The first draft class from the Andrew Berry regime in Cleveland offered a modest return on investment as rookies. In the tally of immediate contribution and productivity of the 32 draft classes, the Browns haul from the 2020 draft wound up in the middle of the NFL pack.
The Browns ranked 19th in an ESPN productivity measurement published this week. Their assessment is based on the concept of Wins Above Replacement value, or WAR, as determined by Pro Football Focus.
Cleveland had four picks on Days 1 and 2 of the draft, but none of the players selected made a positive impact. Second-round pick Grant Delpit missed the campaign with a torn Achilles, and the other three — offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., defensive end Jordan Elliott and linebacker Jacob Phillips — all generated negative PFF WAR.
In essence, Wills being better at pass protection than run blocking hurt his evaluation here. Wills was the only rookie to play more than 60 percent of available snaps, and second-rounder Grant Delpit missed the entire season.
Given the injuries and the success of the team, the No. 19 productivity should rise up as the players emerge over the next couple of seasons.
