Cleveland Browns 2019 Draft Class

Cleveland Browns 2019 Draft Class

Despite not having a first-round pick, the Cleveland Browns had a good draft in 2019. Let’s dig deeper into Cleveland’s selections.

Greedy Williams, LSU, CB; Round 2: Pick 46

The cornerback out of LSU, Greedy Williams fell into the laps of the Cleveland Browns. Known for his coverage skills, Greedy has shown outstanding natural talent in coverage. His long length and electric speed and control made him one of the top corners coming into the draft. On the flipside, Greedy has had tackling issues, as he is known as a “raw talent”. Even with this Greedy Williams is a steal for Cleveland, who will bolster an already good secondary in 2019 and for many years to come.

Sione Takitaki, BYU, LB; Round 3: Pick 80

A big play machine out of BYU, Sione Takitaki is another very nice pick by Cleveland. In 2018, Takitaki led Brigham Young in tackles with 118, nine for loss, and had three sacks. What makes him a very good pick is his play style. In 2018, Takitaki played off the ball more, where he is likely to play in the NFL. He will join Christian Kirksey as the top weak side linebackers and is one of two linebackers drafted by the Browns in 2019 (Mack Wilson). It will be interesting to see Takitaki’s role in 2019 and to see how much playing time he gets.

Sheldrick Redwine, Miami (FL), DB; Round 4: Pick 119

With Cleveland’s lone pick in the 4th round, Cleveland chose Miami defensive back, Sheldrick Redwine. In the past two seasons, Redwine caused 10 turnovers (5 INT and 5 FUM). This makes him a game-changing type player, with a knack to be a ball hawk from the safety position, which is likely where he will play for Cleveland. Like Greedy Williams, Redwine has had some tackling issues from the past but is more effective than Greedy. His field awareness and transition skills are underrated and may fly under the radar in the NFL. Redwine will be the backup to Damarious Randall when Cleveland is in man coverage but will get more playing time when in zone packages due to his ball-hawking skills.

Mack Wilson, Alabama, LB; Round 5: Pick 155

The Cleveland Browns selected a second-round talent in the 5th round. His name is Mack Wilson. The linebacker out of Alabama, which produces defense with the best of them, fell due to his character issues, but his on the field skills should not be put down. Wilson displayed a good balance of strength, speed, and athleticism and excellent coverage skills. He is a very fundamentally sound player, and if he can keep his off the field antics in line, Cleveland may have gotten a Pro Bowl caliber player in the 5th round.

Austin Seibert, Oklahoma, K; Round 5: Pick 170

With kickers, it is hit or miss. Roberto Aguayo went from kicking 60 - yard bombs to being cut by the midpoint of his rookie year. You never know what you are going to get from kickers and Cleveland knows that way too well. In 2018, it felt like there was a new kicker every week. A few field goals may have cost the Browns a playoff spot. Is Austin Seibert the future for the kicking department, or is he going to shank a few to the left and be off the team by Week 8? You just don’t know.

Drew Forbes, SEMO, T; Round 6: Pick 189

In the sixth round, Cleveland went to the offensive line in drafting Drew Forbes. A Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) tackle, Forbes is a very athletic player. His build is 6’5”, 305 pounds, and he will likely move to guard in the NFL. Drew Forbes is a quicker lineman and should perform the best in a zone-blocking scheme due to his short arms which worried some teams in the later rounds. He has drawn comparisons to Justin Pugh, but he has a long way to go until he gets there. His potential is unknown since his competition was not top tier.

Donnie Lewis Jr., Tulane, CB; Round 7: Pick 221

Donnie Lewis, a cornerback out of Tulane, was the last pick for the Cleveland Browns in the 2019 draft. Lewis was third in the nation with 17 pass breakups and was a four-year starter at Tulane. Lewis will likely play a lot of special teams and will be taking a backseat in 2019 to players in front of him.

-Richie Dordas