Ezra Cleveland an option for Browns
The Cleveland Browns reportedly have interest in trading back in the upcoming NFL Draft and selecting Boise State tackle Ezra Cleveland.
This is something that has been floating around some time, but now has some widespread attention. The Cleveland Browns could potentially trade down in the draft and select tackle Ezra Cleveland. NFL.com’s Ian Rapport reported this Thursday.
Dane Brugler provided some insight into this possibility.
Ezra Cleveland has gotten mixed reviews in regards to how he ranks among the other tackle prospects. A lot of scouts have him a tier or two below the top tackles in the draft.
I am not a huge fan of trading back unless the players they are targeting at 10 are gone. If three or four tackles go before them and Isaiah Simmons is also gone trading back seems fine. If one or more tackles remain and/or Simmons is available they should make their pick right then and there.
On the surface trading back in order to acquire more picks makes sense. The Cleveland Browns have a ton of holes and making more draft picks seems like a good idea. The problem is that more picks is not always necessarily better, especially when they are not towards the top of the draft. In order to improve a team though the draft process a team needs to do one of two things.
- Have a proven track record of success when making picks later in the draft allowing the trade back philosophy to work
- Make selections at the top of the draft who project to be blue chip players
Currently the Browns do not have a track record that shows success in that area. This particular group does not have any track record positive or negative that they can 100% lay claim to. The only real person involved here that has any claim to the draft success or failure of a team is Ryan Grigson and he was a complete disaster. Although Grigson’s input seems to be of value for some reason.
The only way the input of Ryan Grigson should be of any value is that they do the complete opposite of what he suggests. Give him the George Costanza treatment and keep on moving along.
The best thing the Cleveland Browns can do on draft day is keep it simple and straight forward instead of trying to get too cute. Take the best player available unless the draft goes completely sideways.
