We are in the midst of a pretty horrific period of time to be a fan of the Cleveland Browns. After going just 4-28 the previous two seasons, we are off to an 0-9 start here in 2017, leading even the most pedestrian of players on opposing teams to start running their face about how inept, feckless and ultimately futile the efforts have been here to right the ship. We’ll find out today if that is any closer to happening as the team has an actually winnable game at home against the JAGS.

However, despite how challenging it is to watch the losses pile up, it’s not only through the lens of rose-colored-glasses that one can actually, legitimately see some strong spots and improved areas on the team. This of course is up for much debate and no doubt can still turn in the worst of possible directions. If being a Browns’ fan teaches you anything, it’s that things can ALWAYS get worse.

This has been especially true if you look at our draft record going back, well pretty much since the expansion era began in 1999. Aside and apart from the lack of playmakers and guys that were expected to turn the franchise around bombing out with our top picks, the “misses” have been spectacularly complete. Looking at a given roster of draft picks over this time period leads one to understand not just that the 1st round players we selected didn’t become stars, but that the vast majority of the players selected in any round weren’t on the team for very long at all.

The 2016 draft is the bedrock of the existing Front Office/Coaching staff turnaround model. We drafted 14 players in that class, 11 of which remain on the active roster. As I’ve spoken/written about at length, I always like to give three full years before making any kind of definitive evaluation on draft class or drafted player. After three full seasons, you should have a pretty complete picture of what you have gotten from your draft selection(s), and what you should continue to expect to get from them. There are, of course, exceptions, but generally this holds up, and it’s just my own system which good people can disagree with, but which I think accounts for any number of items that can skew an evaluation one way or the other.

Well we are roughly halfway to that benchmark with the 2016 class, and as such I don’t think it’s inappropriate at all to see how our guys look with a little bit of experience under their respective belts. While things can change for any or most/all of them, there’s enough on tape right now to evaluate with some degree of certitude, and at least hazard a (slightly more) educated guess as to whether they’ll be quality team-contributors by the end of their third season, and ultimately worth extending to larger contracts once their rookie deals expire.

#15 overall - WR Corey Coleman, Baylor

This right here is big reason why I do the three year thing. Corey Coleman, if you do nothing but count stats, has been a tremendous disappointment thus far. However that’s not really a fair assessment given two pretty key challenges he’s faced: missing a bunch of time due to TWO (2) broken hand injuries, and playing with, charitably, less-than-stellar QB’s. That last part may not be fixable but the first one probably isn’t indicative of a chronic (on-going) issue. I mean, how many guys repeatedly break their hands? The first time occurred when someone stepped on it, and that was two days after displaying his 1st round traits against the Ravens in his 2nd career game.

By the time he returned to the team, the QB position had deteriorated substantially as we closed out the 1-15 2016 campaign. Thus, he never really got into the same rhythm he found with Josh McCown in that Baltimore game. Then this season, attempting to break up what would likely have been a DeShone Kizer interception, broke his hand for a 2nd time. He returns to the lineup today vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars, and to this point in his young career he has amassed 39 receptions for 475 (12.2 avg) and four TD’s. Not numbers that anyone is pleased with.

Alas, stats aren’t really what matters. His injuries haven’t impacted his legs (and thus, his explosiveness) and unless he just has weak-boned hands, don’t figure to be anything more than flukish. He still has plenty of room to grow into exactly the sort of offensive playmaker he was drafted to be, albeit has only shown one time in game action.

#32 overall - EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma St

The 32nd pick overall is usually the final one of the 1st round, but in 2016 the Patriots’ 1st round pick was taken away due to the “deflategate” fiasco. As a result Emmanuel Ogbah is essentially a late 1st rounder, and was projected to go in the first round leading up to the draft. He’s been a good player for us so far.

Playing in Ray Horton’s who-the-hell-knows scheme last season (which was a substantial upgrade from Jim O’Niel in 2015) Ogbah struggled a bit trying to learn the nuances of the EDGE position in a more stand-up role. He floundered at this, but as the season went along he started playing more with his hand on the ground (as he really should have been all along) and began making some noise.

