Baker Mayfield - I didn't like the pick because I don't like his maturity. Kids a winner though and maybe that is what Cleveland needs. What happens if he starts losing week in and week out? If they really were going back and forth on Allen, Darnold and Mayfield I personally would have drafted Barkley and then taken the QB left at 4.
Denzel Ward - a reach, but I can see what they are doing. All these high picks (Garrett, Peppers, Njoku last year, Mayfield Ward this year) could all get huge contracts in 4 to 5 years. Taking Bradley Chubb would have almost certainly meant 1 of Chubb or Garrett is gone in 5 years as you can't put that much money on 1 spot on the team. But my counter is: why worry about 5 years down the road. Take the best talent available.
Austin Corbett - I liked Hernandez better but he is a solid pick. THey need to build that line up and this should be a good start.
Nick Chubb- love this pick. If he stays healthy, he is a difference maker for that team
Chad Thomas - Good, solid DE pick. but he is way down on a depth chart that has Garrett, Nassib and Ogbah. They desperately need LBers and OTs. Martinas Rankin, Geron Christian, Orlando Brown Chuks Orakor all made a ton of sense.
Antonio Callaway - Off the field issues had him off my board. He could have been a top 2 round talent in a thin WR class though. Ultimate boom or bust.
Genard Avery - sneaky good pick. He'll end up as a SSLB for Clevelands 43. I liked it.
Damien Ratley - a size speed guy that lacked production at TAM so 6th round is a good spot for him. But I liked Deon Cain so much more as a very similar prospect.
Simeon Thomas - who? by the middle of the 6th its all personal preference. There is nothing close to BPA.
Joe Thomas is gone and as much I love Shon Coleman's story, is he really a NFL starting LT? They really need Both Ts, a LG and a C. THey filled only LG. THey had chances at LTs all over and whiffed.
They needed a CB and got the top one, but there were plenty of good ones in the 2nd if they would have went the Barkley/Allen route. Callaway is a boom/bust kid so it'll be interesting so see how he progresses.
Chubb was a HR. Great pick.
Chad Thomas was a miss considering that pick was basically their last shot at a decent OT.
If I was running that team it would have looked like this:
1.1 - S. Barkley - a difference maker at a position of need
1.4 - J. Allen - or whoever is left from Mayfield/Allen/Darnold
2.1 - Josh Jackson - instead of Ward they get my #2 CB in the 2nd round
3. OT - Geron Christian makes a ton of sense, could play either left or right and is an upgrade in either spot.
4. Josey Jewell - They have nothing behind that good def. front, here's your defensive leader.
5. -Jordan Lasley - if they want a very good but troubled WR here is your guy with IMO less risk then Calloway. Darius Fountain makes a ton of sense here.
6. Bradley Bozeman - a mauling OC upgrade
6. Eq. St. Brown - A much more productive size speed WR.
So instead of a QB, RB, OG a SSLB and a bunch of depth or reaches, you get the top RB, a top 5 CB, a top QB you still liked, your new MLB and defensive leader, 2 promising WRs and 2 OL upgrades.
But that is just me with the gift of hindsight.
Don't waste your time looking back, you're not going that way. - Ragnar Lothbrok
