Mock drafts have been filling up the Internet for months, but ClevelandBrowns.com's trio of Nathan Zegura, Andrew Gribble and Patrick Maks opted to be a little bit more patient.
The result: Still not much clarity on what the Browns plan to do with picks No. 1, 4, 33 and 35.
We've mostly stuck by making picks for the teams at their assigned spots, but you'll notice some projected trades in this edition. It should be noted the last six quarterbacks to be taken in the first round were selected by teams that traded up into that particular spot.
On with the picks!
Nathan Zegura
- BROWNS – QB Sam Darnold (USC): After spending time in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine, much of the buzz for the Browns was centered on Darnold as the top overall pick. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said Darnold is tied with Carson Wentz for his highest-graded quarterback of the last three years.
- Broncos (projected trade with Giants) – QB Josh Rosen (UCLA)
- Dolphins (projected trade with Colts) – QB Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma)
- BROWNS – DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama): Saquon Barkley will be tantalizing here and I know the fan base is clamoring for him, but Dorsey knows the value of a great free safety (see Berry, Eric) from his time in Kansas City. The Browns ranked last in the NFL in QB rating allowed, and this will be a big step to fixing the back end of the Browns defense. The versatile DB is considered a tremendous leader, and Nick Saban has called him the best defensive player he's ever coached at Alabama.
- Giants (projected trade with Broncos) – OG Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame)
- Jets – QB Josh Allen (Wyoming)
- Buccaneers – RB Saquon Barkley (Penn State)
- Bears – DE Bradley Chubb (North Carolina State)
- 49ers – CB Denzel Ward (Ohio State)
- Raiders – LB Tremaine Edmunds (Virginia Tech)
- Colts (projected trade with Dolphins) - DE Marcus Davenport (Texas-San Antonio)
- Bengals – LB Roquan Smith (Georgia)
- Redskins – S Derwin James (Florida State)
- Packers – CB Mike Hughes (UCF)
- Cardinals – QB Lamar Jackson (Louisville)
- Ravens – WR Calvin Ridley (Alabama)
Wide receivers and tight ends work out at the 2018 NFL Combine.
- Chargers – DT Vita Vea (Washington)
- Seahawks – OT Connor Williams (Texas)
- Cowboys – DE Arden Key (LSU)
- Lions – DT Maurice Hurst (Michigan)
- Bills – CB Jaire Alexander (Louisville)
- Bills – QB Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma State)
- Rams – CB Josh Jackson (Iowa)
- Panthers – WR Christian Kirk (Texas A&M)
- Titans – LB Harold Landry (Boston College)
- Falcons – OG Isaiah Wynn (Georgia)
- Saints – TE Dallas Goedert (South Dakota State)
- Steelers – LB Rashaan Evans (Alabama)
- Jaguars – TE Hayden Hurst (South Carolina)
- Vikings – DT Da'Ron Payne (Alabama)
- Patriots – OT Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame)
- Eagles – WR Courtland Sutton (SMU)
- BROWNS – CB Isaiah Oliver (Colorado) – The Browns continue the influx of talent to their secondary with Oliver. He has the size, speed and length to be a starting outside corner for years to come in Cleveland. Shoring up the pass D is a top priority for the Browns and this shows it right out of the gate. I would not be surprised (depending on free agency) if this is a WR, and D.J. Moore would be the pick.
- Giants - RB Derrius Guice (LSU)
- BROWNS – RB Sony Michel (Georgia) – Michel is my favorite of the next group, possessing power between the tackles, home-run hitting ability and good hands out of the backfield. This could very well end up as Guice (more power) or Ronald Jones II (think Jamaal Charles), but the Browns will get an excellent running back at the top of Round 2.
Andrew Gribble
- BROWNS - QB Sam Darnold (USC): From an outsider's perspective, there wasn't much to glean from Darnold's week in Indianapolis because he opted not to throw. The Browns aren't holding that decision against him, so I won't either. This decision is definitely subject to change because the depth of this year's quarterback class is legit. Pro Days and private visits will be huge.
- Giants - QB Josh Allen (Wyoming)
- Jets (projected trade with Colts) - QB Josh Rosen (UCLA)
- BROWNS - DE Bradley Chubb (North Carolina State): Is there such a thing as too many dangerous pass rushers? No. Pairing Chubb on the opposite side from Myles Garrett and creating packages that also would include Emmanuel Ogbah is an underappreciated draft scenario for the Browns.
