Only a couple of days remain before the 2023 NFL draft kicks off with the first round starting on Thursday night. The Cleveland Browns have fixed a majority of the big roster holes during free agency giving them the freedom to draft talent and not force a position. Though improved the wide receiver room could use some more talent for the long-term depth of the position.
This year’s class isn’t loaded like the past couple of years but there are still plenty of players that can be contributors. Let’s take a look at the different options the Browns could look at by round in this week’s draft.
Round 3t: Tyler Scott, Cincinnati
The Browns finally got the vertical speed they lacked for so long when they added Elijah Moore and Marquise Goodwin. But there isn’t a long-term player outside of Moore and Cincinnati’s Tyler Scott has the game-changing speed to change the offense. He understands how to attack a defense and find the hole in the zone possessing great body control to utilize that speed to add more dynamic play-making to the roster.
Round 4: Kayshon Boutte, LSU
Going into this season many considered Kayshon Boutte a first round talent before some off-the-field issues and a poor season had him drop in the rankings. We have seen Boutte perform and it’s clear from the film that he has talent if he can put it all together consistently. Boutte has the versatility to line up in different places with the vertical speed to hit the home run play.
Round 5: Trey Palmer, Nebraska
Trey Palmer only has one productive season and has trouble with drops at times but in the fifth round, his combination of size and speed is worth the risk. Running a 4.33 40-yard dash at 6 feet tall and almost 200 pounds he can use that size and strength to deal with the more physical defensive backs as well as being able to blow to top off the defense with his speed.
Round 6: Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WVU
If you are looking for a freaky athletic player late in this year’s draft, then Bryce Ford-Wheaton is the guy for you. At 6-foot-3 and 221 pounds the WVU product ran a 4.38 40-yard dash. Overall the raw talent scored a 9.97 on the RAS scale showing that he has as much upside as any player and if he is developed right he can be a solid player in the NFL.
Round 7: Puka Nacua, BYU
BYU’s Puka Nacua isn’t an elite-level athlete but has reliable hands and good size at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. He has noticeable body control and can change directions on one cut well to force missed tackles and create more yards after the catch. Nacua excels in contested catch opportunities using his size and strength to show he can make plays at the next level.
