Former Browns scout breaks down the process behind some recent Cleveland draft decisions
How do teams make decisions during the NFL draft? Work on each draft class begins at least a year in advance, with every aspect of a prospect's life being uncovered along the way. Once the draft arrives, it's up to the general managers to make the final call, but they have to analyze every piece of information from their scouts and coaches before making decisions that could alter their team's future.
I experienced five drafts with Andrew Berry as the lead evaluator (he was the No. 2 man in 2017), working under him as an in-house scout for the Cleveland Browns. Each draft, he made tough decisions that weren't 100% agreed upon by the rest of the personnel department. That's life as an NFL general manager. Let's look into some picks that haven't panned out and what the team's thought process was.
Jedrick Wills - 2020 Rd. 1 No. 10
This was Berry's first year back with the Browns after spending 2019 with Philadelphia. It was no secret that we needed a left tackle in the 2020 draft, and luckily, there were four first-round-caliber guys: Andrew Thomas, Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, and Jedrick Wills.
Wills played right tackle in college, but most of the personnel department, including me, felt he was athletic enough to switch sides. We had just hired Kevin Stefanski as head coach and Bill Callahan as OL coach, so the coaching staff was confident they could get Wills up to speed fast enough if he was the pick.
The draft meeting discussions for all four guys were very interesting to be a part of. Thomas was seen as the most NFL-ready left tackle, Wirfs was an exceptional athlete, Becton was a mammoth of a man, and Wills had the right strength/athleticism combo.
Thomas went fourth overall, and the three others were available when we picked at No. 10. Wills was the highest-rated of the four tackles going into the draft, so it was an easy pick when we were on the clock.
Five years later, we should have taken Wirfs, but Wills was confidently the department's number one option. He's now a free agent, as injuries and attitude ultimately kept him from getting a second contract with the Browns. This miss was on the entire personnel department, not just the GM.
Dawand Jones - 2023 Rd. 4 No. 111
2023 was my final draft with the Browns, and there was no doubt about the upside that Jones had coming out. Measuring 6'8 ¼', 374 lbs with 36 ⅜' arms at the combine, he checked all the boxes in terms of size and matching athleticism. He didn't have to be the most technically sound blocker because his size made him naturally tough to beat. However, there were concerns over his conditioning and how much he loved football.
Many scouts, including myself, weren't a fan of Jones' film, and some of the coaches would have preferred that we pass on the big man. That said, it was clear that Berry had been intrigued by Jones since draft meetings that February. I can't fault anyone for imagining the potential of a guy that big, and I believe Berry saw him as a potential Donovan Smith-type player.
Jones was the 111th overall pick and our third overall. The team was in the middle of the Deshaun Watson fallout, so we didn't pick until the third round that year. I was surprised at how well Jones did in his rookie year, but he took a clear step back last season. 2025 will be a make-or-break year for Jones and the rest of Cleveland's (so far) lackluster 2023 draft class.
In my four drafts with Berry making the picks, this felt like the most unilateral decision he made.
Dillon Gabriel - 2025 Rd. 3 No. 94
I'm not with the Browns anymore, so I can't speak from personal experience about the Gabriel pick. However, I feel pretty confident about how that decision was made.
The grading scale in use during my tenure with the team consisted of seven total grades, with the three highest designating a different level of 'starting-caliber' player. Based on our final draft board, Berry only ever wanted players with these three grades picked throughout the draft, and especially within the first three rounds.
Logically, that leads to the conclusion that Gabriel was graded as a starter by the Browns. I'd have a hard time getting behind that pick if I were still with the team. I saw Gabriel as a late-round flyer who can be a third/emergency QB this season, and hopefully develop into a quality backup.
I didn't see any exceptional traits stand out on film to offset his size, and I have a tough time believing he'll become a starter. Kevin Stefanski's offense sets up well for Gabriel, given how much play action, rollouts, and quick-hitters there are, but taking him in the third round felt like a reach as he'd likely be there later on Day 3.
Another aspect of the Gabriel decision is, if the Browns had a 'starter' grade on Gabriel, what grade did they have on Shedeur Sanders? But that's a discussion for another day.
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