2020 NFL Draft: Browns select WR Donovan Peoples-Jones of Michigan at No. 187
April 25, 2020An Ohio State-heavy NFL Draft…again
April 27, 2020Despite media concerns that NFL front office stewards of multi-billion dollar entities would not be able to handle a remote conference for the 2020 NFL Draft, the three-day affair went well with incredible television ratings. A non-consequential celebratory event was much-needed for the sport-starved country.
Grading a draft before the players are even allowed in team facilities let alone been given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities in games is largely panned as ridiculous. In fact, it is difficult to even judge rookies who may initially struggle on the field. However, grading a draft is also a pertinent task as it helps categorize opinions and debate that has been a big piece of leading into the NFL draft. There are now even websites dedicated to grading the mock draft analysts’ accuracy.
Or, it at least will provide some fodder for those who may wish to mock my abilities to prognosticate on prospects leading up to the 2021 draft.
As grading a draft is almost purely qualitative, the importance is in acknowledging that it is an opinion and creating categories to separate the different opinions. Here, the grades are separated into four headings:
Filling needs: Did the Browns fill the needs that were identified before the draft?
Selecting the BPA : Did the Browns take the best player available according to general consensus?
Intelligent trading : Did the Browns make smart trades according to the Jimmy Johnson draft chart?1
Bode biased view: Did the Browns take players that I personally like and avoid the ones I did not like?
The Picks
- Round 1 Pick 10 (10): Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama
- Round 2 Pick 12 (44): Grant Delpit, S, LSU
- Round 3 Pick 24 (88): Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri
- Round 3 Pick 33 (97): Jacob Phillips, LB, LSU
- Round 4 Pick 9 (115): Harrison Bryant, TE, Florida Atlantic
- Round 5 Pick 15 (160): Nick Harris, C, Washington
- Round 6 Pick 8 (187): Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan
Filling Needs
Cleveland Browns needs (going into the draft): LT, FS, SS, LB, DT, RG, WR, LB
First three rounds: LT, SS, DT, LB
Last four rounds: TE, C, WR
Any draft pick outside of the top three rounds has less than a 50 percent success rate, so it is important to not rely on any of the Day 3 NFL picks to be considered more than depth.
With so many needs, general manager Andrew Berry could focus on selecting the best-player-available knowing it would also cross off a need. Quarterback Baker Mayfield should be happy the franchise did not out-smart itself at No. 10 and simply took their top offensive tackle choice. The defensive backfield desperately needed a safety, and despite Xavier McKinney almost falling to their slot, the Browns still did well to grab a versatile and athletic player. Sheldon Richardson is set to start at one defensive tackle spot, but it was unknown if recently-signed Andrew Billings or Larry Ogunjobi would be a capable starter next to him. Elliott gives another option. And, the Browns’ linebacking corps was recently called the worst in the NFL, so another player in that group was required.
Those later picks were certainly picked with a depth focus as tight end (Austin Hooper, David Njoku), center (J.C. Tretter), and wide receiver (Odell Beckham Jr, Jarvis Landry) are all positions with pro-bowl caliber starters at their positions. If the plan is to have young players learn the system and be ready to replace those starters in subsequent years if they prove capable, then it is a fine idea as the NFL is certainly the Not-For-Long league. There is an issue of the present though as the Browns still have problem spots in the starting lineup at safety, linebacker, and right guard.
Overall, a fine job given the amount and placement of picks. There was more focus on best-player-available late in the draft that pulls this score down but notes that could be an intelligent long-term approach.
Need Grade = B+
Selecting the BPA
Steal = Ranked much better than slot taken
Wash = Ranked about where taken
Reach = Ranked much worse than slot taken
- Round 1 Pick 10 (10): Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama — Wash
- Round 2 Pick 12 (44): Grant Delpit, S, LSU — Wash
- Round 3 Pick 24 (88): Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri — Steal
- Round 3 Pick 33 (97): Jacob Phillips, LB, LSU — Wash
- Round 4 Pick 9 (115): Harrison Bryant, TE, Florida Atlantic — Steal
- Round 5 Pick 15 (160): Nick Harris, C, Washington — Steal
- Round 6 Pick 8 (187): Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan — Steal
The most difficult player to grade in the group for expert-opinion is Delpit as there were some who believed he was the first-round caliber and others who felt he was more of a mid-round pick. The overall consensus seemed to be early Day 2, which is where the Browns took him.
