Andrew Gribble is a good writer, but sometimes needs some minor corrections. In his recent "Browns Mail Bag", here are his errors:
1: This is kind of ticky-tack of me, but I wouldn't have told the unwashed masses that the Front Office is not satisfied with any position group, because a whole bunch of them will take that to mean that they think everybody sucks.
Remember who you're talking to, Andy! He is right, of course, as most NFL teams are never satisfied.
On Andy's behalf, let me say that interior offensive line, defensive tackle, linebacker, cornerback, safetybacker, and tight end are in pretty good shape. Yes, if Dorsey could add a superstar player and make them even better, he would, so there is that.
Taking this a little further, I can cite closet analytics guy Pat Kirwan to say this: You can't strictly draft best available players. If you ignore a need, and draft a player who you don't need (assuming you have these two players ranked pretty close to eachother), you are wasting picks. You end up kicking quality starters to the curb, and the upgrade is usually marginal.
2: Nobody in this draft class can start at left tackle as a rookie. The athletes with left tackle tools are unfefined and inexperienced (all projects). Some guys could start at right tackle in 2018 (in certain offenses), but none at left (especially here).
...well that's all I got. As usual, Andy did a good job.
One emailer mentioned Josh Cribbs' presence here as an intern (which is really cool; Josh wasn't very fast, or even that quick, but accomplished what he accomplished because he was smart (and super-tough).
The emailer brought up wide receiver Christian Kirk as a possible second round addition (Kirk is a terrific returner, as well as one of the best wide receivers in this class).
Kirk is generally regarded as a slot prospect, because he's 5'10" and relies on quickness more than speed.
With Duke and Jarvis Landry (not to mention the tight ends don't make me explain that please), the Browns don't need another slot guy, and you don't burn second round picks on returners.
There will be several skyscraper possession receivers (think Evans or Kelvin Benjamin) available here, and (I'm guessing) that these are the wide receivers Dorsey will target.
Not just Peppers, but Duke Johnson (and others) are returners. The Browns have lots of returners.
Let me circle back to what's wrong with most fans (and pundit's) "need" estimates:
Gregg Williams is unique, and so are his defenses. When people talk about "linebacker depth", they ignore Peppers and Kindred, who do a lot of linebacker stuff here. They also ignore the fact that nickel defenses are now the de facto "base" defenses in the modern NFL.
Jamie Collins is also unique, and Williams won't use him the same way he uses Christian Kirksey.
Oh goody! Randy Gurzi has done another seven round Browns mock draft!
It starts with Sam Darnold at first overall, but Gurzi says he would personally take the best quarterback in this draft himself, but just expects the Browns to overvalue size.
At fourth overall, since the Jets big trade-up, Randy kind of expects Barkley and Chubb to both be here, and he believes that the Browns would opt for Saquon Barkley here.
Like me, he says there is no "wrong" pick here. He notes the existance of Rodney Ogbahfield, however, and thinks the generational running back will be the pick.
Atop the second round, Randy surprised me with offensive tackle Chukwuma Okofor ("Nooooo!!!"): -Doug Dieken-
This guy is a massive 6'6", 330-plus pounds. He played four seasons: First at right tackle, and the last two at left tackle. Before that, he was a soccer player (and he has good feet).
He sometimes plays too tall, and gets bull-rushed, and he's been dinged for not being "nasty" enough ("lacks aggression"), but the reports I've seen differ.
Okofor could be one guy who could possibly start at left tackle as a rookie! I have to take back my correction of Andrew Gribble here (thanks loads, Randolph!)
He'd have a shot at it, but if he gets beat out there (by Coleman or Rodney Johnsonfield), he could elbow his way in at right tackle as a rookie. Okofor does have the physical talent to play left tackle in the NFL (sooner or later).
At 35th overall, Randy has the Browns drafting cornerback Isaiah Oliver. Randy stipulates that the John Dorsey has already stocked up on quality cornerbacks, but doesn't think he's done yet...Jamar Taylor started last season so...
Oliver is possibly the best cornerback in this draft. If Dorsey could snatch him this low, he almost has to do so. This would pretty much ice the cornerback cake. Including Howard Wilson, deleting Taylor, and pencilling in Damarius Randall at free safety, that's five boundary corners!
Next (last pick in the second round), Randy has the Browns drafting outside linebacker Darius Leonard.
I can't deny the kid's talent in every phase of the game. He's under 230 lbs right now, and frankly is redundant with Peppers and Kindred...
Dorsey might do this on a "best available player" basis, but as we see, he hasn't drafted a wide receiver yet, and I have to think he'd grab his skyscraper red zone possession guy here instead.
But of course, Leonard is also a really good blitzer, and they haven't added an edge-rusher yet either, so Randy might be right...especially since Barkley is a terrific receiver...dammit Randy...
He guesses a safety, edge-rusher, inside linebacker, and defensive tackle in rounds 4-7, but I won't investigate those much. I assume he was in strictly best available mode for these.
I have to point out here that Randy has the Browns drafting no outside wide receivers at all in this draft, and I don't buy it. Changing that linebacker into a big possession receiver at the bottom of the second round, this would be a great draft (except for not getting the best quarterback, of course).
Saquon Barkley would instantly make a similar impact to Bradley Chubb's. Screw the "running back" designation--he's a football player and a difference-maker!!!
Redundantationalizing again (sorry), he's a supercharged Duke Johnson. He's taller (catch radius), bigger (by 20 lbs), and faster. Barkley's combine numbers and stature rate him at or near the top of this class of wide receivers!!!
Barkley could line up outside, and go deep! He can blow the doors off a good man cornerback, and burn defenses as well as a lot of upper echelon wide receivers can on vertical routes!
Again, ignore the "running back" box and label: His proper designation is "lethal weapon".
Now, imagine Njoku, Gordon, Landry, and Barkley on the same field at the same time...is any of this sinking in yet?
Tyrod Taylor done died and went to heaven!!! That's his "dream-team"!!!
And try to comprehend this: That's four players I just listed. There are five offensive linemen (that makes nine). The quarterback makes ten. There is only one slot left to fill DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D?
Reduntating yet again, Tyrod Taylor has never had this array of weapons: LeShaun McCoy isn't much ahead of Duke Johnson. His tight ends and wide receivers weren't even close to what he will have here. His offensive line will be better.
We can safely anticipate a "more aggressive" Tyrod Taylor here (even if Dorsey drafts Chubb instead of Barkley DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D) ok I give up okbye
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