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2016 Cleveland Browns draft picks: Analysis for every selection

Pat MacManamon breaks down the 2016 Cleveland Browns draft class.

Round 1, Pick No. 15: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor | Highlights

My take: The no-receiver era has officially ended in Cleveland. The Cleveland Browns took Corey Coleman with the 15th pick in the NFL draft Thursday, the first time the Browns took a receiver in the first round since they took Braylon Edwards in 2005. In 2014 and 2015, former Browns GM Ray Farmer drafted one receiver -- Vince Mayle -- and he did not make the team out of training camp. Coleman is the first player taken in the Sashi Brown/Hue Jackson era. The conventional wisdom had Laquon Treadwell and Josh Doctson as this draft's top two wideouts, but Brown said Coleman was the team's top-rated receiver.

Productive player: Coleman's résumé is impressive. He was a two-time All-American and won the Biletnikoff Award in 2015, when he led the nation with 20 touchdown receptions, a Baylor single-season record. He also owns the Baylor career record with 33 receiving scores. Coleman had 3,009 receiving yards in his career and averaged 26 yards on kickoff returns. His career per-game average of 85.97 yards is also a Baylor school record. Pro Football Focus had Coleman as its top-rated receiver.

He scores TDs: What attracted Jackson to Coleman? "Touchdowns," the coach said. "He scores touchdowns." ESPN Stats & Information reports that Browns receivers had eight TDs last season, last in the AFC and second-last in the NFL. Coleman had those 20 scores last season and led the Power 5 conferences with 11 receptions on passes thrown 30 yards or longer, with six of those catches for touchdowns.


Round 2, Pick 32: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State | Highlights

My take: This pick will be a test of the new regime's evaluation skills. With players like Noah Spence available, the Browns took Ogbah because they thought he was the best edge rusher in the draft. They took their guy, the guy they wanted, the guy they were thrilled to see available when the first round ended. In picking Ogbah, they bypassed the likes of Spence and Kevin Dodd.

Rare combination: Ogbah weighs 275 pounds, and coach Hue Jackson said the defensive end has 4.6 speed. Jackson and Brown both gushed about that combination of size and speed. Ogbah described himself as a relentless pass-rusher, and the 12.5 sacks he had in 2015 led his conference and ranked second in the nation. There is some concern Ogbah might not be as relentless on every play as he says, that he at times takes plays off. But when he's on, he can be disruptive.

Born in Nigeria: Ogbah was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved with his family to Houston when he was 9. "My dad just wanted a better life for his family," Ogbah said. "There was a lot of corruption back in Nigeria, so … "


Round 3, Pick No. 65: Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State | Highlights

My take: A theme is developing here. The Browns are taking hard-working players who bring little attention off the field. The emphasis may not be purely on solid citizens, but the Browns seem to have found three with their first three picks. Nassib worked his way for everything he has, going from a walk-on to a scholarship player in 2013.

From nowhere to somewhere: Nassib never started a game in high school. As a freshman, he was 6-foot-6 and 218 pounds. He was able to walk on at Penn State because he had film of one successful high school game that he mailed to Penn State. He had two sacks in his first three seasons, but 15 1/2 in 2015. This is a player who knows what it means to work to get someplace.

Effort and perseverance: At one point in his tenure at Penn State, then-coach Bill O'Brien told Nassib he needed to stop thinking of his NFL dream and to concentrate on making it on the field for Penn State. Nassib's take? "I always had dreams of playing in the NFL as long as I can remember," he said. "A lot of people didn't agree with that; that never deterred me from my dream. Bill O'Brien told me what he thought. I kept working my hardest and never let that faze me."


Round 3, Pick No. 76: Shon Coleman, OT, Auburn| Highlights

My take: The Browns needed a tackle in light of the departure of Mitchell Schwartz, and they chose Coleman, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 313 pounds. Coleman is one of the draft's better stories, but he left Auburn with a year of eligibility remaining and now must prove himself in the NFL. He played left tackle at Auburn, but has experience on the right side. He probably figures to compete on the right side with the Browns.

Coming off an injury: Coleman missed the Senior Bowl and did not work out at the combine and Auburn's pro day because of an MCL tear in his knee that required surgery after the season. Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery to repair the tear, which was done surgically as opposed to arthroscopically.

