CLEVELAND — The 2023 NFL Draft is just hours away and while the Cleveland Browns aren't currently projected until Friday night, there's still plenty of excitement in Northeast Ohio.
Having parted ways with their first and second-round picks as a part of packages to acquire quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver Elijah Moore, respectively, the Browns enter the 2023 draft with eight picks beginning with the 11th pick of the third round (No. 74 overall).
Obviously, a lot can change in the first 73 picks, but that hasn't stopped prognosticators from projecting who Cleveland will take with its first selection. So who do they have the Browns taking? Let's take a look.
The pick: Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina
The reasoning: "The Browns' first selection in the draft addresses the interior defensive line. The 6-4, 291-pound Pickens was a star at the Senior Bowl, and he posted 6.5 sacks over the past two years from inside."
The pick: Mike Morris, Edge, Michigan
The reasoning: "The Browns need more of an instinctive cleanup man in the middle of their defense and Campbell is an excellent fit for their scheme."
The pick: Marvin Mims, WR, Oklahoma
The reasoning: "Mims fits the profile for what the Browns look for in the middle of the third round, a young playmaker with excellent athleticism. Mims suffered from poor quarterback play in 2022 but graded well and knows how to get open against zone with the ability to run after the catch. The Browns need to get more explosive at wide receiver, and Mims provides that."
The pick: Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida
The reasoning: "I'm wasting no time once the Browns are finally on the clock in addressing the roster's biggest hole. It's a thin defensive tackle class, but Dexter gives them depth up the middle and some interior pass-rushing upside thanks to his speed."
The pick: Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor
The reasoning: "Cleveland has traded for and drafted all of the pieces they need on offense, so winning in the trenches defensively is the next on their radar."
The pick: Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU
The reasoning: "Boring but believable"
The pick: Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss
The pick: Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida (mock trade up to No. 55)