The Cleveland Browns have been warned about selecting one particular player with the No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
The Cleveland Browns own a pair of first-round picks in this year's NFL Draft, and they have some very obvious holes to fill.
Two of the most glaring are at offensive tackle and wide receiver, as the Browns' offense is among the very worst in football right now.
Cleveland could always select Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate at No. 6, but plenty of momentum has recently built toward the Browns taking Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling — who had an incredible Scouting Combine — at that spot.
But is it possible that Cleveland would be making a dire mistake to select Freeling that high?
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports seems to think so, telling Andy McNamara of the Sick Podcast that he isn't even sure Freeling is a first-round talent.
"There's a wide range of opinions on Monroe Freeling," Edwards said. "If you listen to Brandon Thorn, who breaks down offensive line play, does a great job with that, he's kind of in a similar range with me in the sense that Freeling is more like a second-round pick. I think there's a lot of stuff that he needs to work on."
Monroe Freeling. Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images.While Edwards admitted that Freeling has "tantalizing" traits, he clearly does not seem entirely convinced that he is worth a top-10 selection.
It's worth noting that hardly anyone had Freeling tabbed as a top-10 pick before the Combine, and before his showing in Indianapolis, the general consensus was that he would be a Day 2 selection.
Edwards added that he feels Tate would actually be the safest pick for the Browns at No. 6, but qualified his statement by saying he thinks there will be better receivers than tackles on the board when Cleveland makes its second first-round pick at No. 24.
It's certainly a pickle for the Browns, who have a plethora of needs up and down the roster and might even consider Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with their lesser first-round draft choice, although Simpson's stock appears to be slipping.
Cleveland owns nine picks overall in this year's NFL Draft, including four selections i the top 70.
Considering that general manager Andrew Berry has actually been a decent drafter since taking over in 2020, the Browns might be able to reap quite a harvest later this month.
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