2019 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns full mock draft

Round 3 – Pick 80

Darnell Savage, S, Maryland

Thanks to a smart trade that send Danny Shelton to New England and landed the Browns an additional third round pick, they will still be selecting in that round. The trade for Odell Beckham really only cost them a first round pick since this selection was already sitting there. This is another place where Cleveland can add cheap but impact talent to their defense. With a weak linebacker class, that likely comes at the safety position.

Darnell Savage is prospect that has grown on me throughout the draft process. A four year starter for Maryland he brings plenty of experience on the back end. His best role in the NFL will be closer to the box given his excellent tackling and run fills. He’s not a deep safety but did fill that role at a limited basis in college. He can be viewed as a replacement for the trade Jabrill Peppers.

Savage is an athletic box type of safety. His combine testing proved how explosive he is with his straight line testing (40, vertical jump and broad jump) all being above the 85th percentile. He would pair with incumbent safety Damarious Randall who plays more of a free safety role and can fill in holes Savage has. This would be a good pairing for the Browns on the back end, especially with new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks being much less aggressive than his predecessor Gregg Williams.