BEREA — Day 3 of the NFL draft isn’t necessarily where you find stars. At least, not in the moment.
Sure, Tom Brady exists. Brady also is the exception to prove the rule.
The Browns currently have five day-three picks out of the nine they’re going to have for the draft, which starts April 23. What you hope to find is maybe a serviceable rotational player, or someone who becomes a special-teams ace.
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So who could be players the Browns potentially target on Day 3? Let’s break it down into two groups: Rounds four and five, where the Browns currently have picks Nos. 107, 146 and 149, and rounds six and seven, where they have picks Nos. 206 and 248.
Who could Cleveland Browns target in rounds 4 and 5 in NFL draft?
Chris Brazzell II, wide receiver Tennessee
Big (6-foot-4, 198 pounds) wide receiver out of the University of Tennessee with speed who can be a legitimate deep threat, but who also has plenty of work to do to round into form? It’s not like the Browns didn’t take someone who fits that exact mold in the third round in 2023.
Jalen Farmer, guard, Kentucky
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler calls Farmer “an athletic boulder in pass protection and a bulldozer as a run blocker.” Sounds like the kind of offensive lineman the Browns could use at guard, at least as a reserve at first.
Will Kacmarek, tight end, Ohio State
The Browns have the pass-catching tight end in Harold Fannin Jr. They need to add a tight end who can get down and do the dirty work of blocking a big ol’ defensive lineman or linebacker.
Connor Lew, center, Auburn
It’s a bit of a project to see if Lew can develop into an above-average blocker. However, he can move and he has good instincts.
Genesis Smith, safety, Arizona
Smith perfectly fits what the Browns truly need, which is a deep safety. What he needs to get better at is tackling, which is why you can find him on Day 3.
Who could Cleveland Browns target in rounds 6 and 7 in NFL draft?
Barion Brown, wide receiver, LSU
The Browns love traits, and the one trait that Brown excels at is returning kicks. As a wide receiver, there’s a lot of room to develop. As a kick returner, he was one of the nation’s most dangerous in college.
Harold Perkins, Jr., linebacker, LSU
Perkins is very complicated as a prospects because of his tweener size, which is made it a consistent struggle for him to find a role at LSU. However, there’s an athleticism to him that makes him intriguing to teams.
Lorenzo Styles Jr., cornerback, Ohio State
It’s a Styles from Ohio State, so you’re going to assume the pedigree is good. Even if he doesn’t crack the rotation in the secondary, there’s a world where he makes an impact on special teams.
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Aamil Wagner, offensive tackle, Notre Dame
There’s worse rolls of the dice to take than to gamble on a Notre Dame offensive lineman. Wagner’s got size and enough traits to potentially become a solid swing tackle.
Dae’Quan Wright, tight end, Ole Miss
What Wright may lack in polish, he makes up in athleticism. It’s the perfect project tight end in a system that loves tight ends.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Who are Day 3 NFL draft options for Browns? Here are 10 possibilities
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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