Browns 3 best, 3 worst draft picks of the past 5 years

Editor’s note: While much of the Trib’s coverage leading up to the April 25 start of the NFL draft will focus on the Steelers, we’ll also look at the league at large. Particularly, the Steelers’ divisional rivals. Between April 18-20, we’ll examine each of the three best – and three worst – picks by AFC North teams over the past five years.

In truth, the Cleveland Browns’ turnaround was inevitable at some point. And it was in the works even before John Dorsey took the reins of football operations in the months leading up to the 2018 draft.

But while Dorsey doesn’t deserve 100 percent of the credit, it certainly is telling that a case could be made that the lone Browns draft under his stewardship produced more talent than the previous four did combined. Dorsey was set up well in regards to draft capital – but this time, management executed with that draft capital. That was unlike the vast majority of the two previous decades, and in particular the 2014-17 window being examined here.

Over a span of just a few months, the Browns were transformed from league-wide laughingstock into a feared contender and division favorite for 2019. A cynic would argue that the jettisoning of coach Hue Jackson was the primary impetus for that, but history will likely look back at the 2018 draft as the Browns’ turning point.

As such, it’s not surprising to see it dominating the positive side of a look at the past five years of Cleveland drafts:

***Browns’ three best picks from 2014-18***

1. Baker Mayfield, QB, 2018, 1^st overall

Some might frown upon lauding a team for acquiring a good player with the first pick of the draft. But Browns fans – as much as anyone – understand that isn’t a slam dunk. And Mayfield giving every appearance he’ll be a Pro Bowl-caliber franchise quarterback only tells part of the story. His selection was the seminal moment in the Browns’ renaissance.

2. Denzel Ward, CB, 2018, 4^th overall

At the time, picking Mayfield over, say, Sam Darnold represented some outside-the-box thinking. Taking Ward over Bradley Chubb was the same. Over the two decades leading up to the 2018 draft, if it was Cleveland going against the grain, it usually ended poorly for them. This pick was remarkable as much for the Browns – finally – coming across as savvy as it is for Ward proving he was worthy of being taken so high.

3. Genard Avery, OLB, 2018, 150^th overall

As good as the picks of Mayfield and Ward look after one season, with regards to value at a certain draft slot Avery could be even better. Avery had 4 ½ sacks as a rookie last season and was rated by Pro Football Focus as the No. 2 rookie edge defender in the NFL last season.

***Browns’ three worst picks from 2014-18***

1. Justin Gilbert, CB, 2014, 8^th overall

The best thing Browns fans can say about the Gilbert tenure in Cleveland was that it exhibited a rare instance of their team getting one over on the Steelers. That the sixth-round pick that the Steelers forfeited to acquire Gilbert in September 2016 is considered a coup shows just poorly Gilbert’s NFL career went (three career starts).

2. Corey Coleman, WR, 2016, 15^th overall

In the heart of the Browns’ asset-accumulation philosophy era, they twice traded down in the first round, bypassing a franchise QB in Carson Wentz in the process. They ended up with Coleman, whose tenure in Cleveland consisted of looking largely disinterested through all of 19 regular-season games before he was spun off for a seventh-round pick 28 months later.

3. Johnny Manziel, QB, 2014, 22^nd overall

It wouldn’t be a Browns’ “bust” list without including Johnny Football, right? While it was more off-field issues than on-field talent that derailed Manziel’s NFL career, that was always known to be part of the package with the Heisman winner. No matter the path to it, two seasons, eight starts and eight total touchdowns is simply unacceptable production from a first-round pick.

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