Mark J. Terrill, AP

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Can the Browns find another gem like Josh Gordon in Wednesday's supplemental draft?

Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal might be worth a third- or fourth-round pick, and if the Browns really like him, they stand a good chance of landing him by virtue of their draft status.

Browns GM John Dorsey was intrigued enough by Beal (6-1, 195) to attend his Pro Day at Western Michigan June 28. All 32 teams were represented at the workout and some sent multiple representatives, but not all sent their GM. That speaks volumes about the Browns' interest.

Dorsey has already demonstrated that he understands the value of defensive backs by signing T.J. Carrie, E.J. Gaines and Terrance Mitchell, trading for Damarious Randall and drafting Denzel Ward No. 4 overall and Simeon Thomas in the sixth round. If he sees an eventual starter in Beal, he won't hesitate to bid on him. It's just a matter of how high he's willing to go.

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How it works

Draft order for the supplemental draft is different than the regular draft, with teams being divided into three categories: non-playoff teams with six or fewer wins; non-playoff teams with more than six victories and playoff teams. The teams in each group are then placed into a lottery, with teams with the worst record having the best shot at the highest picks.

Bids are submitted blindly via email, and the team with the winning bid must surrender the corresponding pick in next year's draft. The Browns used a second-round pick in Josh Gordon in 2012, and Beal could be the highest supplemental pick since him. The last player selected in a supplemental draft was Rams offensive tackle Isaiah Battle in the fifth round of 2015. The last time two players went in the supplemental draft was 2010, and it could happen again this year, with Beal and Virginia Tech's Adonis Alexander the two likely candidates.

There are three other players in this year's draft beyond Beal and Alexander. They are Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant, Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter and Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu.

Here are some things to know about Beal and about the supplemental draft.

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Carlos Osorio, AP

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1. What round would the Browns have to bid to land Beal?

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Opinions vary on this. Bucky Brooks of NFL.com thinks it might take a second-round pick to land a player projected by some as a first-round selection in the regular draft. NFLdraftscout.com's Dan Brugler believes he's worth a third-round pick, and NFLdraftscout.com's Rob Rang thinks a fourth or fifth might get it done.

"Cleveland can bid a fourth because they're a team that's kind of up and coming," Rang told cleveland.com. "They've already invested a lot in defensive backs, but you can never have too many good corners. I just don't know that this is someone you can count on to produce immediately. With all of the veterans they brought in, and with them drafting Denzel Ward, I don't know that Cleveland has to take him.''

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Browns GM John Dorsey also in attendance for Sam Beal’s pro day. pic.twitter.com/adGlbqMQfM — Luke Edwards WWMT (@ledwardssports) June 28, 2018

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2. Does he have starting potential?

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Some experts believe that Beal can develop into a quality starter. If the Browns feel this way, they might be willing to go as high as one of their two third-round picks. In addition to their own, they have New England's third-rounder from the Danny Shelton trade. They also have two picks in the seventh round this year.

"You're intrigued by the athleticism and the size combination,'' said Rang. "There's just not many corners that are a legitimate six-foot that can just change directions and accelerate as fluidly as he does. He's a terrific athlete. At the same time, he's still a little bit raw as a football player. He's not a great run-enforcer and he doesn't have the interceptions and things of that nature that you'd love to have at that level of competition."

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The chances are good

Still, Rang sees starting potential.

"He has starter-level athletic ability and size (6-1, 195) but he's going to have to play with more consistency, especially in run support. And he's not a hitter. He's not a real physical, aggressive tackler. He'll get the job done, but he's also willing to let his teammates do the dirty work, so he's going to have to commit to his craft at the next level if he wants to become a starter, but he does have that upside to him.''

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Brooks agrees

"Beal looks like a natural cover corner on the island with the potential to play in a nose-to-nose position or from distance,'' Brooks wrote on NFL.com. "He flashes outstanding footwork, balance and body control shadowing receivers while staying in their hip pocket down the field. Beal's discipline and detail in coverage suggest that he could grow into a front-line player in a diverse scheme that features man and zone concepts with a variety of techniques."

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Duane Burleson, AP

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Official pro day numbers for @WMU_Football CB Sam Beal:



Height: 6-0 7/8

Weight: 178 (187 in spring)

40: 4.47/4.55

Vertical: 37

Broad: 10-6

Short shuttle: 4.09

3-cone: 7.11

Bench: DNP



Had very good workout. Expected to be highest sup draft pick since Josh Gordon in 2012. — Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) June 28, 2018

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3. Why is he in the supplemental draft?

