Jeffery Simmons is a controversial prospect. (Rogelio V. Solis, AP)

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Can Browns GM John Dorsey afford to take another chance on a player who was caught on video striking a woman?

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes there’s one who might be worth the risk in Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who was arrested for assaulting a woman when he was in high school, and later was found guilty of malicious mischief.

In a conference call on Monday to preview he NFL Combine, which begins Tuesday in Indianapolis, Jeremiah said Simmons is a ‘home run’ pick for the Browns if they’re willing to redshirt him in 2018 because of his recent torn ACL, and if they can reconcile what he did in high school, when he repeatedly punched a woman who was fighting with his sister.

With Dorsey having recently signed running back Kareem Hunt, it would a monumental risk for him to add another player with a similar incident of violence against women.

As it is, Simmons wasn't invited to the Combine because of the incident, which got him suspended for a game in college. But Jeremiah, a former Browns’ scout, insists that Simmons is reformed by all accounts.

He addressed a number of other Browns’ related-topics and a couple of questions about Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

Here are some of the highlights:

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1. Can the Browns take a chance on controversial Jeffery Simmons?

Jeremiah believes Simmons is one of the best players in this draft and might be worth gamble because of a torn ACL from a recent workout and the high school incident. In 2018, Simmons had 63 tackles including 25 solo, 18 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and four passes defensed.

"Jeffery Simmons to me if healthy, he's a top five player in the draft no doubt,'' Jeremiah said. "To me, he's one of the three best players in the whole draft. So if you look at John Dorsey and kind of going on upside and trying to go for it and be aggressive, that's kind of his mantra as of late, Jeffery Simmons would be a home run pick.

"Now there's the high school video of the issue he had and that's out there. Everything I've been told by people that have gone to the school there at Mississippi State, he's been a model citizen. There have been absolutely no issues there. He's been on the honor roll. You won't find anybody to say anything bad about him.

"But they have to kind of navigate through that. But as a talent, where they're picking, if for some reason at 17 Jeffery Simmons was there, even though you have to potentially red-shirt him for the year, that might be too tempting to pass up in that situation. That would be one I'd keep an eye on. He's somebody that would be, man, he'd be a dynamic player next to (Larry) Ogunjobi in there.''

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2. On where Dwayne Haskins would've ranked amongst the '18 QBs

If Ohio State's Haskins had been in last year's draft, Jeremiah would have ranked him behind the Big Four, and ahead of only Lamar Jackson.

"This is the grade I had on them coming out, not what they've done,'' he said. "I had (Sam) Darnold with the highest grade. Then it was (Josh) Rosen, then it was (Baker) Mayfield, and then I gave the same grade to Josh Allen as my fourth quarterback last year as I gave to Kyler Murray this year. So they would be tied for my fourth, and then I would have Haskins would be behind them and then Lamar Jackson would be behind him.''

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3. On Haskins vs. Oklahoma's Kyler Murray

Jeremiah explained why he has the 5-9 Murray ranked higher than Haskins.

"It's polar opposite for these quarterbacks with those top two guys for me,'' he said. "I started out with Haskins ahead of Kyler Murray, prototypical size for Haskins, pure pocket passer, can make every throw. Really turned it on late in the year, which was good to see. The concern a little bit there was just the mobility, be able to kind of get himself out of trouble if he gets under some heat, being able to move off of his spot and be consistent and be accurate. That was my concern with him.

"Kyler Murray , my hang-ups were really two. One was commitment, his focus on football. Was that going to be there? I think it's impossible for a quarterback to juggle two sports. Even just leaving the possibility open-ended, I don't know how a team could've taken him in the first round if he didn't completely eliminate baseball from the conversation, and that's what it sounds like he's done. So that took care of the first concern for me. And the second concern was the bulk. But if he shows up and he's over 200 pound and carries that well, that helps with some of the durability.''

He said Murray's athleticism is what pushed him over top.

