Cleveland will get players to stockpile

The Cleveland Browns have the luxury of not needing any of their six players who they will draft on Day 2 and Day 3 to start this year. Or the next. They will be drafting strictly for depth and development.

When was the last time that has happened? In almost every year, many players selected were needed to fill holes immediately whether they were ready or not.

 HOW HIGH THE BROWNS COULD TRADE UP, ANALYZING OPTIONS

GM Andrew Berry has done an exceptional job of filling holes and building depth at every position group. And now, this year’s draft class will have the time to sit, practice, work, listen, learn, develop, and be tutored by veterans and coaches while playing minimal snaps this year.

Last year was a similar situation with DT Siaka Ika, WR Cedric Tillman, and DE Isaiah McGuire.

So, who will the Browns draft this year? Berry is certainly a wheeling-dealing trader and has brought in many good players such as Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah because of his deals. But for this draft, it is strictly stand pat and see what happens.

Keep in mind this mock draft is based on what the Browns’ needs are, and also which prospects are available at each slot Cleveland has in that corresponding round.

Round 2, pick #54

CB T. J. Tampa – Iowa State

6’-1”, 189 pounds

Player rating: 85.8/100

The Browns have said that CB Greg Newsome is safe and won’t be traded. Yeah, maybe. He had an up-and-down season last year so anything is possible either on draft day or before the trade deadline.

Berry has a love for defensive backs in that he is a former cornerback. And he has done a terrific job of making sure the cornerback and safety room is full of top talent. The saying is true: you can’t have too many top cornerbacks.

Tampa is the 8th-ranked corner in this year’s draft. He runs a 4.45 in the 40 and showcases a blend of athleticism and versatility. He is blessed with long arms and can play both man and zone.

A former receiver, his defensive mentality can diagnose plays quickly and react which adds a dynamic layer of his defensive capabilities. In his senior year he had two picks, three tackles for loss, 44 total tackles and seven batted passes.

His weakness is sometimes he plays too aggressively which can lead to overcommitment. He also takes a lot of risks which when completed can be game-changers, but when failed lead to huge gains.

Fisher is the teammate of highly-ranked Joe Alt in which the two combined for the best tackle tandem in the college game. Very intelligent being on multiple honor rolls. Started some games in his freshman year, but was a three-year starter and only three sacks in his college career.

He can utilize his considerable length effectively to keep defenders away from issues. He is excellent at both run and pass blocking. He is versatile having played both tackle positions going back to high school. He demonstrates a high level of technical refinement. Has competitive toughness and is very strong. Understands and uses leverage to his advantage and is capable of executing a variety of blocking concepts with proficiency.

Dawand Jones will start at one of the tackle spots this year. If healthy, Jack Conklin will man the right tackle. But we all know how Conklin is injury-prone, and his next injury will be his last snap in brown and orange. Jed Wills is inconsistent and is not a finisher. James Hudson can’t be trusted.

This means a bookend for Jones is needed to get a year of seasoning and be ready in year two. Get an exceptional talent now.