What a story: Coleman's story is fairly well known. Diagnosed with leukemia in the spring of 2010, Coleman went to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for 30 months of treatment. He returned for Auburn's spring practice in 2012, then backed up Greg Robinson in 2013. He started at left tackle his final two seasons, and was second-team All-SEC in 2015.


Round 3, Pick No. 93: Cody Kessler, QB, USC| Highlights

My take: The Browns' first round started with speed and excitement. The second day included three linemen and a quarterback who doesn't exactly set off fireworks. Kessler's selection pretty much verifies that the quarterback job is Griffin's to lose. There is no immediate threat to him starting -- unless it comes from McCown, and he seems to be in Browns limbo. The Browns are casting their lot with Griffin and depending on Hue Jackson to revive him. Kessler had some nice numbers at USC, but he does not project as a rookie starter. The bottom line: A team that could have taken Carson Wentz second wound up with Cody Kessler 93rd.

The coach begs to differ: Hue Jackson was uber-excited about Kessler. The coach gushed about him while still acknowledging that he understood any skepticism and questions about the choice of Kessler. Jackson called Kessler "one of the most accurate passers in college football." He said he played in "a pro style game." He said he has "pinpoint accuracy" and a tremendous touchdown-to-interception ratio. "He's everything that I think you look for in a quarterback," Jackson said. The coach said the most important attribute for a quarterback is accuracy; Kessler said he has always prided himself on his accuracy. Kessler visited the Browns and spent a lot of time in a one-on-one interview with Jackson, which left the coach impressed. "I understand where everybody's coming from," Jackson said. "You gotta trust me on this one."

By the numbers: Kessler completed 67.5 percent as a three-year starter for USC, with 88 touchdowns and just 19 interceptions. He's 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds. In his career he threw for 10,339 yards. He also played in an NFL-style offense with several different USC coaches. Most draft analysts projected him as a career -- though quality -- backup.

Drafting quarterbacks: ESPN Stats & Information reports this tidbit: Kessler is the seventh quarterback drafted by the Browns in the first three rounds since 1999, most in the NFL during that time.


Round 4, Pick 99: Joe Schobert, OLB, Wisconsin | Highlights

My take: The Browns added linebacker depth with Wisconsin's Joe Schobert, who like third-round pick Carl Nassib earned his way to a scholarship and an honored career by beginning as a walk-on. The Browns continue to take productive players who know the value of hard work and who understand nothing has been given to them. The emphasis on work and character is evident, but so is the emphasis on production.

Leader: Among Schobert's honors: MVP of the Badgers in 2015, consensus All-America (first or second team), first team All-Big Ten and a Bednarik and Lombardi Award semifinalist. Fourth-round linebackers usually are special-teams players to begin, and Schobert said he is more than willing to do that. This is a solid selection for a fourth-round pick.


Round 4, Pick No. 114: Ricardo Louis, WR, Auburn | Highlights

My take: This one seems like a reach. The Browns took a player in the fourth round who drops balls and runs poor routes. Louis is fast and athletic, but he needs to refine himself as a receiver. There is some talk that he may play cornerback in the NFL, but there is no indication from the Browns that will happen. Louis has ability, but he needs to learn to be a receiver. Seems like a stretch.

Famous catch: Louis was the receiver who caught the game-winning pass -- "The Prayer at Jordan-Hare" -- against Georgia in November. Down one point with less than a minute left and facing fourth down, Auburn threw a deep desperation pass that was tipped forward by Georgia defensive backs and landed in Louis' hands. He then ran untouched to the end zone. Louis promised he is one of the best receivers in the draft, and his goal is to prove it.


Round 4, Pick No. 129: Derrick Kindred, S, TCU | Highlights

My take: It's hard to criticize a guy who played the way Kindred did with the circumstances he had to endure. Kindred had so much pain at night he said he had to change his sleep habits so he did not roll onto his collarbone. He still played every game and played well, and he said his collarbone is fully healed and he will be ready to go. It's impossible not to recognize and respect his effort and dedication.


Round 4, Pick No. 138 Seth DeValve, WR, Princeton

He played in two games at Princeton in 2014 and missed four games in 2015. In 2015, he caught 33 passes for 337 yards. DeValve said he was born with a foot issue that prompted surgeries to fix the issue.

