Welcome to the day of the 2023 NFL draft! While the Cleveland Browns will not come on the clock until tomorrow night, they will have eight picks to play around with, including six in the middle rounds. We have completed mock draft after mock draft in preparation for the main event, so this time we let the computers decide.
Using PFF’s mock draft simulator, we let the picks just roll right through to see who the Browns would land in a fully simulated mock draft to fill the eight picks Cleveland has to their name.
And full disclaimer: it was ugly.
Round 3, Pick no. 74: EDGE Derick Hall, Auburn
Round 3, Pick no. 98: OT Blake Freeland, BYU
Round 4, Pick no. 111: TE Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan
Round 4, Pick no. 126: DL Mike Morris, Michigan
Round 5, Pick no. 140: OG Emil Ekiyor, Alabama
Round 5, Pick no. 142: DT Keondre Coburn, Texas
Round 6, Pick no. 190: DT Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma
Round 7, Pick no. 220: EDGE Ali Gaye, LSU
Yeah... it wasn't pretty
The computers got off to a promising start with the selection of Derick Hall. Even the pick of offensive tackle Blake Freeland has its merits. This, however, is where the draft went off the rails for the simulator, using four of the next six picks on defensive linemen, sprinkling in a tight end and a guard in the mix.
Not only that, but the simulator predictably ignored many of the age and athleticism guardrails the Browns operate under. Ignoring the wide receiver and linebacker positions was a bold move as well.
Using five of eight assets strictly along the defensive interior would get this computer fired the next day. It’s a good thing the draft is not left up to computers.
