Every year, we count down the days until the NFL Draft by letting you make the picks in our Fan Mock Draft. Every day until the opening bell of the draft on May 8, you'll get to vote and decide one selection per day, until we arrive at the Eagles' selection at No. 22 overall. Today, we turn to the Cleveland Browns and the fourth overall pick ...
The Cleveland Browns selected linebacker Vontae Mack and running back Ray Jennings in the movie, Draft Day, the fictional look at the NFL Draft.
Who will the real Cleveland Browns select in this year's draft?
The Browns overhauled their front office and coaching staff this offseason with Ray Farmer being promoted to general manager and Mike Pettine taking over as head coach.
Cleveland has plenty of firepower in this year's draft owning the No. 4 pick, the No. 26 pick and the No. 35 pick among the team's 10 total selections.
The Browns finished the 2013 season 4-12 after losing seven straight games. They started the season respectable with a 3-2 record that included a win over eventual division champion Cincinnati, but their last win came on Nov. 3 at home against the Ravens.
With the way that the first three picks have gone in this year's Fan Mock Draft, the Browns will have their pick of the litter of the top quarterbacks - except for Johnny Manziel. If the draft plays out like this in real life, the Browns might feel like they've won. Mary Kay Cabot, longtime beat reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, told NFL Network that she thinks the Browns will choose former Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr for two reasons – she believes he is at the top of the team's quarterback wish list and there is fear that Oakland would take him at No. 5.
The only quarterbacks on the current roster are Brian Hoyer and Alex Tanney. Their best playmaker is Pro Bowl wide receiver Josh Gordon, who had 87 catches for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns last season as the only viable offensive weapon. The Browns fortified the run game in free agency with former Texans back Ben Tate. New offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan could construct the offense around multiple weapons as the Browns add Clemson's Sammy Watkins or Texas A&M's Mike Evans. The Browns could also add tackle Jake Matthews and pair with Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas to form a strong bookend tandem which would help both the run game and pass protection.
Pettine could look to bolster a defense that did rank ninth in total yards and eighth against the pass last season, but still allowed over 25 points per game. Linebacker Khalil Mack could improve the pass rush from the edge, while Aaron Donald might be an option to provide interior disruption. Mock drafts will have you believe that No. 4 would be too high to select a cornerback, but maybe the Browns pair Justin Gilbert with Joe Haden, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season.
The Browns were happy at the end of the draft in the Draft Day movie. How they end up in the Fan Mock Draft is up to you.
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