Playing all of this year on the left side of a solid four-man front has seen him improve further. While 2017 1st overall pick Myles Garrett has impressed on the right side during his limited action, Ogbah has been a force holding up his side. If both players get anywhere close to what their respective career trajectories suggest, then we are going to have fun watching a ferocious bookend tandem for a long time to come.

In a year and a half Ogbah has 80 total tackles and 9.5 sacks. If you watch each game and focus on the DL it’s hard to miss the sort of disruption he consistently causes. Bottom line is: he’s pretty good right now, but isn’t (probably) as good as he’s going to be.

#65 overall - DL Carl Nassib, Penn State

Perhaps in a world that doesn’t have Garrett in the plans, Nassib would be the plan at the other EDGE spot opposite Ogbah, and indeed that’s how it’s gone done much of this season when Garrett has missed time. Nassib hasn’t been the sort of powerhouse he looked like he might have been after the first few preseason contests of 2016, but he’s shown to be a player worth having on the roster.

He doesn’t have the sort of athleticism that Garrett or Ogbah possess, but at 6’7 he creates other problems and does for the most part set the edge in the running game while in there. Nothing flashy, but (IMO) a good, rotational guy for the DL. So far, he has 37 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

#76 overall: OT Shon Coleman, Auburn

For all the caterwauling done over the way Mitchell Schwartz’ tenure concluded with us, there should be a pretty healthy amount of credit assigned to the drafting of Coleman, the team’s current (and for-the-foreseeable future) starting right tackle. As expected when drafted, Coleman didn’t play much at all in his rookie year, getting his most substantial playing time in the 2nd half of the final game against Pittsburgh.

This year he came into camp in a battle with former 1st round pick Cameron Erving for the starting RT job, and he won it easily. There are not stats for offensive linemen per se, but one thing I will note for Coleman is that by this point in his career, Schwartz had two games where he was absolutely manhandled (week’s 1 & 2 of the 2013 season). Coleman hasn’t had anything close to that happen so far, so I’d say early returns are very, very good here. This selection looks like a steal.

#93 overall: QB Cody Kessler, USC

When you take a quarterback near the end of the third round, you’re really just kind of rolling the dice. Well, we did that with Kessler, and while he hasn’t been as bad as many of other QB’s we’ve seen over the years, I don’t think I’m too premature in saying (somewhat stridently) that he’s not the answer.

Possessed of pretty decent accuracy if less-than-stellar velocity, his biggest issue at the pro level has been processing speed. Last week was a great example; when Kizer was in the game, the offensive line was formidable in pass protection. With Kessler in, the pockets shrink much faster, as he lacks the ability to navigate up to the next level and use the pocket(s) that he has.

As a result, I seriously doubt he’ll ever be an NFL starter. All told he has completed 64.1% of his passes for 1,506 yards (6.9 YPA, 6.9 Any/A), 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. His career QB rating is 87.8, and a career record of 0-8 as a starter.

#99 overall: LB Joe Schobert, Wisconsin

There’s no reason to be anything other than really happy about this selection. Like Ogbah, Schobert was kind of mismatched during his rookie year, and didn’t really seem to make much impact (as essentially a standup EDGE rusher). This year, in a more traditional LB role, he has flourished.

He won the starting job via injury, as Tank Carder actually began the year as the team’s starter in the middle. If you subscribe to the definition of luck being the intersection of opportunity and preparedness, then Schobert made his own lucky break count when Carder went down at the beginning of the preseason. At this point, the guy doesn’t look like he’ll be giving up the job for quite some time (which is, conversely, a tough break for Tank).

To this point in his career, Schobert has 105 tackles (including 77 this year to lead the team), 2 sacks and an interception. If he does continue to improve and impress, than this was an excellent value pick.

#114 overall: WR Ricardo Louis, Auburn

I have oft-lamented this season the (horrifyingly) bad WR play and how that has hindered our offensive efforts. Ricardo Louis has been a big part of that. Even though he has good size and great speed for the position, he struggles to do the thing that you really need to do if you’re going to play at this level: catch the ball(!)

The drops have plagued his young career, which has seen him catch 43 balls for 512 yards (11.9 avg.) so far. It would be nice to see him improve in this area, but I don’t know how many WR’s that have this problem fully overcome it. It’s Greg Little-territory.