"Kyler can make every single throw,'' he said. "He can drive the ball on those hole shots against Cover-2 on the sideline between the corner and the safety, that's a big-boy throw. He makes those effortlessly. So he's got plenty of arm strength. I've seen him work through progressions, you see it more with Dwayne, but I've seen Kyler Murray show that he can do that. And then the X-factor is just when he takes off, it's electric. So that to me was kind of the tiebreaker. I think Kyler Murray can do a lot of the things that Dwayne Haskins can do throwing the football, but then Kyler has that extra element with what he can do athletically.''

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4. On Greg Robinson and OT draft prospects

Jeremiah had a high grade on Greg Robinson when he came out of Auburn in 2014, and is glad to see him getting another chance with the Browns. But he also likes some left tackles for the Browns at No. 17.

"Trust me, nobody's happier to see (Robinson) playing well than me and I'm sure a lot of other folks who have had high draft grades on him, so hopefully that's a nice kick save and he kind of gets things going because we know the ability has always been there. It's just getting the performance to match the ability. So that's definitely an option for them.''

But with Robinson signing a one-year "prove-it'' deal, the Browns will continue to look for help at the position, and Jeremiah likes Washington State's Andre Dillard and Florida's Jawaan Taylor.

"If Dillard's there, who I think is the premier pass-protecting left tackle, that would be hard to pass up at that point in time,'' he said. "So that would be one I would definitely have an eye on and the big kid from Florida (Taylor), too, is very, very talented who could make some sense, although you're probably [going to] feel a little more comfortable with him on the right side there. So that'll be a big decision for them to make. Do they go where they have some holes on that defensive side or they go ahead and look at that tackle.''

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5. Clemson DTs: Christian Wilkins over Dexter Lawrence

As for as defensive tackles go, Jeremiah prefers Clemson's Wilkins over his teammate Lawrence, both of whom could be available at No. 17. Jeremiah has Wilkins ranked as the fourth-best prospect in the draft and Lawrence the 31st.

"If it was 10 years ago, Dexter Lawrence would probably be a top-10 pick because he's a 6-4, 340-pound dominant run player who if you're a 3-4 team and you put him on the nose you're going to struggle to run the ball against him,'' said Lawrence. "He's so big and so powerful. Now he's more of a push-the-pocket guy as a pass rusher and that's going to ding him a little bit. He hasn't shown a lot. Now, he comes off the field in some of their sub stuff because they've got so many athletic defensive linemen they can roll through there.

"But pass rush-wise, the limitations there are going to probably cause him to go behind Christian Wilkins. To me, finding an interior disrupter and a pass rusher is huge. Look at what the Rams have been able to do. He's not on that level, but Christian Wilkins is very disruptive, as a pass rusher inside as well as a run defender just getting in the backfield generating some negative plays, generating pressure. Quick hands, quick feet. He's somebody that I think is going to be very highly thought of around the league because of his ability to play in the backfield.''

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6. On edge-rusher Montez Sweat

Sweat could be gone by No. 17, but if he's within reach, the Browns could try to trade up for him. The Mississippi State edge-rusher would pair nicely with Myles Garrett in new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks' scheme.

"Montez is how you want to draw the defensive end,'' said Jeremiah. "He's tall, and long and explosive. We got a chance to see him up close there at the Senior Bowl. He's got unique ability to bend and wrap at the top of his rush, flatten to the quarterback. And you can watch the Auburn game, he just completely takes it over in terms of just abusing that tackle. He's got big-time get-off and burst. Now, I wish he'd get a little bit stronger. In the run game, he can get too high at times and can get pushed around.''

He has Sweat ranked No. 17 overall and Clemson's Clelin Ferrell 21.

"I don't know where the limits are when you look at Montez Sweat just in terms of athletically and all of the different things he can do,'' he said. "Clelin Ferrell is not quite as versatile, but he's such a skilled rusher (No. 16) that's right around the range for him. With Sweat, you get a little bit better athlete, and with Ferrell you're going to get a little more power, a little more strength, and a little bit better against the run.''