Cleveland Browns Front Office Addresses Media Post-Draft

[Piercewise1]

(BEREA, OH) Thank you all for coming. Obviously we’ve just wrapped up the 2023 draft, adding 5 new players to the team. We expect to be active in the UDFA market as well, but I wanted to take some time here today to talk about our selections. 

First off, @RobSun08 and I are both very pleased with how the draft worked out. We share a belief in the importance of potential, and I think that’s reflected in our picks. We also value our draft capital, so while there were some discussions about trading up at times, we ultimately decided to stay put and take the best players available when our time came.

1.24 OLB Gordon Diallo, CAL
(B- / A+)

Coach and I talked a lot about offensive tackle in the 1st round, but when you run a 3-4 it’s hard to pass up the best outside linebacker, especially from a thin class. Gordon Diallo has exceptional cover skills while also being a solid run defender; we love the versatility in his skill-set and his high potential. I could see us deploying him in nickel and dime packages, or even as a kind of hybrid safety at times. When you have an athlete of his caliber, you find ways to get him on the field. We think he's a star in the making.
 

2.56 TE Delino Bertolet, NIU
(B- / A-)

Delino Bertolet has been on our radar since the initial scouting reports came in, and we were delighted we was there in the 2nd round. We're blessed in Cleveland to have one of the best in the league in Mark Lysek, so we know what a boon it is to have a great tight end. Having someone who can both block and catch gives you a lot of options, especially in a run-first offense like ours that uses play-action to open up the passing game. We believe that with a little time he can elevate both facets of our offense.
 

3.88 DE Ian Last Name, MSST
(B- / B-)

Ian Last Name (editor's note: Pierce pronounced it "Lah-sti-nahm-eh, though our reporters remain skeptical) is more than just a "meme pick" for us; we needed a future prospect at defensive end. Free agency helped us in the short term, but we're building for a long future. Ends can sometimes be overlooked in a 3-4 but they're essential to stopping the run, and Last Name lived in the opposing backfields at Mississippi State with 26 TFL and 7.5 sacks last year. We have a talented defense here in Cleveland, and we believe he'll make it even better.
 

6.184 OG Ben Gohara, KANS
(C+ / A-)

Ben Gohara doesn't have the hulking form you might expect from a pro guard, but he uses great technique to move bigger guys out of the way and open holes for the running back. He's a teachable guy at another position of need, so we're happy with the value getting him in the 6th round.
 

7.216 FS Ryan Loyd, USF
(C / A-)

Ryan Loyd is a free safety who isn't afraid to mix it up close to the line. We love his attitude and work ethic, and are excited to push him and see where his ceiling is. It might take some time on a practice squad or special teams, but I have faith in our coaching staff that they can unlock his potential.

With a limited free agency budget and fewer picks than most teams, we knew there wouldn’t be many opportunities to add immediate game-changers this offseason. But we’ve been able to raise the floor in a couple places with free agency, and now we've added some rookies who can learn and grow behind established veterans. Our roster is mostly intact from the group that won 10.5 games and made the playoffs last season, and it's full of young guys who have taken big steps forward already. We expect to compete for the division this year and still believe the best is yet to come. We're excited about 2023 and the future of this franchise, and we hope our fans are too.

With that, I'll take any questions you have.