FanPost

The "I Wish We Drafted ___" Thread

Every year during the draft, when my beloved Cleveland Browns are on the clock (in any round), they rarely draft the player I want them to. While this is irritating enough as it is, it seems like the player I was hoping for always ends up on another AFC North team, magnifying my irritation. It happened again this year and I wanted the internet to keep a record of my self-righteous fury for all time (which in this case probably means laughing at how bad my choices would have been if I were in charge)! Before we get to that though, some of the more notable occasions this has happened that I can still remember are:

2004 - The Browns select Kellen Winslow instead of Ben Roethlisberger, who then went to the hated Steelers. One of the rare instances where I actually had a witness to my preference. I was at the OSU spring game during the draft and still remember them showing the picks on the ticker at the stadium. Winslow turned out better than I thought he would, but in comparison to what might've been...ugh.

2014 - The Browns select Justin Gilbert instead of Aaron Donald. At least he didn't go to an AFC North team.

2018 - The Browns select Austin Corbett instead of Harold Landry. Jury's still out on whether Corbett is OK, will find out this year whether this was an acceptable choice.

2018 - The Browns select Chad Thomas instead of Sam Hubbard. This one particularly hurt because they play the same position and Hubbard went to the Bengals and had a solid first season. Again, maybe Thomas will prove me wrong this year, but Hubbard seemed like a better choice at the time and in hindsight so far.

And now to 2019. Much like the rest of the football universe, I wasn't a huge fan of drafting Takitaki in the 3rd round, less so because it was a "reach" than because Jaylon Ferguson was still on the board, who ended up going to the Ravens. Defensive end wasn't a need for the Browns, but it's hard to pass up on a promising young player at a premier position in the 3rd round. Maybe he'd be a backup for the Browns this year, but allows a cheaper alternative to Vernon for years to come. But now, here's hoping I was wrong and the Ravens get nothing out of him and that Takitaki plays well

Only fair to mention that I was skeptical of Mayfield/Ward over Darnold/Chubb last year too, though I didn't actually mind the choices (especially Mayfield...I was less convinced on Ward). And sometimes the Browns actually do what I want, which can be a mixed blessing (Emmanual Ogbah, Genard Avery, and Danny Shelton come to mind as choices that fit this category). But let it be known that if Jaylon Ferguson ends up being a good player for the Ravens that I will be very upset. Very upset I say!

So who are some players over the years that you've wanted the Browns to take that went on to be studs/busts? And no revisionist history, you have to have wanted it at the time!

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