Cleveland Browns bolster defense in 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft

Round 2, Pick 54

Part of taking a cornerback in the first round is the depth in the draft at the other positions of need for the Browns which allows them to take the best player available, within reason. The only downside is that the player that was going to hopefully fall to this pick didn’t in Nick Bolton.

Instead, the Cleveland Browns use their second pick in the 2021 NFL mock draft to select Chazz Surratt out of North Carolina, who is very similar in skill set to Bolton. While it might be a bit of a reach here, Surratt fits the system in Cleveland.

B.J. Goodson has been the core of the linebackers in Cleveland this season, but being on a one-year deal the Browns might need to replace him or at least get depth behind him. Surratt’s stats are very close to what Goodson does, tallying 206 tackles over the last two seasons, which consisted of 24 games resulting in an average of 8.6 tackles per game.

Round 3, Pick 85

While the Cleveland Browns could opt to take Trevon Moehrig in the first round, they can invest in other positions then and wait to take Jevon Holland later on to get essentially the same skill set. With Grant Delpit coming back from injury next year and Ronnie Harrison showing promise, this need is mainly a depth pick, but also key for three-safety sets which are becoming more common.

Holland probably would have been a first-round pick, or close to it, but he hasn’t played in 2020 which has hurt his draft stock. This could play well for whoever takes him, creating a high value in the mid-rounds. In this 2021 NFL mock draft, that’s the Cleveland Browns.

Holland tallied nine interceptions and 10 passes defended as well as 108 tackles his two seasons with Oregon, being just 27 games. If those stats can translate to the NFL, he could be the steal of the draft if he falls this far.

Round 3, Pick 92

First off, I have no idea how Rashad Weaver is available here, but the Browns are the benefactor. A Pro Football Focus First Team All-American and First Team All-ACC, Weaver has racked up the accolades this year. Those types of recognitions are the type of players Cleveland has invested in during the mid-rounds, see Harrison Bryant from last year.

Weaver’s two top tier awards were accompanied by 14 tackles for loss in just nine games as well as 7.5 sacks. If that isn’t enough, he put up similar numbers in 2019, albeit over 14 games, with 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

Those type numbers have followed Weaver through his tenure at Pittsburgh and makes him a dream pick in the late third round for any team.