With the 26th pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns select Greg Newsome II, cornerback, Northwestern.
Analysis: If you draft Newsome hoping to get a Day One press-man corner, you might be setting the bar too high. Can he give you that part of the game? Sure, but perhaps not immediately. Still, teams that play a lot of zone will love his footwork and his eyes. He might be a more schematically-limited corner out of the box, but there is room for growth and a pretty solid ceiling.
Grade: A. The Browns helped their defense in free agency with the acquisitions of former Rams safety John Johnson III and cornerback Troy Hill, and Newsome is an excellent addition to a group with cornerbacks who have missed time due to injury. Last season, Newsome was targeted seven times on passes of 20 or more air yards, and didn’t allow a single catch.
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