With The First Pick
Fansided

AFC North Draft History

By Kris Rogers

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Danny Shelton (Washington) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number 12th overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Danny Shelton (Washington) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number 12th overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Danny Shelton (Washington) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number 12th overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Danny Shelton (Washington) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number 12th overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Cleveland Browns

First round selection: 2nd Overall

Previous First Round Picks: Barkevious Mingo (2013), Justin Gilbert/Johnny Manziel (2014), Danny Shelton/Cameron Erving (2015)

GM – Sashi Brown

A new GM in Sashi Brown, it’s hard to tell just what the Browns will do in 2016. The roster has already been reset; allowing their top free agents to sign elsewhere, as well as releasing Johnny Manziel, Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner. While this maybe be cause for panic for some Browns fans, it hopefully shows a sign of change. Owner Jimmy Haslam has been quick to fire coaches and executives for not producing a winner in year one. With the resetting of the roster, it appears that Haslam is giving Brown and new head coach Hue Jackson time to build their team the way they wish to get out of the basement of the AFC North.

Along with Brown, Cleveland has also hired former “Moneyball” executive Paul DePodesta to the position of Chief Strategy Officer. DePodestra was previously the New York Mets VP of player development. Starting his career with the Cleveland Indians, the baseball mind is known for his analytical genius, being an early adopter of sabermetrics along with Billy Beane. It’s unclear how this statistic-based plan will adapt to football, but it’s at least something different than what the Browns have been doing since Jimmy Haslam bought the team.

However, another wrench has been thrown into the gears of Cleveland. With the LA Rams leapfrogging the Browns and trading all the way up to first-overall, it looks like they’ll be taking the top QB prospect in the draft. Since returning to the league in 1999, the Browns have taken the first quarterback in the draft once—Tim Couch. Sure, they signed RGIII with the hopes of him returning to rookie form, but he and Josh McCown are not the future in Cleveland.

Outside of QB, the Browns also have a need on the O-Line with center Alex Mack and tackle Mitchell Schwartz leaving in free agency; wide receiver with Josh Gordon’s reinstatement up in the air and Travis Benjamin leaving; and on the D-Line, where the defense finished 30th against the run and 28th in sacks.

That being said, the Browns are reportedly willing to deal the second-overall pick, so who knows what could happen?

Next: Baltimore Ravens

Home/NFL Draft News