One of the reasons Browns fans appreciate the newfound success under GM Andrew Berry and the current regime is because of the long-term suffering at the hands of prior regimes that just weren’t good at their jobs. Look no further than the utter ineptitude of drafting wide receivers.
From 2011 to 2020, the Browns tried several times to draft a wide receiver. Ten times, in fact. And with the blessed exception of Rashard Higgins, those picks have resulted in swings and misses.
Pro Football Focus tracked the 10-year draft success rate at each position group over the last decade. It’s not surprising to find the Browns finished dead last at wide receiver, especially when weighing the value of higher picks. The Browns finished just below the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for the lowest valued success rate at drafting wideouts in the decade.
Swings and misses on Corey Coleman (1st round, 2016), Greg Little (2nd round, 2011) and Antonio Callaway (4th round, 2018) outweigh the positive selections of Higgins (5th round, 2016) and the promising Donovan Peoples-Jones (6th round, 2020). Two of the players, Jordan Payton (5th round, 2016) and Vince Mayle (4th round, 2015), combined for exactly one catch in brief NFL careers.
Thank goodness that dark era appears but a distant and bad memory.
