New England Patriots receive high grades in 2018 NFL Draft first round
Cleveland Browns No. 4: Ohio St. CB, Denzel Ward
With the fourth pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns pulled off another upset. After shocking some people by selecting Baker Mayfield No. 1 overall, the Browns selected Ohio State cornerback, Denzel Ward.
Ward has the potential to be a shutdown corner. He isn’t the biggest player, standing just under 5’11” but more than makes up for it with his high football IQ and skill set. Ward possesses elite quickness and closing burst combined with good mechanics. He is aggressive in man-to-man coverage and should step right into the Browns lineup from Day 1.
In the past two seasons at Ohio State, Ward had 24 passes defended with two interceptions. He has the makeup to become a lockdown cornerback, but this grade will be impacted because of who was left on the board.
The Browns passed on NC State defensive end, Bradley Chubb, to select Ward. It was surprising to see Chubb, the highest rated defender in this year’s draft class, get past the Browns.
A defensive line with Chubb and Myles Garrett would have given opponents nightmares. Instead, the Browns will look to add to shore up their defensive backfield with Ward.