2013 NFL Mock Draft: Browns to add pass rusher?

Super Bowl XLVII is in the books, and now all 32 teams will focus on the offseason ahead in preparation for the next go-round. The Scouting Combine is later this month, free agency begins in March and the 2013 NFL Draft is in April. For the Cleveland Browns, they had a better season than anticipated in 2012, but they still have a long way to go.

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They hold the No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Draft, which is actually higher than people figured they'd have. That's how bad the Browns have been in the past: avoiding a top-five pick is exceeding expectations. Still, the Browns will need to add some more young talent to really make the jump to being a dangerous team next season.

Matthew Fairburn of SB Nation released his latest mock draft on Monday and he has the Browns going defense, taking Damontre Moore, a defensive end out of Texas A&M.

The Browns plan to run multiple fronts under new defensive coordinator Ray Horton. The team is in severe need of a pass rusher, and Damontre Moore played in both the 3-4 and the 4-3 while at Texas A&M. He would make a ton of sense here.

While picking based on need early in the draft is generally considered the wrong course of action, Moore has been mocked as high as No. 2 by respectable mocks around the Internet, so it's not a reach by any means.

The pick makes sense from a need perspective, of course, but it's not as though Cleveland has a bad defense. It's actually become something of a strength lately, and reinforcing that strength might be their key to truly competing in the NFL. Great teams have balance on both sides of the ball, but making their way toward an elite defense is a good start for the Browns.