- Broncos - RB Saquon Barkley (Penn State)
- Colts (projected trade with Jets) - OG Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame)
- Buccaneers - DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama)
- Bears - CB Denzel Ward (Ohio State)
- Dolphins (projected trade with 49ers) - QB Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma)
- Raiders - LB Tremaine Edmunds (Virginia Tech)
- 49ers (projected trade with Dolphins) - LB Roquan Smith (Georgia)
- Bengals - OT Connor Williams (Texas)
- Redskins - S Derwin James (Florida State)
- Packers - DT Vita Vea (Washington)
- Cardinals - CB Josh Jackson (Iowa)
- Ravens - WR Calvin Ridley (Alabama)
- Chargers - DT Da'Ron Payne (Alabama)
The quarterbacks take to the field at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.
- Seahawks - CB Mike Hughes (UCF)
- Cowboys - WR Christian Kirk (Texas A&M)
- Lions - DE Marcus Davenport (Texas-San Antonio)
- Bills - OG Will Hernandez (UTEP)
- Bills - CB Jaire Alexander (Louisville)
- Rams - LB Harold Landry (Boston College)
- Panthers - OL James Daniels (Iowa)
- Titans - CB Donte Jackson (LSU)
- Falcons - S Ronnie Harrison (Alabama)
- Saints - WR Courtland Sutton (SMU)
- Steelers - LB Leighton Vander Esch (Boise State)
- Jaguars - TE Hayden Hurst (South Carolina)
- Vikings - DT Taven Bryan (Florida)
- Patriots - DE Sam Hubbard (Ohio State)
- Eagles - LB Rashaan Evans (Alabama)
- BROWNS - OT Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame): Cleveland gets some much-needed depth at left tackle, where it may or not need a starter right away, depending on the decision Joe Thomas makes.
- Giants - RB Sony Michel (Georgia)
- BROWNS - RB Nick Chubb (Georgia): The Browns get the second of back-to-back Georgia running backs drafted, and they end up with the one they can count on for 20-25 bruising, between-the-tackles carries.
Patrick Maks
- Browns - QB Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma): No quarterback was more accurate (68.5 percent) or more productive (14,607 passing yards, 131 TDs) than Mayfield, who won the Heisman Trophy this past season. What really separates him from a talented class of quarterbacks, however, is his competitiveness and toughness, a pair of dynamics that could go a long way in Cleveland.
- Giants - QB Josh Allen (Wyoming)
- Colts - RB Saquon Barkley (Penn State)
- Browns - DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama): The versatile Fitzpatrick fills a major hole on a pass defense that couldn't take the ball away last season. A captain for the Crimson Tide, he's been regarded as a culture-changing force inside a team's locker room and could offer the Browns a similar presence.
- Denver - DE Bradley Chubb (North Carolina State)
- Jets - QB Sam Darnold (USC)
- Buccaneers - CB Denzel Ward (Ohio State)
- Bears - WR Christian Kirk (Texas A&M)
- 49ers - OL Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame)
- Raiders - CB Josh Jackson (Iowa)
- Miami - LB Roquan Smith (Georgia)
- Bengals - OL Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame)
- Redskins - DL Vita Vea (Washington)
- Packers - LB Tremaine Edmunds (Virginia Tech)
- Cardinals - QB Josh Rosen (UCLA)
- Ravens - WR Calvin Ridley (Alabama)
- Chargers - LB Rashaan Evans (Alabama)
- Seahawks - S Derwin James (Florida State)
- Cowboys - DE Marcus Davenport (Texas-San Antonio)
- Panthers - C Billy Price (Ohio State)
- Bills - QB Lamar Jackson (Louisville)
- Bills - OG Isaiah Wynn (Georgia)
- Rams - CB Carlton Davis (Auburn)
- Lions - DE Arden Key (LSU)
- Titans - DT Taven Bryan (Florida)
- Falcons - OL James Daniels (Iowa)
- Saints - DE Sam Hubbard (Ohio State)
- Steelers - LB Leighton Vander Esch (Boise State)
- Jaguars - WR Courtland Sutton (SMU)
- Vikings - OL Orlando Brown (Oklahoma)
- Patriots - CB Mike Hughes (UCF)
- Eagles - LB Harold Landry (Boston College)
- Browns - RB Derrius Guice (LSU) - Guice gives the Browns a three-down running back to pair up with the dynamic Duke Johnson Jr. In three seasons, he amassed 3,074 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, demonstrating instincts, power and speed in the process.
- Giants - OL Connor Williams (Texas)
- Browns - CB Jaire Alexander (Louisville) - Injuries sidelined Alexander for most of last season, but his production in 2016 (5 INTs, 9 PDs) and athleticism (4.38 40-yard dash, tested well in agility drills) give the Browns another potential playmaker in the secondary.