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A converted wide receiver, Beal applied for the supplemental draft after becoming academically ineligible last season. But one league source said Western Michigan officials loved him and that he was a pleasure to have on the team.

"It does not concern me at the cornerback position," said Rang. "For a quarterback it might, but the feedback I've received is that the off-field issues are relatively minor in comparison with most supplemental prospects in recent years.''

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Not a dealbreaker

"Beal's academic issues and other shortcomings will bother some evaluators, but his exceptional talent and natural cover skills will make him a top selection in the supplemental draft,'' Brooks wrote. "Given his solid film and the strong workout at his pro day (clocked 40-yard times in the 4.47-4.55 range with a 37-inch vertical leap, 10-6 broad jump, 4.09 20-yard shuttle and 7.11 three-cone drill), Beal could emerge as a second-round pick on Wednesday.''

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4. What about only two interceptions?

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It's the same amount that Ward had at Ohio State, and it didn't stop him from going No. 4. But it bothers Brooks.

"From a playmaking standpoint, Beal could also show better ball skills, having snagged just two interceptions as a two-year starter for the Broncos," he said. "Granted, he finished his career with 19 passes defensed, but elite corners create turnovers. This former high school track star hasn't produced enough takeaways on the island."

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Statement from Adonis Alexander. pic.twitter.com/walcjbp4Dq — Andy Ross (@adross77) June 1, 2018

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5. Is Adonis Alexander worth drafting?

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Like Beal, the Hokies cornerback (6-3, 197) was ruled academically ineligible for 2018 after a promising career at a school that churns out good DBs. He also had a marijuana arrest early on. As a freshman, he had 55 tackles, four picks and six passes broken up in 11 games. As a sophomore, it was 43 tackles, two INTs, and seven pass breakups. But he had a disappointing 2017, with 27 tackles, one INT and one forced fumble in eight games.

"He's the more intriguing of the other two DBs," said Rang. "For most teams he'd be viewed as a safety. He played mostly corner at Virginia Tech and there are some teams out there who like those long corners, but he just doesn't have the straight-line speed that you'd like. He's more in the 4.6s. Safety, he can play that, he's physical. he's a big kid.

"I do expect Beal to be the first player selected and perhaps the only one. If there is a second player selected, I expect it to be Adonis Alexander, probably in the sixth or seventh round. If not, someone will sign him as a free agent.''

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He might surprise some

Brooks believes someone will take a chance fairly high.

"In a league where it's hard to find 6-foot corners with solid cover skills and tackling ability, scouts will give a big corner with a few off-field blemishes plenty of chances to prove his worth as a pro. That's one of the reasons why Alexander is likely to come off the board as a mid-round selection. ... Looking at his game on tape, it's easy to fall in love with his size, length and press-man skills.

"Alexander smothers receivers at the line of scrimmage with his aggressive shadow technique, while also displaying good instincts and ball skills. He routinely pins receivers to the sideline with the ball in the air to minimize the target area for the quarterback on downfield throws. In addition, Alexander will use his superior length to swat away 50-50 balls in critical situations.''

It's unknown if the Browns sent a scout to his Pro Day.

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6. What about Brandon Bryant?

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Bryant (6-0, 185) started strong at Mississippi State and then fizzled. As a redshirt freshman, he had 63 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions, one TD and three pass breakups. He failed to match that production in his two subsequent seasons, finishing last year with 32 tackles and one pick in 11 games.

"He's a better athlete than a football player,'' said Rang. "He's one of those guys (who's) really athletic and he impresses you in the workouts but then you watch him on tape and he's not the reliable tackler, he doesn't have as any many interceptions, you would have liked to see a little more improvement with him. He's an intriguing athlete. Someone might give him a shot, sign him afterwards, but I would be surprised if he's actually drafted.''

The Browns were one of 14 teams represented at his Pro Day.

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Supplemental draft scouting reports: Bright Ugwoegbu, Martayveus Carter https://t.co/srKnOU5p84 — NFLDraftScout.com (@DraftScout) July 6, 2018

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7. So what might the Browns do?

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"I think the Browns are definitely in play for Beal, but I feel strongly that third round, fourth round is where he goes,'' said Rang. "Given their offseason investment in the position, I don't know if Beal has the immediate impact potential to warrant a third-round pick.''

He thinks other teams that didn't address the cornerback position might be willing to bid higher. Those teams include Buffalo, Seattle, Detroit and Indianapolis.

As for Carter and Ugwoegbu, Rang doesn't believe they'll be drafted.