LAS VEGAS — In Cleveland, we've become accustomed over the years to selecting early in the NFL draft. We knew things would be different this year when the Browns traded their next three first-round picks to the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson, but the club decided to make us wait even longer.
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The Browns forfeited their second-round pick in another deal with the Texans, receiving the No. 68 (third round), No. 108, and No. 124 (fourth) selections in return. With that 68th pick, the team decided to bolster its secondary, taking Mississippi State cornerback Martin Emerson.
The move is somewhat surprising, as the Browns just made Denzel Ward the league's highest-paid corner and selected DB Greg Newsome II in the first round a year ago. Former second-round pick Greedy Williams also remains on the roster.
"Just coming in, I'm going to compete," Emerson told reporters after his selection. "I'm just going to bring everything I've got, so it's just exciting to be a part of the team, be a part of that defensive back group."
A native of Pensacola, Florida, Emerson played nearly every game of his career at MSU, tallying 152 tackles (six for a loss) and 15 pass deflections. He only picked off one pass during his college days, but that was partly because quarterbacks didn't throw his way very much.
"That's just something I want to prove to myself," Emerson said of his "ball skills," "because I know I can get the ball, you know?"
Here's what NFL Network analyst Lance Zierlein had to say about Emerson:
"Long, finesse cornerback with traits and talent to compete in full-field, press-man coverage. Emerson has patient feet to maintain positioning against the release and uses length and positioning for catch disruptions. He's indecisive in his angles to the throw, missing out on interception opportunities. His run support issues will most certainly hurt his draft standing with some teams. Emerson isn't well-rounded but he has enough cover talent to make a team."
This marks the latest the Browns have made their first selection in the draft since 2008, when they took UNLV linebacker Beau Bell 104th overall in the fourth round. Bell lasted just one season in Cleveland and recorded four tackles.
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