Elliott, on the other hand, had quite the agreement of being worth an early Round 2 selection. The Browns being able to acquire him with a late Round 3 pick is fantastic.
Otherwise, this is where Berry’s best-player available strategy shined. Bryant, Harris, and Peoples-Jones were all thought to be taken much higher than their draft slot. It is possible the industry analysts were simply off NFL evaluations or other teams focused a bit more on need allowing those players to fall. Regardless, Berry and the Browns do great here.
Final Tally:
Steals 4
Washes 3
Reaches 0
BPA Grade = A
Intelligent trading
Cleveland Browns receive: Pick 44, Pick 160
Indianapolis receive: Pick 41
Throw out the draft-value chart for this one. The Browns were able to grab an extra fifth-round pick and the players taken between the slots were a running back, tight end, and wide receiver. Best-player available strategy or not, the odds were the Browns were– and needed to– take a safety. So, Delpit was likely the player at 41, anyway. Harris is the prize for simply agreeing to swap.
Cleveland Browns receive: Pick 88, 2021 Round 3 selection
New Orleans receive: Pick 74, Pick 244
This trade will come under more scrutiny over the upcoming seasons. The Browns traded the pick where linebacker Zack Baun was taken. Then, they chose Phillips over Malik Harrison, who went one selection later. The hope is that the Browns had good information on the best linebacker of this group. The actual value of the trade-down was good as gaining an extra third-round selection in 2021 will be valuable.
Intelligent Trading Grade = B+
Bode biased view
Love: Jedrick Wills Jr., Grant Delpit, Nick Harris
My evaluations of the offensive line group did not change much through the process. While I was taken by the potential of Mekhi Becton, Wills was the safest among the Top 4 elite tackles. He should provide stability at left tackle for the foreseeable future. He also provides the possibility of a Flying-J OL with Jedrick (Wills), Joel (Bitonio), J.C (Tretter), and Jack (Conklin) now starters. The Browns don’t have another possible starting right guard with a J-first-name, but there is still time!2
Delpit might have some inconsistent scouting reports, but he is a versatile safety who can play both spots as well as drop-down to cover tight-ends when in a nickel defense. He struggled with a high ankle sprain for parts of 2019, but when he was healthy for the College Football Playoffs, he shined as a key piece of the defense that helped secure LSU a national championship.
Not only was Harris a virtual gift selection at a position needing depth, but he is coming from a Washington team that ran a bunch of zone concepts. He has the experience, talent, oh… and I think he might fit in with the eclectic bunch the Browns have on offense.
https://twitter.com/ESPNCFB/status/1043734406857465856
Like: Jordan Elliott
Elliott probably is not going to become a dominant player, but he is a really solid addition at a position that has given the Browns a ton of issues since coming back as an expansion franchise. Having a solid four-man rotation at defensive tackle should be a boon to this club. If Elliott can force himself into a higher ratio of those snaps, then even better.
Mixed Feelings: Harrison Bryant
The selection was not a bad one; it might wind up being a great one. But, with Njoku and Hooper ahead of him, Bryant will not help much this year. Bryant was dynamic at the Senior Bowl, he has good tape, and the NFL is valuing tight-end contributions, while there are also not a whole bunch of high-performing tight ends. The team also has a bunch of significant holes in the roster construction in 2020 though, which could have been helped directly by this draft slot.
Didn’t like: Jacob Phillips
Baun might be two years older than Phillips, but he also had significantly better grades in his film. Malik Harrison was only a year older and had the best athletic scoring of the three; by a significant margin. Phillips is a solid athlete with potential as he tends to be a sure-tackler, but he struggles with the change of direction on film, which matched his NFL Combine testing. I would have taken Harrison, but, hopefully, Berry evaluated these three correctly.
Didn’t care: Donovan Peoples-Jones
The Browns were terrible in the kick return game in 2019, and Peoples-Jones projects as a fourth-option wide receiver who can do well in the return game. That’s fine even if it likely doesn’t change much for the team.
Bode Biased View Grade = A-
Overall Grade =
Grade Recap
Need Grade = B+
BPA Grade = A
Intelligent Trading Grade = B+
Bode Biased View Grade = A-
At first glance, there isn’t a flashy player such as Myles Garrett or Baker Mayfield leading the class. There are a bunch of what should show-out to be good contributors adding to what is already a solid roster. If adding consistent, long-term starters to the roster is the most important part of the draft, then 2020 could well wind up being the best group since WFNY started doing categorical, ridiculous draft grading. Let us hope this group brings us success, stability, and second-contracts.
