Browns Draft Review: WFNY Roundtable
May 4, 2021A Good Week: This Week In Tribe Baseball
May 6, 2021The Cleveland Browns had a busy 2021 NFL Draft, one in which they selected eight players. In the first round, they picked cornerback Greg Newsome of Northwestern. In Round 2, linebacker/safety Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah of Notre Dame was the pick. They finished off Day 2 by selecting wide receiver Anthony Schwartz of Auburn in Round 3. To kick off Day 3, the Browns drafted offensive tackle James Hudson of Cincinnati in the fourth round. With their other pick in Round 4, Cleveland took interior defensive lineman Tommy Togiai of Ohio State. In the fifth round, the Browns took linebacker Tony Fields of West Virginia and safety Richard LeCounte of Georgia. With their last pick of the draft, the Browns chose running back/wide receiver Demetric Felton of UCLA in Round 6.
The Browns went extremely heavy on defense, continuing the trend so far this offseason of overhauling the defensive side of the ball. The opinion of most of the national draft analysts was very positive for Cleveland. I would agree with that sentiment. I thought they did a great job following their board, addressing areas of need, and getting good value. Here is my breakdown of the Browns’ 2021 NFL Draft and what I see in this draft class.
Draft Pick 2021 Outlook
CB Greg Newsome: Starter
LB/S Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: Starter
WR Anthony Schwartz: Situational/Gadget player
OT James Hudson: Developmental player
IDL Tommy Togiai: Rotational player
LB Tony Fields: Special teams player
S Richard LeCounte: Special teams player
RB/WR Demetric Felton: Special teams player/gadget player
Favorite pick: LB/S Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
There were few favorites in this class, but the selection of Owusu-Koramoah was probably my favorite for a couple of reasons. First of all, I loved the value they got him at. He was my No. 19 overall player in the class and the Browns got him at No. 52. That is an incredible value. But, beyond that, I love the player. Owusu-Koramoah will give Cleveland a super versatile player in the defense. He is so good in coverage, giving him the ability to play all three downs and in differing spots based on the situation. Having him in the defense will allow the Browns to better disguise what they are doing due to his ability to do so many roles and to never have to come off the field. I just love the fit and value here.
Pick I would have gone in a different direction: OT James Hudson
I don’t hate this pick, but I preferred the Browns attack other positions at this spot in the fourth round, rather than picking a developmental offensive lineman. There were two top 50 players from my big board still available at this pick in safety Jamar Johnson and interior defensive lineman Daviyon Nixon. I just preferred Cleveland attack a more pressing position like the defensive line or secondary. But, I cannot rake them over the coals for picking a player they had rated the highest on their board and for continuing to add depth to the offensive line.
Pick I need to study more: WR Anthony Schwartz
I am very intrigued by Schwartz. I want to see how come he wasn’t more productive in college given his incredible speed. I also want to see what the receiver can offer next season and beyond. His potential is tantalizing. I studied him briefly before the draft, so I would like to do a deep dive on what we should expect from Schwartz.
Best under-the-radar pick: RB/WR Demetric Felton
I absolutely love this pick. It ranks right there as one of my favorite picks of the draft. I had Felton as my No. 5 rated running back. I love his versatility and his ability to make defenders miss. He has the makings of a real offensive gadget weapon that can threaten a defense in numerous ways. I cannot wait to see how Kevin Stefanski utilizes him.
Biggest instant impact: CB Greg Newsome
Newsome has the inside track to be the starting outside cornerback behind No. 1 cornerback Denzel Ward. Newsome has all the traits to be an excellent No. 2 cornerback. He should be able to produce right away given his skill set, athleticism, and refinement. I think he will take the No. 2 cornerback job and run with it.
Best late-round value: IDL Tommy Togiai
Togiai was right outside my top five interior defensive line rankings. And, the Browns were able to get him toward the end of Round 4. I think he has the makings to contribute as a rotational lineman right away. His movement skills, along with his strength, are an intriguing skill set to add to Cleveland’s interior defensive line depth chart. He was one of the best available on the board when the Browns were on the clock.
Biggest special teams contributor: LB Tony Fields
Fields has the skill set to be a special teams coverage ace. He is an athletic undersized linebacker with really good tackling ability. He also is good at slipping or avoiding blocks. He should be a prime special teams contributor on every coverage team for the Browns.
Biggest need area filled: Linebacker/Safety
The Browns really attacked the linebacker and safety positions on the roster. They added two versatile linebacker/safety types in Owusu-Koramoah and Fields, while also adding a more traditional safety in LeCounte. Cleveland needed better tacklers at these positions and these three all are considered good tacklers. They add versatility to the defense. And, they add both depth and an immediate contributor in Owusu-Koramoah.
Biggest need not filled: Outside cornerback depth
The Browns could use another outside cornerback. They have three really talented ones in Ward, Newsome, and Greedy Williams. But, all three of these guys have extensive injury histories. Cleveland could have used another outside corner in the draft, but free agency could be the route they go to add more depth. They need a bit more security here given the healthy situations of the three outside corners.