The Browns are fresh off an 11-win regular season and a playoff appearance. That doesn't mean they don't have plenty of needs they would like to address with the kind of younger, less expensive talent you find in the draft.
This week, the Browns will get a chance to fill some of those needs with the six picks they hold in the NFL draft, which starts on Thursday night. Their first pick won't come until No. 54 overall, which falls late in Friday's second round.
This is the fifth in a five-part series looking at positions the Browns may target over the course of the draft. It will look at five intriguing prospects — listed alphabetically — at those positions who could be of interest at some point during the draft.
First up on Sunday was defensive tackle , followed on Monday by wide receiver , Tuesday by offensive linemen and Wednesday on tight ends . For today's final installment, instead of staying on the offensive side and looking at the potential necessity to draft a running back, let's go back to the defensive side for just the second time and look at linebacker, another spot where the Browns are relatively thin.
If you're going to take a swing on a linebacker, swing for the fences. That's what Colson would be for the Browns if they were to jump on him. The former Wolverines captain is viewed by many as the top linebacker in the class, which means he would likely not last past the second round. The last second-round pick the Browns utilized on a linebacker, 2021 pick Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah , has turned out pretty well. Colson would be the ideal heir apparently at the middle linebacker spot. The 6-foot-2, 238-pound Colson plays downhill fast, is incredibly instinctual and knows how to put the ballcarrier on the ground. In other words, exactly what you want in a middle linebacker.
Yet again, if you're going to look at a linebacker, might as well aim high. Cooper is generally viewed as LB2 in this draft behind Colson. The question, though, is whether or not Cooper would be a wise pick with Owusu-Koramoah already on the roster and likely to land an extension at some point this year. Cooper, like Owusu-Koramoah, has primary played the weak-side linebacker position, and even lined up some as a nickel safety with the Aggies. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Cooper could very well grow into a three-down linebacker, although his first step would likely be backup and special-teams player.
Knight fits better in the mold of the kind of linebacker the Browns might ultimately select considering the lack of importance placed on the position relative to the other spots in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's scheme. One is that he's going to be around on day three, meaning you can get value out of any production you get from him, even if he only grows into a special-teams ace. Second, and this is even more important, Knight has some positional versatility in that he's played multiple linebacker spots in college. It was only last year, his final collegiate season, that he moved inside to the middle linebacker spot. That's fitting, as his most impressive trait is his ability to run to the football, especially against the run.
Magee would fit where the Browns probably need the most help at linebacker, having played in the middle during his time in college. His game is built less on true anticipation and more on just doing what he's supposed to do by reading his keys. Still, Magee is a solid tackler when he does get to the football. He should also flourish in a special-teams role early, which is what you're looking for in a likely day-three draft pick. Where Magee's ceiling is depends on how much he can build upon his natural traits.
Like Colson and Cooper, Wilson is another aim-high type of linebacker prospect. There are even some who think he could end up in the back end of the first round depending on the feeling of the individual teams. Wilson's skillset would certainly lend itself to being that level of talent. So what's the hang-up with the former Wolfpack star? Age — he turned 24 on Sunday — and an injury history that has kept him in college much longer than expected. Wilson was redshirted his first year in college in 2018 — yes, 2018 — due to a knee injury. Since then, there have been multiple shoulder issues that have hampered him. The big question will be how much do the medicals play a factor in whether or not the Browns, or anyone else, pass on him or not.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns NFL draft position needs: Linebackers to watch
