Browns: Building secondary in free agency vs. 2021 NFL Draft
By Adam Burruss
How the team can improve in the draft
The Browns are in a rare position, as they are picking with the 26th pick in 2021 NFL Draft. They are not going to be in their usual position to take a franchise changing pick. However, there is still upside to the draft.
As luck has it, the draft is loaded in the positions the Browns value. Even though they are out of the range for great prospects such as Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II or Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, they could be in position to take players such as South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn or Syracuse cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu. Both of these players are physical and fit Joe Woods’ man coverage heavy scheme. Even after the first round, players such as Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II and LSU cornerback Kary Vincent can fit what the Browns want.
However, there is upside to the draft even outside of cornerbacks. There are some good safeties in this class, but more specifically, there are are many safety-linebacker hybrids in this class. As proven by the Browns previous acquisitions such as safeties Ronnie Harrison and Grant Delpit, versatility is something the team values a lot in their safeties.
The big fish is in the first round. Notre Dame linebacker-safety hybrid Jeramiah Owusu-Koramoah played snaps at both linebacker and safety at Notre Dame. He fits better as a safety due to his impressive fluidity and coverage skills, but his versatility fits what the Browns want in their players.
Even outside the first round, there are opportunities for the Browns to acquire these pieces for the secondary. Oregon safety Jevon Holland is not as versatile as Jeramiah Owusu-Koramoah, but he is an upgrade at the free safety position. Syracuse safety Andre Cisco is an excellent prospect who will slip due to injury. Louisiana State safety JaCoby Stevens played at linebacker and both safety spots and can probably be selected in Day 2 of the draft.
The draft seems to have more players that fit the Browns and what the team desires in their secondary. The team values safety over linebacker because it prefers their safeties to fill the linebackers’ roles. Free agency provides more pure safeties, but the draft fills this specific need better.
Of course, there are downsides. With the COVID-19 regulations expected to carry over to the 2021 NFL offseason, these rookies may not be adequately prepared to contribute immediately. Their development will be instrumental in the success of the team. If the team focuses more on the draft and the rookies do not play well due to inexperience, the team’s window is in some trouble.
There are upsides to focusing on the draft. However, the downsides seem to weigh the team down significantly in terms of the present. Should the Browns really use the draft as their base?