Cleveland Browns add five players to their defense in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft
Last offseason, the Cleveland Browns made one of the biggest moves of the offseason when they traded for Deshaun Watson. However, he missed a majority of the season after being suspended for the first 11 games.
The Browns would struggle for the first part of the season as they went 2-5 but finished the year better with a .500 record which included wins over three playoff teams (Bengals, Bucs, and Ravens).
Looking ahead to this offseason, the focus for the Cleveland Browns needs to be on the defensive side of the ball and that is exactly what they try to address in this seven-round 2023 NFL mock draft with eight picks beginning with their pick in the second round.
2023 NFL Mock Draft: Cleveland Browns bolster their defense with six new players on that side of the ball
The Cleveland Browns have one of the best pass rushers in the NFL in Myles Garrett. However, they have struggled to find consistent production from the other side of the line.
The past two seasons, the Browns have had Jadeveon Clowney but after some comments leading up to the regular season finale, it is almost a certainty that he will not be returning next season as he is a free agent and unlikely to re-sign with Cleveland.
In a conference with quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Trevor Lawrence (to name just a few) getting pressure on quarterbacks is critical to a team’s success. That is why Felix Anudike-Uzomah out of Kansas State makes perfect sense for this defense and why he should be their first pick in this 2023 NFL mock draft.
He was a productive defensive end for the Wildcats with 19.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for a loss the past two seasons. Pairing him with Myles Garrett would give this defense a good duo that can put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.