Cleveland Browns mock draft: Best and worst-case scenarios for Kevin Stefanski in 2024 NFL Draft

Kevin Stefanski is preparing for the 2024 NFL Draft with clear targets in mind. The Cleveland Browns will hope to have a healthy Deshaun Watson from week one of the 2024 campaign and will need to address certain positions to help the QB out.

Early signs are that the two biggest areas of concern are at DT and on the O-Line, particularly at the tackle position. The Browns will look to add a receiver, but they don’t need to use one of their first two selections on one, given the fact that they made a big off-season move to sign Jerry Jeudy to be their WR1.

Adding support in addition to Jeudy will merely be the icing on the cake for Watson and Stefanski, who needs to take Cleveland to the playoffs this season. They have that level of quality, especially with Myles Garrett being the unrivalled king of pass rush in the NFL after Aaron Donald’s retirement.

Watson’s health has been an area of mild concern recently, and the Browns may wish to add a solid backup option later in the draft on the chance that Watson goes down again.

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Cleveland Browns 2024 NFL mock draft scenarios

Browns mock draft: Best-case scenario

Browns' best-case draft scenario

In the best-case scenario for Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns, the Sportskeeda 7-round Mock Draft simulator has them securing two promising talents in their two biggest areas of need.

Kiran Amegadjie is an offensive tackle with a supreme amount of upside. While not necessarily ready to be an elite player immediately in the league, his physical attributes make him a prospect that many teams in the league are starting to get hot on.

He won’t elevate into a first-rounder I wouldn’t have thought, but to secure this player in the second-round with his potential for upward development would be a great move for the Browns.

Stefanski gets to bolster his defensive line next with Mason Smith out of LSU being selected at the DT position. The top three DTs on the Browns roster are all over 30, so there needs to be an element of forward planning here. Smith, 21, has time on his side and could develop at a nice pace to be a Browns starter in the future.

His physical attributes are incredible. He has the size to be a defensive lock in the run defense for years, while his power to get to the QB and disrupt games is impressive.

Recovering from an ACL injury will be important, but if he can get back to his physical peak, the Browns are getting a serious player. Jamari Thrash is a smart runner and reliable catcher. He would give Deshaun Watson a target while not immediately impacting the targets for Jerry Jeudy.

That gives the Browns’ pass offense some real depth and makes them more of a threat moving forward.

Isaac Guerendo is a player that could be of significant value on day three of the 2024 NFL Draft. He's a dynamo and can play at running back or even been an auxiliary receiver, working in the slot.

He has safe hands and can give a team impetus on special teams plays as well. This is a good value pick for the Browns who would love to be able to add a cheap playmaker in a condensed draft.

Sam Hartman is one of the more promising QBs in this class in terms of raw potential. Nobody sees him as ready to compete for a starting job right away, but that’s not what the Browns are looking for.

He won’t go undrafted, but the Browns could add security and protect themselves with such a value pick. Brock Purdy’s performances after being selected as Mr. Irrelevant has changed the way teams evaluate the QB position forever.

If a player has good mechanics and excels in throwing the ball to receivers in tight coverage, teams will ignore possible concerns about dealing with pressure etc. and draft a player to develop them.

Hartman would be one such example who could work every day alongside Watson and Stefanski, get better at his craft and be ready to do the simple things well if he ever needs to play, something which Watson’s injury history suggests is possible.

Here’s how the draft plays out in full:

· Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale

· Mason Smith, DT, LSU

· Jamari Thrash, WR, Louisville

· David Ugwoegbu, LB, Houston

· Isaac Guerendo, RB, Louisville

· Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame

· Dwight McGlothern, CB, Arkansas

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Browns mock draft: Worst-case scenario

Browns' worst-case draft according to Sportskeeda's 7-round mock draft tool

Sportskeeda’s 7-round Mock Draft simulator has the worst-case scenario for the Cleveland Browns and Kevan Stefanski. Instead of adding to their offensive line and adding a playmaker at DT, the team elects to select a wide receiver with their first pick.

Despite having signed Jerry Jeudy and committed a lot of resources to the former Denver Bronco, the Browns decide to bring in Jalen McMillan. That doesn’t make sense here from a roster building perspective, and nor does taking Cole Bishop, the safety, out of Utah.

There isn’t a pressing need to draft backfield players this high in the process, especially when you need to support your O-Line.

Ignoring the positions of need could be understood if the Browns traded up and had a first-round pick, where selecting the best available player is sometimes a worthwhile strategy, but that isn’t the case here.

If you’re limited in the draft as a result of previous trades and decisions, you have to be smart in assessing your roster and immediate needs. That's something that in this scenario the Browns simply haven’t done.

Not a single player on the defensive line is selected, and adding back-to-back tight ends late on just reads like a fundamental mistake.

The window for possible success with Deshaun Watson and Kevin Stefanski isn’t infinite, and this draft outcome would leave the Browns no further in achieving their goals.

Here’s how the class played out in full:

· Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington

· Cole Bishop, S, Utah

· Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee

· Jaheim Bell, TE, Florida State

· Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE, Minnesota

· Nick Correia, OG, Rhode Island