(Polls) 2020 Draft In-Review: Berry and DePo Rise Again

[Mind Character]

Discuss all things 2020 Draft In-Review ...

---------------------------

To me, what is encouraging about Andrew Berry and DePo drafts are that their approaches have internal logic and make sense even if the evaluations sometimes are a bit off.

That is, much like trading up in the 1st for David Njoku or getting Jabrill peppers late 1st, there's logic and reason behind what they're involved in doing even if there were better evaluations that could have been done to elevate another player over another.

This year the logic was sound, some of the evaluations were off imo, but Berry and co displayed a strong knowledge of draft economy although I think we missed some major opportunities for value in the 2nd round and top of the 3rd.

-------------------------

The Best Moves:

1.) BIg Booms/Long-Term Potential in the 3rd and 4th Rounds:

The Jordan Elliot and Harrison Bryant selections again show a sophistication and logic in their thinking. Both have their issues, but both have huge upsides and have been overlooked for a wide-variety of reasons.

2.) The Great Value Trade:

Trading a 2020 3rd for a 2020 later 3rd and 2021 later 3rd was a really good trade understanding the economy of value.

3.) Patience in Trade Negotiation:

Not Panicking and giving up tons of capital for Trent Williams' services. They can't get tons of credit for the Wills pick because he fell in their lap, and I'm surprised they didn't trade up for him when he got close to make sure they got their guy, but more importantly being patient in their Trent Williams offers was a sound approach.

----

The Questionable/Missed Opportunities:

1.) Missed Opportunity for Value & Not Trading Up/Down for More Value

In my mind, the 2nd Round was a wasted opportunity at getting more value. This year's 2nd round and top of the 3rd was filled with numerous quality starters. We could've potentially acquired more value and another valuable pick in the top of the 3rd by trading down for quality impact starters like JK Dobbins, Denzel Mims, Antonio Gibson, Ashtyn Davis, Kristian Fulton, Jeremy Chinn, Logan Wilson, Jabari Zuniga, Julian Okwara --OR-- by instead trading up for quality players ranging from immediate quality starter to big-time upside players like Robert Hunt, Ross Blacklock, or Yetur Gross-Matos.

I get what the logic/reasoning is behind the Grant Delpit selection I really really do; Delpit's Booms and Flashes are unbelievable and look like just what an impact Safety looks like at the Next level, but to me his low lows are too prevalent and too consistent to be overlooked or to be something he eradicates from his game. He's always going to be feast or famine; highlight great or highlight terrible and that uncertainty in production and play is hard to build around and adjust/account for as a defense.

Passing on play-making Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. didn't make much sense at all but even if we just wanted to take a safety it made more sense to trade down and gamble on 2 players instead of 1 given the other players on the board. Instead, we put our gambling chip exclusively on Grant Delpit. Even if we whole-heartedly believed in Delpit the better gamble would've been on multiple of those players listed above instead of 1 guy. Maybe the Browns explored such trades but it didn't work for them, but given the trades that did happen it seems that such a trade could've been done if desired. Trading down and getting JK Dobbins and Antonio Gibson --OR-- Denzel Mims and Jeremy Chinn -- OR-- Antonio Gibson  and Ashtyn Davis --OR-- Logan Wilson and Julian Okwara/Jabari Zuniga etc...etc.. etc... That 2nd and top of the 3rd round are missed opportunities to me.

2.) Missed Evaluation:

The Jacob Phillips pick was a truly puzzling one.

He's young; has good athletic testing numbers, but his film shows so many deficiencies that I'm not sure how he could've been valued over the other LBs on the board like Troy Dye, Justin Strnad, Davion Taylor, etc.

Phillips is more of a 34-ILB Defensive fit who's more of a straight-line throw-back tackling machine that gets everything that's funneled to him down on the ground. He's more of a linear occasional thumper who's timed speed is far superior to his play speed or range. He doesn't have good instincts or a quick mental trigger to sift through the noise in the passing game and has even worse recognition skills on critical 3rd downs. He's stiff as an athlete and doesn't have the hips to flip and cover large areas.

He does have run support skills in a limited range and he plays with good energy.

In summary, I don't think he helps the Browns stop TEs, Slot-WRs, horizontal running games, Lamar Jackson, or the Bengals coming spread attack. It's a puzzling selection as there's a universe and realm where Delpit cuts his issues in half and is a solid player, but there's no universe where Jacob Phillips is more than a replacement level LB starter who ultimately is relegated to special teams.

Maybe his energy and love for the game along with the coaches development of him have him become something currently unseen or maybe we switch to a 34 defense next year and his skillset becomes more valuable, but as of now to me that's the Browns draft biggest miss evaluation in the 3rd round.

