Cleveland Browns: Grading the 2020 NFL Draft class, pick-by-pick analysis

With the 2020 NFL Draft in the books, we grade each pick made by the Cleveland Browns and take a look at how the team did as a whole.

Well, Cleveland Browns fans, the event we’ve all been waiting for (the 2020 NFL Draft) has already come and gone. After a busy offseason under a new regime, the draft was the team’s chance to really round out the roster, filling needs with talented young players that can contribute.

Under new general manager Andrew Berry, Chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta and with new head coach Kevin Stefanski, the Cleveland Browns have a new look, and a new outlook in the front office.

This new brain-trust comes mostly from Ivy League roots, relying heavily on analytics when evaluating players and making decisions. Berry came back to Cleveland after one season under Howie Roseman with the Philadelphia Eagles and Stefanski was brought in after many seasons as an offensive coach with the Minnesota Vikings. Both are rather successful organizations, especially compared to the Cleveland Browns in recent years.

The hope is that the group will be able to replicate that success in Cleveland, turning “The Mistake on the Lake” into a true winner. The last regime brought in a lot of talent, but the pieces didn’t quite fall into place for real success.

This offseason in free agency, the team signed a lot of players that should fit well, both in the locker room and on the field. The team addressed needs by adding players like right tackle Jack Conklin, tight end Austin Hooper, back-up veteran quarterback Case Keenum, safeties Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo, defensive tackle Andrew Billings, slot corner Kevin Johnson and veteran defensive end Adrian Clayborn.

This group of additions are very solid players on the field and should be great leaders for the younger players on the roster. Most of them signed one-year deals, however, so the success needs to come quickly.

The 2020 NFL Draft was the last big chance that the team had to really make a big swing to improve the roster. With the pressure on the organization to win right now, the front office had to balance that ability for prospects to contribute right away with how they can grow and what they can become with some time in the future.

I think the Cleveland Browns did a very good job in the 2020 NFL Draft, and I will go into detail grading each pick they made to form an overall grade for the team’s draft. The team made some trades, added some more draft capital (both this year and next) and brought in some very talented players, starting with their first-round selection.