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

Draft Grade: C

Heading into the third round, and even late in the second, I was begging the Cleveland Browns to trade up and take Wyoming linebacker Logan Wilson. After the departure of Joe Schobert in free agency, the linebacker position seemed to be the logical position of choice for this selection.

Without moving up, Wilson came off the board to begin round three, making him no longer an option at pick 74. But who was there? Zack Baun of Wisconsin, who many evaluators had as a first or early second-round pick.

The fit was a bit of a question in a 4-3 defense, as Baun excels both as a pass rusher and as an off-the-ball linebacker, but clearly the New Orleans Saints thought he would work out well, as they traded up to the Browns spot at 74 to select him. They say they plan to play him as an off-ball linebacker, the biggest need for the Browns at that point in the draft.

The Cleveland Browns opted to trade back and allow Baun to head to New Orleans, then targeting a linebacker with their next third-round pick just nine selections later (we’ll talk about that next). With the 88th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Browns went with an interior defensive lineman, Jordan Elliott from Missouri.

Elliott is a fairly raw player but shows great flashes of ability to get into the backfield. He is a very versatile lineman who can play in multiple spots on the defensive front. At 6-foot-4, just over 300 lbs, and with over 32-inch arms and over 10-inch hands, Elliott has the desired size to play in the NFL.

The Missouri City, Texas product played, coincidentally, at both Texas and Missouri in his college career. After not getting much run as a freshman at Texas, Elliott transferred to Missouri and was productive in his two seasons there, totaling 68 tackles, 16.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks and four pass deflections.

Using his length to his advantage, Elliott keeps blockers at bay and can throw them to the side to make a tackle. At times, he looks like an edge rusher on the inside, exhibiting solid explosion and great bend by guards and centers into the backfield.

While the interior defensive line was not a big need, Elliott is a great fit as a bit of developmental project who can contribute in spurts early, but really sit and learn, growing into his future role. With incumbent starters Larry Ogunjobi and Sheldon Richardson returning, as well as the addition of former Bengals tackle Andrew Billings, Elliott should not feel the pressure to contribute heavily right away.

I would have liked to see the Cleveland Browns add a player at a position of need that would contribute a bit more right away the high in the 2020 NFL Draft, but Elliott’s potential cannot be ignored. Overall, I give it a “C” grade, primarily based on the other options available both before and after the trade, but Elliott is a fine player that should play a major role down the road.