The Cleveland Browns will upgrade the offensive line and wide receiver room in the 2024 NFL draft. Could Brigham Young’s Kingsley Suamataia and Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley be the antidote?
With the Senior Bowl taking place this week draft season is fully upon us as prospects begin the process of proving themself before the draft kicks off in April. The Browns’ approach this year will be interesting as they have some interesting decisions to make on the offensive side of the ball.
Will the team move on from Amari Cooper or Nick Chubb and do they believe Jedrick Wills Jr. will get an extension? This is a great year to need both an offensive tackle and a wide receiver and the Browns will likely look to add to both rooms at some point in the draft.
We have seen over the past few seasons that Andrew Berry focuses more on the future in the draft and not always on immediate needs. Let’s take a look at what the draft could look like if they prioritize the offense early this April in Detroit.
Round 2, Pick 55: OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
Kingsley Suamataia is a massive tackle at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds with experience at both left and right tackle. He reminds you somewhat of Dawand Jones as a prospect coming out of Ohio State in last year’s draft. He is a long-armed and great athlete who plays with excellent strength and power at the point of attack.
He needs to work on his hand placement and some of the more technical aspects of playing to position. But you would get immediate depth at both tackle spots, which has the upside to possibly be the long-term answer at left tackle.
Round 3, Pick 86: WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
A strong performance at Senior Bowl practices earned Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley the National Team’s best wide receiver award. Corley goes by the nickname the “YAC King” as one of the better players after the catch to turn short receptions into explosive plays and big gains.
Corley has strong reliable hands and his acceleration to his top speed is as quick as anyone else’s in this class. He works well in traffic and chaos with sharp routes and the ability to make people miss in space or simply run them over as he finds a way to get extra yardage on every play.
Instant response from @WKUFootball! ⚡️
Malachi Corley breaks a tackle and takes it 70 yards to the house! 🏠
📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/KoaVsiFLDy
— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) October 6, 2023
Round 5, Pick 138: RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
One of the younger prospects in this class is the power back from Wisconsin Braelon Allen who just turned 20 in January. He has great size at the position at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds he runs with a mean streak and can be a true workhorse back at the next level.
Allen is the type of power back that reminds you of Kareem Hunt in short-yardage situations, a guy who always falls forward for extra yardage. He is an above-average athlete in space as well and being so young he has so much room to improve as a player at the next level.
Braelon Allen … boink pic.twitter.com/Nn9dnNt9lG
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) February 2, 2024
Round 5, Pick 159: LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
It was a disappointing season for the Buckeye’s Tommy Eichenberg who wasn’t the same impactful player in 2024 that he was in 2023. But he is still a high IQ linebacker with great instincts in the run game with a quick trigger to attack downfield. He has a great motor and though he lacks elite sideline to sideline speed he is a solid blitzer who does a great job putting pressure on the quarterback.
Round 6, Pick 205: CB Marcellas Dial, South Carolina
South Carolina’s Marcellas Dial is a solid man coverage corner that could make sense for what the Browns like to do on defense coverage-wise. He took a major step forward in 2024 allowing just a 55.8 percent completion rate when he was targeted in coverage. Though he isn’t the biggest player at the position he has no problem making a play in the run game and can be physical at the line of scrimmage in press coverage as well.
Round 6, Pick 208: DT Keith Randolph Jr., Illinois
Keith Randolph Jr is a solid run-stopping defensive tackle who could make an impact in short-yardage situations immediately as a rookie. He is great at the point of attack and can eat blocks and clog up the rushing lanes. Randolph uses great leverage and understands how to do the dirty work to shut down the run consistently.
#Illinois Keith Randolph Jr. is a rock solid player. Strong hands and run anchor, and really played well opposite of Jer’Zahn Newton.
pic.twitter.com/A8W4OOA9O6 https://t.co/VPjptLMy30
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) December 9, 2023
Round 7, Pick 231: TE Jared Wiley, TCU
The Browns could be looking for a replacement for Harrison Bryant and Jared Wiley can give you a lot of the same things Bryant could. He has the flexibility to line up in line as well as in the slot and even out wide. Wiley isn’t a great blocker but he is a willing blocker who could be serviceable at the next level.
He is more impactful as a receiver as a reliable target who only had one dropped pass on 65 targets this past season. He averaged over 11 yards per catch and eight touchdowns in his final year as a Horned Frog.
