CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Two words define Andrew Berry’s second NFL Draft as the Browns’ top football executive – speed and versatility.
Berry put on a three-day clinic in team building as Cleveland basked in the glow of playing host to what used to be the Browns’ Super Bowl and only ray of hope each year.
With the 2021 Draft behind him, Berry now has the Browns positioned to compete to actually play in the Super Bowl.
After making eight selections, Berry came away with two first-round talents, added a burner to the receiver room to blow the top off defenses, insulated the depth on both lines and at safety and found a swiss army knife to put behind Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
All three phases of the game – offense, defense and special teams were bolstered by Berry and not a single pick left you scratching your head.
From top to bottom, this roster is loaded with talent.
Berry doesn’t give you many specifics when answering questions, but he doesn’t lead you astray like some GMs will try to do either. It’s a refreshing approach. Prior to the Draft, Berry explained philosophically that he doesn’t take a fill an immediate need or instant gratification approach to the Draft and it showed these last three days.
In addition to talent acquisition, Berry also packaged pick 257 with 113 to add a 2022 fourth-round pick and a fifth rounder from Detroit. Side note, dumping an end of seventh round pick gets you Executive of the Year consideration from local writers.
Here’s our pick-by-pick analysis of the Browns class of 2021:
Round 1, No. 26 – Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern
First round picks typically are expected to step in and start, and Newsome will get an opportunity to compete for a job, but it won’t be handed to him. He’ll have to earn playing time alongside Denzel Ward, Troy Hill and Greedy Williams in the secondary. Newsome provides depth and flexibility with Williams coming off a nerve injury in his shoulder that cost him the 2020 season. In an overall long-term roster construction view, should Ward, who has two years remaining on his rookie deal, command monster dollars that don’t fit within the future salary structure of the roster, Newsome would be entering year three of his rookie deal and potentially ascend to replace Ward.
Round 2, No. 52 – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
So much for the whole “Browns don’t place a premium on linebackers” narrative. Berry blew that out of the water this weekend when he traded up to get Owusu-Koramoah, whom they considered at 26 before taking Newsome. Owusu-Koramoah can do it all and is the hybrid linebacker the Browns were desperately missing in 2020. He can help against the run, pass, move laterally and he can make impact plays anywhere and everywhere on the field. It's easy to believe Berry when he says that he can’t believe Owusu-Koramoah fell into their lap at 52 following a trade with Carolina to move up seven slots because neither can we.
Round 3, No. 91 – Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn
May the Schwartz be with you. Schwartz possesses “ludicrous speed” and although he joins a heavily crowded receiver room, once again Berry fills a gaping hole from a year ago. Following injuries to JoJo Natson and Odell Beckham Jr. last fall, stretching the field vertically became difficult.
Schwartz will give them another burner with the ability to take the top off defenses, and again, from a long-term roster building view provides flexibility in 2022 when a financial decision about keeping both Jarvis Landy’s and Beckham’s hefty salaries on the books could come into play.
Round 4, No. 110 – James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati
The ‘V’ word applies once again with Hudson, who can be a swing tackle and will get a look at guard. A defensive tackle convert in college, Hudson studied Joe Thomas highlights on YouTube while making the transition. How can you not love that? With the starting five of arguably the best offensive line in the NFL returning, Hudson instantly becomes a candidate to be their sixth man up front, but he’ll have to earn that job.
Round 4, No. 113 – Tommy Togiai, DT, Ohio State
With the Browns no longer allergic to Buckeyes, Togiai comes in with an opportunity to win a starting job at defensive tackle following the release of Sheldon Richardson and departure of Larry Ogunjobi in free agency, but he’ll have to earn it. If his 40 reps of 225 don’t impress you, turn on the Clemson game and watch him get after Trevor Lawrence and pressure Clemson’s offense for four quarters. This pick has a chance to be sneaky good for Berry and the Browns over time.
Round 5, No. 153 – Tony Fields, LB, West Virginia
Yeah, about that linebacker thing again. Some analysts compare Fields to Owusu-Koramoah and call him a clone of Cleveland’s second-round steal. Fast, versatile linebackers are now a thing in Joe Woods’ defense and Fields fits the bill to a T. Now, can he earn playing time and make an impact in meaningful games? We’re about to find out.
Round 5, No. 169 – Richard LeCounte, S, Georgia
LeCounte has recovered following a motorcycle accident last fall that ended his season early. After suffering a broken bone in his foot and a shoulder injury, he says that he’s recovered but the rehab did impact his pre-draft audition process, which likely led to his availability in the fifth round. Viewed as an undersized safety by some analysts, LeCounte plays well in space and can go get the football. He is a candidate to contribute on special teams with an opportunity to learn from one of the better safeties in the game – John Johnson III.
Round 6, No. 211 – Demetric Felton, RB, UCLA
Felton is fun to watch. He bounced between receiver and running back at UCLA. Bottom line, he can run, catch and make defenders look silly with the ball in his hands. His versatility could come in handy in the return game too, an area the Browns struggled with once Natson went down.
Our overall take: A few years ago, all eight of these guys would probably slide into the starting lineup or play key roles but times have changed. While the early returns on this class are of the A+ and 5-star review variety, the reality is not all of these picks may make this team come training camp. The roster is now that stacked, and the Browns are going to have some difficult decisions to make on cutdown day this summer.
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