The Browns cut Odell Beckham Jr. midseason, Rashard Higgins will be a free agent next month and Jarvis Landry may be a salary-cap casualty. If Landry is released, it would save the Browns over $15 million toward the cap. This year's draft class may lack an elite top-five talent like Ja'Marr Chase, but it's still one of the stronger position groups in the draft, and the Browns could have their choice at a position of need. My top-ranked receiver in this class, Wilson has outstanding body control and run-after-catch ability.
There's a debate about whether the Browns' analytics-driven front office should consider taking a receiver here and doing what it takes to give Baker Mayfield every chance to succeed. But there's also a need for more pass-rush help alongside Myles Garrett. Johnson was the best player we saw at the Senior Bowl and could give the Browns' front some more bite.
After losing Odell Beckham Jr., the Browns simply don't have a big-play threat at receiver who can stretch the field and scare opposing defenses. Burks has an impressive blend of size, athleticism and physicality, which makes him the most complete pass-catcher in this draft, and the perfect fit here.
Whether or not Baker Mayfield is still the Browns' plan at quarterback, the offense is begging for some pass-catchers. Donovan Peoples-Jones led the team with just 597 receiving yards in 2021. Jarvis Landry is turning 30 next season and has one year left on his deal. Tight end David Njoku and receiver Rashard Higgins are free agents. But Wilson would immediately give Mayfield a playmaker. His best trait is body control, as he can adjust to passes in the air, but he is also a sudden route runner with fantastic speed and acceleration.
This one makes too much sense to not happen, should the draft play out like this. The Browns feature one of the most dominant running games in the NFL. A big, sure-handed bully of a receiver such as London to feast off of play-action could be all that Cleveland is missing on offense.
What better way to assist QB Baker Mayfield and supplement a 27th-ranked passing offense than adding a Mike Evans-type player? London (6-5, 210 pounds) had seven TD grabs in eight games last season.
After releasing Odell Beckham Jr. midway through the 2021 season, the Browns need to restock the shelves at the receiver position. Wilson is a big-play creator who can operate at all three levels of the field and provide a much-needed boost to a receiver corps that still has question marks, especially with Jarvis Landry slated to hit free agency next offseason.
The first wide receiver comes off the board and gives Cleveland--and more importantly Baker Mayfield--a big (6'3", 225 lbs) target that has run-after-catch ability. Burks' tape in 2021 was elite and has pushed him to the top of wide receiver boards around the league.
Burks is a big-bodied receiver (listed at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds) with excellent open-field agility that Baker Mayfield will lean on as the former Razorbacks star acclimates to the pro game.
The Browns don't just need a receiver, they need a receiver with speed. They wanted Anthony Schwartz to be that, but he's still exceedingly raw as a true receiver. Williams looked a lot more polished after transferring from Ohio State to Alabama, where he went for 1,561 yards and 15 scores.
