Editor's note: Tony Grossi covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN 850 WKNR.
Takeaways from Day 3 of the Browns’ draft …
Catching on: After virtually ignoring the wide receiver position in two years under former GM Ray Farmer – he used one of his 18 picks in two drafts on the position – the Browns completed their draft Saturday by selecting three more receivers to go along with No. 1 choice Corey Coleman. They selected Ricardo Louis of Auburn in the fourth round, and Jordan Payton of UCLA and Rashard Higgins of Colorado State in the fifth round. Interestingly, these receivers were generally ranked by draft publications in reverse order, with Higgins being the most highly rated. Louis (6-1 ¾, 215 pounds) is the fastest of the Day 3 trio with 4.43 40 speed, but the least productive (98 receptions for 1,338 yards and eight TDs) in Auburn’s limited passing attack. Payton (6-1, 207) is considered a reliable possession receiver (13.4-yard average on 201 receptions over four years). Higgins (6-1 3/8, 196) led the nation as a sophomore in 2014 with 96 receptions for 1,750 yards and 17 touchdowns, earning him consideration for the Biletnikoff Award with Amari Cooper and Kevin White. He dropped off in 2015 but departed Colorado State with 18 100-yard receiving games in 37 starts over three seasons. The Browns also used a fourth-round pick on Princeton tight end Seth DeValve, who started his career at the Ivy League school at receiver.
The more the better: “I said when I got here I was looking to improve that [receiver] position,” said coach Hue Jackson. So there is a whole set of drafted wideouts to compete against holdovers Brian Hartline, Andrew Hawkins, Taylor Gabriel, Terrelle Pryor and Marlon Moore. Then there’s Josh Gordon, whose status won’t be known until at least Aug. 1. “I think we can never have too much talent or competition at that position because I think it helps improve the quarterback,” Jackson said. “As I’ve said, the quarterback’s the guy that drives the engine and we’re gonna do everything we can to put him in position to succeed. You have to have targets for him to throw to and I think we accomplished that in this draft.”
Wheelin’ and dealin’: By the end of the three days, the New Browns Order made five trades resulting in 14 draft selections and one veteran player. The 14 picks matched the 1997 Dolphins for most used since the draft moved to seven rounds (actually eight when you include the 32 compensatory selections inserted throughout Rounds 4 through 7. Paul DePodesta, chief strategy officer, said the relentless trading wasn’t to “just play a game of accumulating picks. It was all with the intent of getting specific players. This list has just about all of them. These were the guys we targeted from the beginning.” Incidentally, DePodesta said he used “probably three or four different” trade value charts that “we know are used around the league” to guide their trade discussions involving draft picks.
No Buckeyes again: One of the greatest Ohio State draft classes ever saw 12 Buckeyes drafted – but none was among the Browns’ record 14 picks, marking the seventh consecutive draft the Browns went Buckeye-less. They haven’t chosen an Ohio State player since receiver Brian Robiskie in the second round in 2009. “We like a lot of those guys,” said Sashi Brown, executive vice president. “A lot of them were very high on our board and, unfortunately for us, we weren’t able to get the guys we liked. Where we were, we took the best player for our team. I do trust there’ll be some Buckeyes on this roster in the future.”
New cornerback: The final Browns’ trade resulted in the addition of cornerback Jamar Taylor in a swap of positions in the seventh round with the Miami Dolphins. Taylor was a second-round pick in 2013, the 54th overall, from Boise State. He had a total of four passes defensed in nine career starts. His Miami tenure ended with four healthy scratches over his last five games. It’s not a stretch to say that Taylor was Miami’s Justin Gilbert. “I don’t want to compare him with Justin. Justin’s situation is different,” Jackson said. “But he’s a former second-round draft pick who’s very talented. Sometimes in these situations people need a change of scenery. And maybe it can benefit him and also benefit us. Because he has talent and ability. This is a shot, an opportunity for him. I think that has a potential to work out.”
Position clarifications: Third-round pick Shon Coleman of Auburn and fifth-round pick Spencer Drango of Baylor will begin their time with the Browns competing at right tackle. Drango is a candidate to shift inside, also … Third-round pick Carl Nassib of Penn State will line up at defensive end in Ray Horton’s 3-4 base defense and could shift inside in four-man alignments … Fourth-round pick Joe Schobert is considered an outside edge rusher and seventh-round pick Scooby Wright of Arizona is an inside linebacker.
Clip and save: Here is the scoreboard of extra picks gained in future Browns’ draft – 2017: Eagles first-round pick and Titans second-round pick. 2018: Eagles second-round pick. The Browns have conditionally surrendered its 2017 fourth-round pick to the Eagles and its 2017 sixth- or seventh-round pick to the 49ers.