2016 NFL Draft: Teams Patriots fans should watch

No. 8 – Cleveland Browns

Speaking of Elliot, Browns beat man Pat McManaman has the Browns picking the top running back in the 2016 NFL Draft class.

"There is only one offensive playmaker in this draft worthy of a top-10 pick, and that’s Elliott. It’s a risk taking a running back this high, as the Browns know, but Elliott averaged more than 6 yards per carry the past two seasons at Ohio State and scored 41 touchdowns. That and the Browns’ complete lack of playmakers makes this a pick worth the risk."

Meanwhile, Thomas Moore of Dawg Pound Daily notes the Browns may trade with a team that desperately wants Elliot. The Browns already have a ton of draft equity, and they could really set themselves up for a healthy haul of picks by leveraging Elliot in trade talks.

Expectations of third-year Patriots players

What makes the Browns a worthy team to keep an eye on from a Patriots’ perspective is the simple fact that this is the first team Brady will face in 2016. An upstart Browns team, benefitting from good decision making at the No. 8 spot, could give Brady trouble in his first game action.

The Browns may be the laughingstock of the NFL, but keep in mind that the Patriots barely scraped by them in 2013 thanks to some onside kick magic on the part of Stephen Gostkowski. Three years before that, the Browns roasted the Pats 34-14 in Cleveland.

Next: No. 13 - Miami Dolphins