We can talk all we want about different media outlets grading drafts, but when positive feedback comes from a peer in the space, that should catch everyone’s attention.
This one came from not just a peer, but a division rival. Baltimore Ravens’ general manager Eric Decosta was on Baltimore Radio earlier this week and was asked about the drafts of the other teams in the AFC North. After collecting his thoughts, he went in.
He said, “The Browns had a really nice draft and had a really nice draft last year. Andrew Berry give him a lot of credit. He is a good evaluator, (and) he is pretty smart.”
Starting there is a line that is not often said in Northeast Ohio. This was Berry’s sixth draft as a young general manager in the league. Many forget that when he was hired in 2020, he was just 32 years old. At the time, that made him the youngest general manager in the entire NFL.
With that comes a bit of a learning curve. Not to mention, one of the biggest and likely worst trades in the history of the NFL hamstrung him with no first-round picks in three of his first six drafts. He has had some hits and he has had some misses, but in the past two years, he has been nails.
Looking at what the Browns have done the last two years
He totally flipped the defense over last season with young talent, and he is aiming to do the same with the offense this season. Time will tell if that happens, but for all intents and purposes, on paper, he absolutely nailed the 2026 NFL Draft.
Decosta didn’t stop there. He continued in his praise for the Browns by saying, “With Todd Monken there, calling plays and as the head coach, I think that’s a team that eventually will be a team to be reckoned with.”
While that is a little bit of a backhanded compliment, it is still a compliment nonetheless. If there is anyone who knows Monken more than a guy like John Harbaugh, it would be DeCosta, and he believes that with the right players, Monken will have the Browns pointing in the right direction sooner rather than later.
The feeling around Cleveland right now is approaching a level of positivity that Browns fans haven’t experienced since the 2023 season. The wait has been long, but Cleveland is putting the pieces in place to do what Jimmy Haslam said they would do, and that is build a consistent, year-over-year winner. They certainly have the attention of one of the best teams in the division and the conference.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns receive major praise for NFL Draft haul from AFC North rival GM
Reporting by Anthony Moeglin, Browns Wire / Browns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
