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.
One of the areas that the Browns’ defense struggled last year was against the run. They allowed on average 135 rushing yards per game, which was the eighth-highest total in the league.
Mazi Smith, who was the starting defensive tackle for the Michigan Wolverines, would be a great fit for the middle of this defensive line and should significantly improve this part of their defense.
He is a big defensive tackle at 6’3″ and 326 pounds that could clog running lanes and keep offensive linemen from getting to the second level to block linebackers. He played in 28 games over the past two seasons and had 85 total tackles and 5 tackles for a loss.
One of the Browns’ starting defensive tackles from last season, Taven Bryan is set to be a free agent and they might be prepared to make significant changes at this position. By adding Mazi Smith in this 2023 NFL mock draft, they get Bryan’s replacement and probably improve the position.
The linebacker position was another weakness for this Browns’ defense for most of the season. This is not due to a lack of talent but more so due to the team seeing a number of players miss time due to injuries.
It began at the end of September when Anthony Walker was placed on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury. Then the following month it was Jacob Phillips who was placed on injured reserve with a pectoral injury and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah went on injured reserve with a foot injury in December. In addition to that, Sione Takitaki suffered a torn ACL that is likely going to force him to miss some time next season.
The Browns tried to manage all these injuries and traded for former All-Pro linebacker Deion Jones. However, he didn’t have the same impact he did with the Falcons and will be a free agent this offseason.
That is why a player like Sirvocea Dennis out of Pittsburgh makes perfect sense as the next pick in this 2023 NFL mock draft. He has been the starter for most of the past three seasons and in total had 231 tackles, 36 tackles for a loss, and 15 sacks during that stretch.
Dennis should be able to come in and compete for a starting job as a rookie and the improvements on the defensive line in this 2023 NFL mock draft could make his job a little easier.
The Cleveland Browns are considered to have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL with players like Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin, and Joel Bitonio. However, one of their starters is set to be a free agent in center Ethan Pocic and if the Browns are unable to re-sign him they find his replacement in the 2023 NFL mock draft in center Joe Tippmann.
Tippmann is an experienced offensive lineman that comes from a run-heavy offense in Wisconsin and does a good job run-blocking but also does a good job in pass protection. In an offense that leans heavily on the run game and Nick Chubb, adding a player with Joe Tippmann’s profile would be a perfect fit.
The fact that the Browns could get a Day 1 starter, at this point in the NFL Draft, is a win and can help solidify a concern on the offensive side of the ball.
After addressing the front seven with their first three picks in this 2023 NFL mock draft, the Browns turn their attention to the secondary with the selection of Rashad Torrence II out of the University of Florida.
The safety position should be another point of focus for the Cleveland Browns this offseason as Ronnie Harrison is a free agent. He would play in 16 games and have five starts this past season but struggled to play at the same level he did in 2020 and 2021.
In addition to that, John Johnson is set to be a free agent after this season so adding a young safety like Rashad Torrence II to pair with Grant Delpit could be a good long-term solution for this defense.
Torrence was one of the Gators’ starting safeties this past season with 87 total tackles and three interceptions. He is a player that may not be ready to contribute right away but would be the eventual replacement for John Johnson starting in 2024.
The Cleveland Browns have been known for having one of the best running back groups in the NFL. They are led by Nick Chubb, who just finished his fourth straight season with over 1,000 rushing yards and had a career high of 1,525 in 2022.
After Chubb, is Kareem Hunt who has been more of a pass-catching running back for this offense with D’Ernest Johnson backing up these two veterans. However, Hunt and Johnson are both set to be free agents this offseason and the Browns may elect to draft a player instead of re-signing one or both of these players.
Kendre Miller had a breakout season for the TCU Horned Frogs with 1,399 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. While Miller may not be the pass catcher that Hunt is, he is a well-rounded running back that can take 10-15 snaps per game when Nick Chubb needs a rest.
The next pick for the Cleveland Browns in this 2023 NFL mock draft goes back to the position that kicked off this mock draft with another defensive end. After Myles Garrett, the Browns didn’t get much production from their defensive ends with no defensive end having more than three sacks.
In addition to the lack of production, the Browns could also lose Chase Winovich in addition to Clowney, so adding more depth at the defensive end position would make sense for this team and defense.
A player like Ali Gaye out of LSU would be a great fit to address this need for this defense. He is a player that didn’t have much production with only seven sacks over four seasons but he has the physical tools to be an excellent pass rusher at 6’6″ and 250 pounds.
Gaye may need some time to develop but in a position room with Myles Garrett, he may not have a better player to learn from in the league.
In the final pick of this 2023 NFL mock draft for the Cleveland Browns, they select cornerback Riley Moss out of Iowa. He is an experienced cornerback after playing 54 games over five seasons for the Hawkeyes. He had 158 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, 11 interceptions, and 37 passes defended.
While he does have experience, he is unlikely to be a starting cornerback in the NFL early in his career. However, he could be a key contributor on special teams and eventually develop into a starter.
The Browns have three cornerbacks set to be free agents this offseason in Greedy Williams, Thomas Graham Jr., and A.J. Green. By drafting Riley Moss, he can be the replacement for someone like A.J. Green, who played nearly 50% of the special teams snaps last year.