#129 overall: S Derrick Kindred, TCU

Like Louis, the Safety position has been a huge problem for the team and Kindred has been a part of that. Still, a lot of that comes from his rookie counterpart more than him, granted. On balance, for a late fourth rounder it’s hard to get too miffed about the deficiencies.

He’s been a starter in the secondary all year, and many view him as having a solid year. I think the tape shows some problems with his game, but again can’t really get too upset considering where we drafted him. Maybe he shouldn’t be playing as large a role as he has (though time will tell for sure) but he absolutely has a role on the team. That’s not nothing, and so far through a year and a half he has 83 tackles, a respectable 8 passes defensed and 1 interception. We certainly could do worse.

#138 overall: TE Seth DeValve, Princeton

Let’s be real; DeValve was basically a big, slow WR when we drafted him. He has become more of a TE over his time, and has established his ability to get open and make plays for the young QB’s that he’s been made to play with thus far.

He has his issues with drops from time to time as well, but has displayed more playing making ability than that so you take the positives here I think. As time goes by his ability to create mismatches and make plays down the seam (along with rookie TE David Njoku) is fun to consider.

In his short career, DeValve has 31 receptions for 391 yards (12.6 avg) and 3 TD’s. He’ll probably not ever be the team’s primary TE option due to the presence of Njoku, but he’s plenty worth a 5th rounder.

#154 overall - WR Jordan Payton, CAL

It’s important to point out that NOBODY gets ‘em all, and functional GM Sashi Brown swung and missed here. Payton is no longer with the team, having been cut earlier this year. He managed 1 reception for 3 yards in his short time with the Browns.

#168 overall - OL Spencer Drango, Baylor

Whatever else happens in Spencer Drango’s career, he’s basically already exceeded all career expectations by essentially filling (because of injury) the massive shoes of future (first ballot) HOF and current GOAT LT Joe Thomas. He wasn’t even drafted to play T, and has served on the interior mostly up until about three weeks ago.

When Thomas went down against the Titans, Drango came in and, in his very first action at the position, struggled. However in the two weeks since, he’s held up amazingly well. This is after him being able to admirably play either guard position, which shows him to be a pretty versatile and thus, VERY valuable offensive lineman. To get a guy like that deep into the 5th round is a big win, IMO.

#172 overall: WR Rishard Higgins, Colorado St.

A lot of draft analysts had Higgins ahead of both Louis & Payton going into the draft. I’d say those people were right as he looks at this point to be the 2nd best receiver we took in a draft in which we took four.

Higgins doesn’t have drop problems, but also isn’t especially dynamic in getting open/beating his man. As I say about Louis; the WR corps has been about as bad as you could hope for and Higgins (while not quite the catalyst Louis has been) counts as part of it. That said, for a late 5th rounder he’s not too shabby. I think he probably has a greater chance of sticking with the team longterm than does Louis.

Through 25 games, he has 24 receptions for 261 yards (10.9 avg) and one rushing attempt for four yards. He had one really nice game earlier this year against the Indianapolis Colts.

#173 overall: CB Trey Caldwell, Louisiana Monroe

As I say, nobody gets ‘em all right. Caldwell was a late round flyer that just didn’t pan out. He played in just one game for us and did not register any statistics. He was released earlier this year.

#250 overall: LB Scooby Wright, Arizona

Lookit, would have been really nice if things would have worked out and Scoob made the team (especially considering how depleted the unit is this year), however the story of this pick is the trade the Browns made to get to it. The #250 was originally held by the Dolphins, who traded up with us to get an earlier 7th rounder, and in the process gave us CB Jamar Taylor.

Wright didn’t make team in Cleveland, but Taylor was signed to an extension prior to the offseason and will probably be with the team for a long time.

That’s another key element to looking at this draft, is not just the players that were chosen, but the assets that were acquired along the way. This was draft in which we traded out of the #2 spot, and that (and subsequent moves) resulted in a plethora of additional high-value selections, some of which we used in 2017 and others which will be in 2018.

Time ultimately will tell whether all that movement was worth it, but just in terms of the players that we took, about halfway through what I would consider to be the appropriate judgment timeline, what do you think?