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Last week, Todd McShay's fourth mock draft was unveiled with two full rounds. Today, Mel Kiper released his fourth mock draft as well. First, let's take a look at how Kiper's picks have gone for Cleveland in his first three attempts:
Kiper 1.0: QB Blake Bortles (No. 4), RB Carlos Hyde (No. 23)
Kiper 2.0: QB Teddy Bridgewater (No. 4), WR Davante Adams (No. 26)
Kiper 3.0: QB Blake Bortles (No. 4), WR Kelvin Benjamin (No. 26)
Except for Kiper's first mock draft from January, both he and McShay have been going quarterback-wide receiver with the Browns' first two picks. Not this time, though -- Kiper bucked the trend with a different position at No. 26 overall. Here is how Kiper's mock draft started off, prior to Cleveland being on the clock at No. 4 overall:
No. 1 - Houston: DE Jadeveon Clowney
No. 2 - St. Louis: OT Greg Robinson
No. 3 - Jacksonville: WR Sammy Watkins
At last, Kiper finally gave in and had QB Johnny Manziel going to the Browns!
No. 4 - Cleveland: QB Johnny Manziel
Manziel is not my top-rated QB, but he is the QB I believe (right now) is likeliest to go this high, as I believe a team like Cleveland, with a number of draft assets and a QB on the roster it feels can create a bridge to a young starter, is in a good scenario to take a chance on Manziel's ceiling. The Browns owning the No. 26 pick as well as an early second-rounder gives them a chance to take a player like Watkins here if available and consider a QB later, but this is how I see it as of right now.
At No. 26 overall, Kiper has cornerback Kyle Fuller going to the Browns:
No. 26 - Cleveland: CB Kyle Fuller
Depending on which game you're watching, you could walk away thinking Fuller is as good as or better than any cornerback in this draft, and the Browns can take him expecting a player who will contribute early at a position where they lack enough depth behind Joe Haden. Fuller has good size at 6 feet tall, and not only plays fast, but gets off the ground well to challenge high-point throws against taller pass-catchers. If Cleveland goes another route at No. 4, this is obviously a slot where the Browns could go with a QB.
One thing to note is that Kiper had Bridgewater falling all the way to No. 33 overall, where he has the Texans drafting him. At No. 35 overall, Kiper mocked wide receiver Davante Adams going to the Browns. In Kiper 2.0, he had Adams going to the Browns in the first round.
No. 35 - Cleveland: WR Davante Adams
At this stage the Browns have already drafted a QB and a CB, both positions of need, and here they take advantage of the great depth at wide receiver and get a player like Adams who could become a very good No. 2 behind Josh Gordon.
What do you think of Kiper's picks for Cleveland?
NFL Insider Mel Kiper has Bridgewater taking a big fall in his latest mock draft. pic.twitter.com/P3gJjunPhM
— ESPN (@espn) April 17, 2014