Grading the Browns 2023 Draft Class
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This is an exercise I like to do after a draft class completes it's third NFL season (yeah, I know, I'm late).
3rd Round (#74 overall): WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee On paper, he was a guy a lot of us were excited about. Great size, he gave the Browns a big target. Unfortunately, he always seems banged up and it appears when on the field he struggles to get open. He did have a nice five or so game stretch in 2024, only to have it derailed by a concussion that knocked him out of commission for quite a stretch. With the selection of Denzel Boston, who is built almost identical to Tillman, his days in Cleveland might be coming to an end sooner than later. In three seasons he's had 71 receptions for 833 yards (11.7/rec) and 5 touchdowns.
3rd Round (#98): DT Siaki Ika, Baylor Enormous interior DLineman who was an absolute swing and a miss. I literally have zero recollection of him doing anything with the Browns, and is barely hanging on in football, bouncing from one practice squad to another.
4th Round (#111) OT Dawand Jones, Ohio State What a frustrating three seasons it has been for Jones and us watching Jones. When healthy and at a somewhat decent weight, he's shown he has the potential to be a fringe Pro-Bowler. I remember him playing on one leg and absolutely shutting down T.J. Watt when he'd come in on passing downs. In a pinch he was even decent at Left Tackle, but availability has not been his strong suit. Has missed as many games as he's played. At this moment, going into his last year of his rookie contract he's probably now going to be the #3/swing tackle for the Browns, losing his starter status.
4th Round (#126) DE Isaiah McGuire, Missouri Solid rotational DE, backing up Alex Wright opposite of Myles Garrett.
5th Round (#140) QB Dorian Thompson, UCLA I get the thinking of draft DTR, he was looked at as a good complement to Deshaun Watson, but he never panned out. He was a guy who would look really good in preseason games, but was overmatched in the regular season, starting 5 games and putting up absolutely dreadful stats: 880 yards passing, 1 touchdown vs 10 interceptions, 45 QB rating. Traded to Philadelphia prior to last season, not on a NFL roster as we speak.
5th Round (#142) CB Cameron Mitchell, Northwestern. Depth guy no longer with Browns, currently on Colts roster. Got playing time with Browns, decent guy for a 5th rounder I suppose. Tia might be able to expound on Mitchell.
6th Round (#190) C Luke Wypler, Ohio State. The Browns doubled up on Buckeyes OLinemen with Wypler, he's been a depth guy so far but could contend for the starting center job this season, or he gets sent packing because of the new rookie center from Alabama. Big training camp for Wypler.
Dutch's Overall Assessment: With the first rounders gone because of Watson, and the second rounder gone because of the Elijah Moore trade, this was a depth draft, and in some ways it was productive. It's questionable if any long-term starters will come out of it, the reason Jones slipped to the 4th round despite his talent has reared its ugly head in the pros. Ika was a huge miss. If Wypler could become a starter, he'd really help this class.
Dutch's Grade: I'm probably being incredibly generous, but I suppose I'll give this a C-.
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Two picks in the latter quarter of the top 100 doesn't set you up to really help your team a whole lot.
edit: I'll add this piece of news here:
“The Browns and OT Dawand Jones agreed to a restructured deal for 2026 worth $1.5 million, including $1.145M guaranteed. Jones, who has 20 NFL starts, had been due $3.674M after hitting an escalator. This frees up cash and cap for Cleveland while Jones gets some guaranteed money,” Pelissero wrote.
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I think Jones is basically done after all his injuries - at best he has only a couple throwback games this season. His injuries are the expected result of choosing not to train hard & be in better shape all of his life. Knees [all skeletal] & cardio would have been a lot better during his pro years if he'd bothered to try. He was told this all his life, especially at OSU.
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It only takes one of the high picks to make a class decent. Seeing that we didn't have any I have to take that in to account. I'll say a C. Both McGuire and Mitchell, even though he is no longer with the team were good picks, which saves the class.
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This is an exercise I like to do after a draft class completes it's third NFL season (yeah, I know, I'm late).
3rd Round (#74 overall): WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee On paper, he was a guy a lot of us were excited about. Great size, he gave the Browns a big target. Unfortunately, he always seems banged up and it appears when on the field he struggles to get open. He did have a nice five or so game stretch in 2024, only to have it derailed by a concussion that knocked him out of commission for quite a stretch. With the selection of Denzel Boston, who is built almost identical to Tillman, his days in Cleveland might be coming to an end sooner than later. In three seasons he's had 71 receptions for 833 yards (11.7/rec) and 5 touchdowns.
3rd Round (#98): DT Siaki Ika, Baylor Enormous interior DLineman who was an absolute swing and a miss. I literally have zero recollection of him doing anything with the Browns, and is barely hanging on in football, bouncing from one practice squad to another.
4th Round (#111) OT Dawand Jones, Ohio State What a frustrating three seasons it has been for Jones and us watching Jones. When healthy and at a somewhat decent weight, he's shown he has the potential to be a fringe Pro-Bowler. I remember him playing on one leg and absolutely shutting down T.J. Watt when he'd come in on passing downs. In a pinch he was even decent at Left Tackle, but availability has not been his strong suit. Has missed as many games as he's played. At this moment, going into his last year of his rookie contract he's probably now going to be the #3/swing tackle for the Browns, losing his starter status.
4th Round (#126) DE Isaiah McGuire, Missouri Solid rotational DE, backing up Alex Wright opposite of Myles Garrett.
5th Round (#140) QB Dorian Thompson, UCLA I get the thinking of draft DTR, he was looked at as a good complement to Deshaun Watson, but he never panned out. He was a guy who would look really good in preseason games, but was overmatched in the regular season, starting 5 games and putting up absolutely dreadful stats: 880 yards passing, 1 touchdown vs 10 interceptions, 45 QB rating. Traded to Philadelphia prior to last season, not on a NFL roster as we speak.
5th Round (#142) CB Cameron Mitchell, Northwestern. Depth guy no longer with Browns, currently on Colts roster. Got playing time with Browns, decent guy for a 5th rounder I suppose. Tia might be able to expound on Mitchell.
6th Round (#190) C Luke Wypler, Ohio State. The Browns doubled up on Buckeyes OLinemen with Wypler, he's been a depth guy so far but could contend for the starting center job this season, or he gets sent packing because of the new rookie center from Alabama. Big training camp for Wypler.
Dutch's Overall Assessment: With the first rounders gone because of Watson, and the second rounder gone because of the Elijah Moore trade, this was a depth draft, and in some ways it was productive. It's questionable if any long-term starters will come out of it, the reason Jones slipped to the 4th round despite his talent has reared its ugly head in the pros. Ika was a huge miss. If Wypler could become a starter, he'd really help this class.
Dutch's Grade: I'm probably being incredibly generous, but I suppose I'll give this a C-.
Tia might be able to expound on Mitchell.
Browns cut him 2 weeks after I posted this review.
Ika hurts. My last 'big' miss. All I wanted was him to come in and stabilize a league-worst IDL. Couldn't even do that. And while Devon Achane has his one trick, it's a trick he does VERY well.
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