.” (TheDraftNetwork.com)
#74 Ashtyn Davis, S, Cal. “Late-comer to the game who has rare physical gifts that can’t be taught but can be capitalized on. His instincts are just average right now, but he appears to have decent recognition skills. He just needs to trust what he sees. Learning to play under control in coverage and as a tackler will be the difference between being considered a good football player instead of an explosive athlete. The elite traits should get him drafted inside the first two days, but there are some boom/bust elements to his game right now. He should become a future starter at safety, but his size, length and speed could create interest in him as a potential cornerback conversion.” (NFL.com)
#97 Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB, Appalachian State. “He’s a very reactive linebacker with the size, quickness, and athleticism that fits the bill for today’s NFL linebacker. Miss out on Isaiah Simmons? ADG is the guy to draft. He seeks contact any chance he gets, despite his size and frame concerns. ADG also possess great range for the LB position and can be someone that can make an immediate impact from Day 1 as a WILL linebacker.” (Jared Feinberg).
# 115 K.J. Hill, WR, The Ohio State. “Silky smooth and slippery player. Does very well to pressure off-coverage with vertical stem and force defenders to declare a leverage so he can work against it. Quick to turn his head to the quarterback and present a viable target with the intelligence and awareness to sit against zone coverage and work as a checkdown option. A nifty runner with good body control and foot speed to make the first defender miss in space, but isn’t overly flashy and risk-prone, which leads to mostly positive yardage.” (TheDraftNetwork.com).
#187 D.J. Wonnum, Edge, South Carolina.
“When he’s been on the field, Wonnum has been productive. Wonnum played in every single game as a true freshman, and the following year he recorded 13.5 tackles for loss and six sacks as a sophomore in 2017. He was also named a team captain as just a true sophomore.
A relentless worker along the defensive line. Powerful player who keeps his hands and arms active at all times, making it very difficult for offensive linemen to keep him locked up. Generally plays with good leverage, and generates a good flow of power out of his stance to push the pocket. Wins more off effort than pass rush moves, but the effort is impressive. Has the arm length to really work some rush moves, if established.” (TheDraftNetwork.com)
# 244 Grayland Arnold, CB, Baylor. “Arnold (5’10/190) is coming off of a junior season in which he earned second team all-Big 12 honors, as he intercepted six passes and tallied 40 total tackles. The big play ability is certainly there, as he is also capable of contributing on special teams as a punt returner. But Arnold does come with durability concerns, as he reached double figures in games played just once during his Baylor career (13 games in 2019). Staying healthy and tackling are two areas in which Arnold will need to make strides if he’s to have a good NFL career.” (Lance Zierlein, NFL.com draft analyst).
As you notice, I have not included any trades, I’ll save that aspect as we get closer to the draft. Speaking of trades, I believe the Trent Williams trade could go down on draft day. Because the tackle position is deep and talented in this years draft, Williams might be a fall back for teams who don’t get the tackle of their dreams. The team to watch for a possible OT trade up or trade for Williams is Tampa. Because Tampa signed the 105 year old Tom Brady, they have to protect him. I could see them trading up to get a tackle. Other teams ahead of the Browns in need of a tackle are the Giants and the Cardinals. If Tampa wants a certain tackle, they could make the move. The Browns could also trade for Williams on draft day. If the OT they want isn’t on the board, they could pull a draft day trade, trade down from #10 and still get their future tackle later. Just remember, the draft is only three weeks away.
Some future dates to remember. The season premier of YouTube’s “Building The Browns” is this Sunday, April 5th at 11:00 am Eastern. I hear they have a brand new starting cast. Also, before April 9th, the NFL is going to release the schedule. I..Can’t..Wait. I love the schedule release. Hopefully the opener will be winnable, so the Browns can be 2-19-1 in openers. And finally, for those who are interested, the new Browns uniforms will probably be released around April 14th. Personally, I could care less, but right now Browns twitter is arguing over whether the Brownie Elf should be anywhere on the new uniforms. Just remember, art modell hated the Elf, that’s why I’ll always love that little guy. Everyone stay safe, stay at home, if you do go out wear a mask, wash your hands and DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE. Go Browns.