2023 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns pick CB Cameron Mitchell at No. 142

The Cleveland Browns selected cornerback Cameron Mitchell from Northwestern in the fifth round on Saturday, the No. 142 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The 5-foot-10 and 191-pound Mitchell is the fourth draft selection made by the Browns today.

Mitchell was a full-time starter the past two seasons with the Wildcats and finished his collegiate career with 119 tackles, two interceptions and 22 passes defended. While he has toughness, Mitchell struggles to stay with receivers and may be best suited to see playing time as a run-stopping nickel back, according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.

In his draft preview at The Athletic, Dane Brugler wrote that Mitchell:

played boundary cornerback in former defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil’s base Cover 4 scheme. When his close friend, Greg Newsome, was banged up late in the 2020 season, he stepped into his role and quickly developed into one of the team’s best defensive players. A smooth, competitive corner, Mitchell has athletic footwork with the play strength and coverage timing to disrupt passing windows (he just needs to pull down more interceptions). Though he is fearless jumping plays, NFL quarterbacks will look to expose his greedy tendencies and catch him out of position. Overall, Mitchell needs to continue and develop his eye discipline to better match up with NFL receivers, but his athleticism, aggressiveness and smarts give him the scheme-versatility that NFL teams desire. He will be ready to compete for NFL starting reps as a rookie.

Mitchell joins a cornerback room that is set at the top with Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II and Martin Emerson Jr., so he will be competing for snaps with A.J. Green, Mike Ford and Thomas Graham Jr.

What do you think of the selection, Browns fans?