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Cleveland Browns, NFL Mock Draft 2017: Predicting picks in rounds 1-7

By Howard Balzer, NFLDraftScout.com
Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson challenges and has the Pittsburgh Steelers reception overturned late in the second quarter against Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on January 1, 2017. Jackson hopes to revitalize the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft. File photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson challenges and has the Pittsburgh Steelers reception overturned late in the second quarter against Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on January 1, 2017. Jackson hopes to revitalize the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft. File photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

The Cleveland Browns have 11 picks in the NFL Draft, including No. 1 and No. 12 in the first round April 27 in Philadelphia.

Much of what the Browns will do in the first round of the draft will also dictate what happens throughout the rest of the league.

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Will they select at No. 1 overall or possibly trade down? Will who they hope will be their quarterback of the future (and maybe the present) come later in the round or in the second or third? All other teams will be watching closely.

Still, those are the questions to be answered for a team with 11 picks, and if that's what they end the three days of the draft with will give them 37 selections in the last three years. What has to happen, however, is for more of those picks to be difference-makers, or at least starters.

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Here is a look at the Browns' five-year draft record with roster tallies reflecting totals as of the end of the 2016 season. Below that are key personnel moves made this year and the team's current needs heading into this draft and our projection for all their 2017 picks.

FIVE-YEAR DRAFT BREAKDOWN

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .2012 . .2013 . .2014 . .2015 . .2016

TOTAL PICKS . . . 12 . . . . . .5 . . . . .6 . . . . 12 . . . 14

STARTERS . . . . . .0 . . . . . .0 . . . . .2 . . . . .2 . . . .3

BACKUPS . . . . . .0 . . . . . .0 . . . . .0 . . . . .5 . . . 10

OTHER TEAMS . . .6 . . . . .3 . . . . .3 . . . . .3 . . .1

OUT OF LEAGUE . .6 . . . . .2 . . . . .1 . . . . .2 . . .0

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Top three draft needs:

1. Quarterback: Trading for Brock Osweiler did not solve the Browns' quarterback problems. They will either trade for a veteran, possibly Jimmy Garoppolo of the Patriots or AJ McCarron of the Bengals, or they will draft one. The Browns have the first and 12th pick. They had a private workout with DeShone Kizer of Notre Dame and Patrick Mahomes of Texas A&M last month. They visited Deshaun Watson of Clemson on March 30 and worked out North Carolina's Mitchell Trubisky the next day at team headquarters in Berea, Ohio (they can work out Trubisky at their facility because he attended high school in the Cleveland suburb of Mentor).

2. Edge rusher: The Browns have to find a way to put more pressure on the opposing quarterback. There is no franchise quarterback in this draft, but defensive end Myles Garrett of Texas A&M can be a game-changer. Unless something very unusual happens between now and April 27, the Browns are expected to take Garrett with the first pick in the draft.

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3. Cornerback: The Browns gave up a franchise worst 36 passing touchdowns last season. Left cornerback Joe Haden has had back-to-back disappointing seasons. Both were hampered by injuries. This draft is deep in cornerbacks. It will be no surprise if the Browns don't take at least two. They could take one with the 12th pick if they don't use it on a quarterback.

MOCK DRAFT:

Below is a list of every pick for the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft, with players suggested by NFLDraftScout.com Sr. Analyst Dane Brugler. Who would you take? Let us know in comments.

1/1: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M (6-4, 272, 4.61)

1/12: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama (6-6, 251, 4.51)

2/33: Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU (5-11, 192, 4.47)

2/52: Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State (6-6, 295, 4.85)

3/65: Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee (6-3, 216, 4.64)

4/108: Eddie Jackson, FS, Alabama (6-0, 201, 4.55)

5/145: Tanzel Smart, DT, Tulane (6-1, 296, 5.24)

5/175: Brendan Langley, CB, Lamar (6-0, 201, 4.43)

5/*181: Ben Gedeon, LB, Michigan (6-2, 244, 4.75)

6/185: Justin Senior, T, Mississippi State (6-5, 331, 5.47)

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6/188: Elijah McGuire, RB, Louisiana. Lafayette (5-10, 214, 4.56)

Now it's your turn. NFLDraftScout.com is readsy to help with its list of the top 1,000 prospects in this draft.

--Frank Cooney and TSX NFL team insiders contributed to this analysis.

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