"The foot injuries that I did have were not injuries, but rather things I was born with," he said in a conference call. "Unclosed growth plate of the fifth metatarsal on each side. When I was done growing, those growth plates did not close and that caused a lot of pain. I needed corrective surgeries."

My take: It's hard not to think DeValve could have been signed as an undrafted free agent after the draft ended. This either means the Browns saw something they really, really liked, or they reached. DeValve was a combination tight end/wide receiver at Princeton, but he will play tight end for the Browns.

Ivy league rivalry: DeValve said that Princeton guys do not like Harvard guys, and Harvard guys do not like Princeton, so it was something that a team with three Harvard guys in the front office selected him. He's also the highest-drafted player from Princeton in draft history (138th overall).


Round 5, Pick No. 154: Jordan Payton, WR, UCLA | Highlights

The Cleveland Browns used a fifth-round pick (No. 154) on Jordan Payton, who is one of the more sure-handed and productive receivers in the draft. He scored 12 touchdowns the last two seasons at UCLA, and he had very few drops. Payton had 78 catches as a senior, and is UCLA's all-time reception leader with 201. He also had at least one catch in his final 29 games.

My take: It's interesting. Put Payton in the fourth round and Auburn's Ricardo Louis in the fifth and these two picks would have a completely different feel. Payton was a productive and dependable receiver at UCLA. His attitude: "I'm not scared to go over the middle, not scared to do the dirty work. … I want to score touchdowns, I want to block well." This late-round selection might be tough to top.

Reliable: How reliable was Payton? Glad you asked. He had 145 receptions his final two years. Pro Football Focus reports he had only six drops. The analytics site keeps track of catchable passes. It reports of 152 catchable balls, Payton dropped only four percent. He's productive and reliable.


Round 5, Pick No. 168: Spencer Drango, OT, Baylor | Highlights

Tackle Spencer Drango, taken by the Cleveland Browns with the 31st pick in the fifth round (168th overall), is a sound run blocker who needs some work on pass protection. However, Drango had quite a career at Baylor, where he was a four-year starter and consensus All-American his final two seasons. Drango is one of two tackles the Browns took in the draft.

My take: Why not? Drango is another productive player who contributed to Baylor for four years. He's a tackle who can move, and he's a gnarly competitor. Those are good attributes for an offensive lineman. He also graduated from Baylor in December of 2014 with a degree in finance. There is some talk Drango may be best suited to play guard in the NFL.


Round 5, Pick No. 172: Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State | Highlights

Never let it be said the Browns are ignoring the wide receiver position. Taken in the fifth round, Colorado State's Rashard Higgins was the fourth receiver drafted by the Browns -- though with Seth DeValve, the number could be five since DeValve played WR in college. The last team to take five WRs in the draft was the Los Angeles Rams, when the draft was 17 rounds.

My take: After many complained because the Browns took just one receiver in the draft in the past two years, it's tough to complain when they take five (or four, depending on your view). Higgins is also another player who was extremely productive in college, as he finished the school's all-time leader in receptions (239), yards (3,649) and touchdowns (31). There's nothing wrong with having numbers at a position, and it's all the better when the players were as productive as the Browns' draftees were.

Standout season: Higgins had an exceptional junior year: 96 catches, 1,750 yards and 17 touchdowns. The 17 touchdowns averaged 35 yards per TD.


Round 5, Pick No. 173: Trey Caldwell CB, Louisiana-Monroe

The Cleveland Browns selected defensive back Trey Caldwell with their fourth pick of the fifth round on Saturday. He started 22 games the past two seasons at Louisiana-Monroe and had two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. That pick-six was the deciding score in a win in last season's finale over New Mexico State.

My take: When it gets to this point of the draft, successful choices are a bonus. Caldwell is only 5-foot-9 and 188 pounds. He left high school as a dropback passer and made a successful conversion to defensive back. Caldwell was the first player taken at cornerback, a position where the team has needs.


Round 7, Pick 250 Scooby Wright III, ILB, Arizona | Highlights

My take: Wright played only three games in 2015 due to a torn meniscus in his knee, which is a concern. But at this point of the draft, after 13 picks and a cornerback acquired via trade, the Browns are wise to take a chance. If they see something they believe in, they made the smart move by drafting Wright.