We are now past the NFL Draft and the focus of teams is turning toward rookie minicamp and veterans reporting.
Cleveland picked six players in the draft all after the first round and that was the least players added in the AFC North.
As a whole, I believe the AFC North always drafts well, and that was the case again this year. Following the draft, I believe there are a few players that could pose problems to the Browns from across the three other teams.
CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
The fact that the Ravens were able to get Wiggins at pick No. 30 makes the selection all that much better. Wiggins is a future starter for the Ravens and one of the better cornerbacks in the class. Baltimore is going to have the starting duo of Marlon Humphrey and Wiggins for as long as they want to.
Wiggins immediately becomes the fastest defensive back in the division with his 4.28 40-yard dash speed. While he is a bit undersized, Wiggins’ ability to make a break on the ball is real and will cause issues for opposing quarterbacks. I wouldn’t be surprised if this guy racks up interceptions in his NFL career.
LB Payton Wilson, North Carolina State
Wilson just fits that Steelers mold of them having good linebackers and they found another. If it was not for the injury concerns, we would have seen Wilson picked in the first round.
An athletically gifted linebacker that flies around sideline to sideline and is terrific in pursuit. Wilson eventually is going to wear the green dot for their defense if I had to guess because his football IQ and ability to read and diagnose are off the charts. Expect Wilson to be a pest for the rest of the division.
OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
The further away from the draft it gets the more I like this pick for the Bengals. There was not a more talented offensive tackle in terms of upside in the draft than Mims and he lands with the Bengals, who want to keep Joe Burrow upright.
Mims may not start in year No. 1 with Trent Brown signed as a free agent, but the future is his at right tackle. An exceptional pass blocker who just doesn’t have a ton of experience starting yet. Once everything else catches up to his talent, teams are going to have a tough time creating pressure through him.
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