After an active start to the off-season, it’s time to see who is on the Cleveland Browns Mock Draft board. Early signings include wide receiver Marquise Goodwin and safety Juan Thornhill. Cleveland also re-signed center Ethan Pocic and added defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. However, there are still some needs to be getting a look. Here’s where Pro Football Network can help with a mock draft simulator. According to the site, the Browns top priorities are edge rusher, defensive tackle, wide receiver, linebacker, and safety. Now, thanks to an earlier trade for acquiring Elijah Moore, Cleveland’s first of eight selections in 2023 will not be until the third round at No. 74. Here is my take on the Browns’ mock draft.
Cleveland Browns Mock Draft
Round 1/2: No Selection
Round 3 (No. 74) – Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida
One of the tallest prospects on this year’s board, Dexter has a 6-foot-6, 310-pound imposing frame on the interior D-Line. He’s got a good first step, but needs to develop his play recognition. The former Florida Gator also was a 5-star recruit along with Jalen Carter and Bryan Breese. Dexter is very athletic for his position, with a great motor, and he can hold his own in both run and pass situations. He might go a bit earlier, but if Cleveland can snatch him at 74, he would be a great replacement to a troubled selection from last year in Perrion Winfrey.
Round 3 (No. 98, compensatory) – Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
I think Henley is a very interesting prospect to wrap up round 3. Cleveland had some serious injury problems with their linebacking corps last season, and Henley should be a plug-and-play guy right away. He has more of a wide receiver background and frame (6-foot-1, 225, and even caught a pass at Wazzu last year for 36 yards), but he has incredible intangibles and playmaking skills on defense. Henley plays well in space and can make the simple tackle or know when to deliver the boom. He’s a developing linebacker prospect, but he shows plenty of intrigue. If he can continue to work on play recognition, communication, and solidifying him as a run stopper, he can turn into a premier Day 2 linebacker selection.
Round 4 (No. 111) – Nick Hampton, EDGE, Appalachian State
The first thing that jumps off the page when looking at a guy like Hampton is his statistics. In the last two seasons alone, the App State Mountaineer totaled 108 tackles, 18 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. However, there is a bit of concern about his frame, being one of the lighter d-lineman on this year’s board (6-3, only 235 pounds). If he can put on some more muscle, he can turn into a top-flight edge setter that can wreak havoc alongside Myles Garrett.
Round 4 (No. 128) – Ronnie Hickman, S, Ohio State
When it comes to homegrown talent, Cleveland has not made many selections from Ohio State. That trend gets bucked this year taking safety Ronnie Hickman. He’s one of the more prominent run-stopping safeties in the 2023 class, and he can hold his own in passing coverage against tight ends and taller wide receivers. If he can develop deep ball recognition and better coverage speed, he would be a good fit for Jim Schwartz’s secondary.
Round 5 (No. 140) – Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia
Wicks is a guy with a very intriguing build at wideout (6-1, 206), plus he’s athletic and has a great catch radius (33-inch arm length). He’s got a high motor on him and impressive acceleration that could make him a tough matchup for cornerbacks. His question marks include his on-field speed (running a 4.62 40), solidifying run blocking, and making sure to get separation. He does have plenty of upside to build upon, however.
Round 5 (No. 142) – Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma
An impressive run blocker with a 6-5, 320-pound frame, Morris is a burly guy that can give opposing edge rushers problems. He also works well in pass protection, which will be a huge plus to ensure Deshaun Watson’s safety. There are a few things he needs to refine before he becomes a dominant lineman. I think he would be willing to learn that with the Browns this season.
Round 6 (No. 190) – Nick Broeker, OT/OG, Ole Miss
One thing immediately noticeably with Broeker is his athleticism. Of course, it helps that he participated in multiple sports in high school. His size may a bit of a question mark, however. Coming out of high school in Illinois at 6-6, Broeker now only lists at 6-foot-4, 305 pounds. I do think that the athleticism still outweighs the size disadvantage. Plus, he would make a great complement to Wyatt Teller and Ethan Pocic in the interior O-line.
Round 7 (No. 237, originally 229, traded to Cowboys for 232 and 244, traded 232 and 244 to Seattle) – Jose Ramirez, EDGE, Eastern Michigan
No, this isn’t baseball’s Jose Ramirez. But this Ramirez can prove to be an instant success on the edge. He totaled 18.5 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss for Eastern Michigan over the previous two years. He’s able to get leverage immediately, and can move laterally quickly. But at 6’2″, 253 pounds, he’s not the tallest or burliest guy on the board. He could be another late-round value pick.
And those are the 8 selections for the 2023 Cleveland Browns mock draft. They immediately address their needs to turn into a hopeful playoff contender. For more on Back Sports Page’s mock drafts, check out Stuart Otto’s take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers here. Enjoy the countdown to the NFL Draft.
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