Edited April 25, 2020 by Mind Character

[NateDawg]

I like it on paper. Every year though, all of these websites have a “best drafts” and “worst drafts” on draft day. In reality, it’s a crapshoot and nobody wins on draft day. We will see a year or two from now what we have.

[candyman93]

As crazy as it sounds.

 

I think they killed it drafting offensive players.

 

Defensive players...? We will see.

[pnies20]

Great draft. Great value. Great scheme fits. Bunch of starters added.

 

B+

Doesnt make an A because although I like Phillips, I think they could’ve done better there and there was better interior OL that they could’ve grabbed like Biadasz. 

Wills, Delpit, Bryant and DPJ alone is an A- 

[Kiwibrown]

The text two years of coaching is going to matter a lot.

[brownie man]

You got the number 1 tackle in the draft

regardless of any other pick if he pans out as a 10 year starter it’s an A+ draft in my opinion 

[Reginaldm9]

The whole draft is a B for me. 

I don't have an issue with any of the guys we've taken, they all make sense for one reason or another. Our first pick is amazing. I just think it's best to temper expectations for guys like Elliot and Peoples-Jones. Guys who fall in the draft process are never the plug and play phenoms we build them up to be. I like the entire draft, but I'm unsure if we waited out on top talents in the middle to late rounds or if we're stuck with fool's gold the entire rest of the league spotted accurately with tenured front office executives and scouting departments. 

[Kiwibrown]

1 minute ago, Reginaldm9 said:

The whole draft is a B for me. 

I don't have an issue with any of the guys we've taken, they all make sense for one reason or another. Our first pick is amazing. I just think it's best to temper expectations for guys like Elliot and Peoples-Jones. Guys who fall in the draft process are never the plug and play phenoms we build them up to be. I like the entire draft, but I'm unsure if we waited out on top talents in the middle to late rounds or if we're stuck with fool's gold the entire rest of the league spotted accurately with tenured front office executives and scouting departments. 

A B is good, that is hwere I have it too,

an A is when it is good and you make some sweet profit in a trade or you draft an Andrew Luck type. 

[LETSGOBROWNIES]

Wills, Bryant, Harris and DPJ were great picks imo.

Delpit is 50/50.  If he’s the guy we’ve seen from highlights he’s a pro bowler and superb pick.  If not, Taylor Mays.

The DT was just a solid pick, with a great plan to ease him in.

The LB was a whiff on the surface.  The fact he doesn’t seem to miss tackles gives me hope.

 

 

[LETSGOBROWNIES]

3 minutes ago, Reginaldm9 said:

The whole draft is a B for me. 

I don't have an issue with any of the guys we've taken, they all make sense for one reason or another. Our first pick is amazing. I just think it's best to temper expectations for guys like Elliot and Peoples-Jones. Guys who fall in the draft process are never the plug and play phenoms we build them up to be. I like the entire draft, but I'm unsure if we waited out on top talents in the middle to late rounds or if we're stuck with fool's gold the entire rest of the league spotted accurately with tenured front office executives and scouting departments. 

I have no real expectations for DPJ, just love the ability and possibility of being a starter long term if he develops.

It just feels like we bought low on him.

[candyman93]

The offense will get buckets next year.

 

The defense is going to be ugly at times. Really hope we get Clowney.

[Kiwibrown]

13 minutes ago, candyman93 said:

The offense will get buckets next year.

 

The defense is going to be ugly at times. Really hope we get Clowney.

Clowney will make a huge difference for us, especially vs Balt and their run heavy offense. 

Im worried that Baltimore could run for 500 yards vs us this year in both games. 

[LETSGOBROWNIES]

8 minutes ago, Kiwibrown said:

Clowney will make a huge difference for us, especially vs Balt and their run heavy offense. 

Im worried that Baltimore could run for 500 yards vs us this year in both games. 

Clowney moves the needle a lot imo.

The linebackers are a mess, but maybe one of the sophomores steps up.

[Kiwibrown]

Just now, LETSGOBROWNIES said:

Clowney moves the needle a lot imo.

The linebackers are a mess, but maybe one of the sophomores steps up.

Agreed. Vs Baltimore we will have to rely on the back 3 to stop big passing plays and the front 8 vs the run, could get ugly. 

[Kiwibrown]

one thing that is encouraging is that we will already be developing a plan for each of these players to get better and for things for them to be working on. We will be realistic about all of their weaknesses and strengths. 

We wont have a SS/LB hybrid standing 25 yards deep this year with one of these guys.