2021 NFL Draft Grade: Cleveland Browns

Picks

Round 1 Pick 26: CB Greg Newsome II

Round 2 Pick 52: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

Round 3 Pick 91: WR Anthony Schwartz

Round 4 Pick 110: OT James Hudson

Round 4 Pick 132: DT Tommy Togiai

Round 5 Pick 153: LB Tony Fields II

Round 5 Pick 169: S Richard LeCounte

Round 6 Pick 211: WR Demetric Felton

Analysis

The Cleveland Browns did not have a ton of needs going into the draft. They have the best RB duo in the league, a great o-line, a solid defensive front, and dynamic receivers. Really the only thing that needed improvement was the secondary, and they went all-in on it. Greg Newsome is a great corner that will play physical pass coverage. He is a bulldog of a competitor and may prove to be a steal at No. 26.

Speaking of steals, on Day Two Cleveland committed highway robbery against the entire league. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is one of the most talented players in this entire class and watching him fall all the way into the 50s shook me to my core. JOK is a safety-turned-linebacker, so his pass coverage skills are his greatest asset. He will be very useful in covering tight ends like Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews, both of whom the Browns should expect to see in the postseason. His speed could also make him an excellent spy for division rival, Lamar Jackson.

From this point on, anything extra is just icing on the cake. The Browns got some icing, too. Anthony Schwartz is not the most reliable receiver in the world, but in a room with both OBJ and Jarvis Landry, he doesn’t need to be much. He has ridiculous breakaway speed and will be a dynamic deep threat for Baker Mayfield.

Many of their other picks I could take or leave at this point in time, but one that interests me is DT Tommy Togiai. I mocked Togiai in the third round, so getting him late in the fourth is very good value. As if the Browns pass rush wasn’t scary enough with Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney, Togiai offers great potential as a 3T player. He is extremely explosive and gets through the trenches with shocking ease. He could turn out to be a quality player.

Grade: A+

In my opinion, the Browns won this draft by the time they traded up for JOK. Again, Cleveland had very few needs, but they recognized the secondary as that need, and addressed it early and often. Adding receiver, o-line, and pass rush depth is just a cherry on top. Cleveland is a massive threat going into the 2021 season.