Browns Draft Grades 2020: How national analysts graded the picks

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns added seven players to the roster during the 2020 NFL Draft. And if you ask readers on cleveland.com (which we did), the results were positive.

In online polling, readers gave an A to the picks of offensive tackle Jedrick Wills, safety Grant Delpit, tight end Harrison Bryant and wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. Center Nick Harris and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott earned Bs, while defensive tackle Jacob Phillips was a C.

Take all the grades together and readers gave the Browns a 3.4 GPA for this draft. That still gets GM Andrew Berry on the honor roll.

But just in case our readers have a bit of bias, I took a look at what national draft analysts had to say about the Browns’ draft.

Here’s a roundup of the grades:

Staff, Pro Football Focus

Grade: A+

PFF’s take: “Wills came in as PFF’s OT3 — and the 11th player overall on PFF’s Big Board — and he was the top tackle on a lot of boards out there, drawing a player comp to Lane Johnson in the PFF Draft Guide. … The Browns were able to pick up not one, not two, but three top-25 players on the PFF Big Board. Two of those players came at selections 44 and 88, which is a testament to the value Cleveland was able to get.”

Chad Reuter, NFL.com

Grade: A

Reuter’s take: “The Browns picked four SEC players in the first three rounds, meeting their top needs on defense with solid value on Day 2. Getting Bryant in Round 4 should also be a good value, as he's an excellent receiver, albeit not the thickest tight end in the league. Selecting Harris in the fifth round was a solid choice, and it will be interesting to see if the Browns try him at guard or just consider him a backup behind JC Tretter.”

Luke Easterling, DraftWire

Grade: A

Easterling’s take: “Alabama’s Jedrick Wills fills their huge need at offensive tackle, and was well worth a top-10 pick. LSU safety Grant Delpit was a steal in the second round, and they still landed him after trading back three spots. Missouri defensive lineman Jordan Elliott and LSU linebacker Jacob Phillips give the Browns much needed depth up the middle on defense, and were solid values in the third round. Washington center Nick Harris is undersized but smart and athletic, while FAU tight end Harrison Bryant and Michigan wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones both have starting-caliber traits. All three were picked way later than they should have been.”

Andy Benoit, MMQB

Grade: B+

Benoit’s take: “If Wills pans out quickly, this Browns offense could suddenly meet the expectations that were placed on it a year ago. Both Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo are on one-year deals and it’s likely at least one will be allowed to walk in 2021, given that Grant Delpit is expected to be a full-fledged starter by then (if not sooner). Delpit is rangy and athletically diverse. Up front, Jordan Elliott intrigues with his potential as a pass rusher, where scouts believe his development hinges on whether he can continue to build on his effective hand usage.”

Dan Kadar, SBNation

Grade: B+

Kadar’s take: “No team in the NFL needed a left tackle more than the Browns. They got a player they hope can be one, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills, in the first round. For the second year in a row, the Browns took an LSU defensive back who was in free fall. Last year it was cornerback Greedy Williams, and this year it was safety Grant Delpit. If Delpit’s tackling can be improved, he can be the exact type of safety Cleveland needs. Center Nick Harris of Washington, taken in fifth round, should be the eventual replacement for J.C. Tretter. He’s a quick center who specializes in pass protection. The Browns got a steal with their last pick in wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones of Michigan.”

Nate Davis, USA Today

Grade: B+

Davis’ take: “Seems rookie GM Andrew Berry has hit the ground running for a franchise that's been dysfunctional for so long. He followed up a nice free-agent harvest with what projects as a solid draft, first-round OT Jedrick Wills possibly the man who can finally fill Joe Thomas' void and second-round S Grant Delpit a potential gem. Given David Njoku is still on the roster, it's worth asking how many tight ends Berry and new coach Kevin Stefanski need after signing Austin Hooper to a huge contract and drafting highly regarded Harrison Bryant in Round 4.”

Mark Maske, Washington Post

Grade: B

Maske’s take: “The Browns did well to get Jedrick Wills Jr. at No. 10. After signing Jack Conklin, they have upgraded Baker Mayfield’s offensive line in a big way. The second-round selection of Grant Delpit gives Cleveland a playmaker in the secondary.”

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