We have arrived. The 2023 NFL draft is just a day away, and while the Cleveland Browns do not have a first or second round pick to work with this season, they have eight picks to maneuver throughout the weekend with. Their team needs remain the same: defensive tackle, defensive end, and wide receiver are at the top. They could find depth pieces at linebacker, safety, and along the interior of their offensive line this weekend as well.
One of the more frustrating parts of not having early picks is missing out on mock drafts that do not go three rounds deep. So that is what we do here.
Here is a final three-round mock draft as the Browns do not come on the clock until late in the third round.
1
Carolina Panthers (via CHI): QB Bryce Young, Alabama
2
2. Houston Texans: QB Will Levis, Kentucky
3
3. Las Vegas Raiders (via ARZ): QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
4
Indianapolis Colts: QB Anthony Richardson, Florida
5
Seattle Seahawks (via DEN): EDGE Will Anderson, Alabama
6
Detroit Lions (via LAR): DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
7
Arizona Cardinals (via LVR): OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
8
Atlanta Falcons: CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
9
Chicago Bears (via CAR): OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
10
Philadelphia Eagles (via NO): EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia
11
Tennessee Titans: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
12
Houston Texans (via CLE): WR Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
13
Green Bay Packers (via NYJ): TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
14
New England Patriots: OT Broderick Jones, Georgia
15
New York Jets (via GB): OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
16
Washington Commanders: EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson
17
Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
18
Detroit Lions: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
19
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
20
Seattle Seahawks: WR Jordan Addison, USC
21
Miami Dolphins: Forfeited
22
Los Angeles Chargers: WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
23
Baltimore Ravens: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
24
Minnesota Vikings: DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson
25
Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
26
New York Giants: S Brian Branch, Alabama
27
Dallas Cowboys: DT Mazi Smith, Michigan
28
Buffalo Bills: LB Trenton Simpson, Clemson
29
Cincinnati Bengals: TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
30
New Orleans Saints (via SF): DE Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
31
Philadelphia Eagles: CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
32
Kansas City Chiefs: DT Calijah Kancey, Pitt
33
Pittsburgh Steelers (via CHI): OT Dawand Jones, Ohio State
34
Houston Texans: WR Josh Downs, North Carolina
35
Arizona Cardinals: CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
36
Indianapolis Colts: WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
37
Los Angeles Rams: EDGE BJ Ojulari, LSU
38
Seattle Seahawks (via DEN): OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
39
Las Vegas Raiders: OG Steve Avila, TCU
40
Carolina Panthers: WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
41
New Orleans Saints: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
42
Tennessee Titans: C Joe Tippmann, Wisconsin
43
Green Bay Packers (via CLE): EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
44
New York Jets: LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
45
Atlanta Falcons: WR Tyler Scott, Cincinnati
46
Green Bay Packers: OT Matthew Bergeron, Syracuse
47
New England Patriots: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
48
Washington Commanders: LB Drew Sanders, Arkansas
49
Detroit Lions: TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah
50
Pittsburgh Steelers: C John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
51
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
52
Miami Dolphins: TE Sam LaPorta, Iowa
53
Seattle Seahawks: TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
54
Chicago Bears (via BAL): CB Julius Brents, Kansas State
55
Los Angeles Chargers: CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
56
Detroit Lions (via MIN): WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
57
Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
58
New York Giants: C Luke Wypler, Ohio State
59
Dallas Cowboys: OL Cody Mauch, North Dakota State
60
Buffalo Bills: CB DJ Turner, Michigan
61
Cincinnati Bengals: DT Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
62
Chicago Bears (via SF): EDGE Keion White, Georgia Tech
63
Philadelphia Eagles: WR Tank Dell, Houston
64
Kansas City Chiefs: TE Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
65
Chicago Bears: RB Devon Achane, Texas A&M
66
Houston Texans: DT Gervon Dexter, Florida
67
Arizona Cardinals: RB Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
68
Denver Broncos (via IND): CB Tyrique Stevenson, Miami
69
Denver Broncos: EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
70
Los Angeles Rams: LB Daiyan Henley, Washington State
71
Las Vegas Raiders: S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
72
New Orleans Saints: CB Cory Trice, Purdue
73
Tennessee Titans: EDGE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
74
Houston Texans (via CLE): CB Clark Phillips III, Utah
75
Cleveland Browns (via NYJ): WR Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
The Browns land a massive uptick in their ability to stretch the field by selecting Oklahoma wide receiver Marvin Mims with pick no. 74 in the 2023 NFL draft. Upgrading the wide receiver room with Elijah Moore, the Browns now add another dynamic inside/out player to round out the room.
This is not the defensive tackle class to reach on a player just to say they addressed a position. By signing three defensive tackles, the Browns at least bided themselves some time and allowed themselves to truly enter the draft with a “best player available” approach.
The best player available here was Mims.
76
Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Zach Harrison, Ohio State
77
New England Patriots (via CAR): WR Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
78
Los Angeles Rams (via NE): OG Chandler Zavala, North Carolina State
79
Green Bay Packers: S Jammie Robinson, Florida State
80
Indianapolis Colts (via WAS): CB Garrett Williams, Syracuse
81
Pittsburgh Steelers: DT Siaki Ika, Baylor
82
Detroit Lions: QB Tanner McKee, Stanford
83
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: TE Brenton Strange, Penn State
84
Seattle Seahawks: RB Tyjae Spears, Tulane
85
Miami Dolphins: OT Wanya Morris, Oklahoma
86
Los Angeles Chargers: RB Roschon Johnson, Texas
87
Baltimore Ravens: WR Rashee Rice, SMU
88
Minnesota Vikings: CB Darius Rush, South Carolina
89
Jacksonville Jaguars: S Quan Martin, Illinois
90
New York Giants: WR A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
91
Dallas Cowboys: RB DeWayne McBride, UAB
92
Buffalo Bills: DT Byron Young, Alabama
93
Cincinnati Bengals: OT Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion
94
Carolina Panthers (via SF): EDGE Derick Hall, Auburn
95
Philadelphia Eagles: S JL Skinner, Boise State
96
Kansas City Chiefs: OT Tyler Steen, Alabama
97
Arizona Cardinals: EDGE Isaiah McGuire, Missouri
98
Washington Commanders: RB Kendre Miller, TCU
99
Cleveland Browns: EDGE/LB Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
After landing Mims at pick no. 74, the Browns now land a dynamic and savvy pass rusher in the form of Wisconsin’s Nick Herbig. Undersized, Herbig is going to drop despite how nuanced of a pass rusher he is. There is even talk of moving to off-ball linebacker at the NFL level.
Guess what? The Browns need linebacker depth as well.
I would not move Herbig to a true MIKE backer, but would allow for him to play SAM in base looks, then allow him to pin his ears back and do what he does best in passing situations. With shades of Carolina Panthers’ linebacker Frankie Luvu in his game, Herbig’s usage will take some creativity, but new defensive coordinator is up for the task.
Herbig is a productive and refined player who is worth pounding the table for.
100
San Francisco 49ers: CB Tre Tomlinson, TCU
101
Las Vegas Raiders: WR Jayden Reed, Michigan State
102
San Francisco 49ers: OT Blake Freeland, BYU
103
San Francisco 49ers: LB DeMarvion Overshown, Texas
