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2020 NFL Draft: 5 players Browns could take in Round 1

By Rucker Haringey

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 27: Derrick Brown #DL03 of the Auburn Tigers speaks to the media on day three of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 27: Derrick Brown #DL03 of the Auburn Tigers speaks to the media on day three of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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4. Xavier McKinney, Alabama safety

Neither Karl Joseph or Andrew Sendejo is going to solve the Browns’ issues at safety. That pair of free agents would be the team’s starters if the season started today. That still leaves Cleveland with a clear need in the back-end of their secondary coming out of free agency.

That leaves the team’s front office with a tough decision. They either need to reach to grab a safety, like McKinney, at No. 10, or they can exercise patience and address the position in a later round. If they do that, they won’t get a player of McKinney’s caliber.

Of course, the third option is for the Browns to trade down a few spots and still be in a position to grab the Alabama playmaker. That would represent excellent value for the team.

McKinney isn’t the sort of defensive back that is going to blow anyone away with his athletic profile, but his production with the Crimson Tide backs up just how well he understands the game. He can add some real intelligence to the back-end of Kevin Stefanski’s defense. He may never develop into a Pro Bowler, but he can be a solid starter for a team that desperately needs an upgrade at safety.

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