Todd McShay is a very popular NFL Draft analyst, so when he speaks, people tend to listen. In his latest mock draft (only available to ESPN Insiders) he has the Cleveland Browns selecting Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers.
To me, Bowers is an impressive prospect. To this point, we’ve seen the Browns take anyone from A.J. Green to Robert Quinn, but getting Bowers would be a pretty nice steal.
As McShay notes, Dick Jauron is now leading the Cleveland defense, and his 4-3 style of play will require a dominant pass rusher at defensive end (what defense wouldn’t love that?). The biggest question mark surrounding Bowers right now is his surgically repaired meniscus, which is causing some scouts major concerns.
Playing most of the year on a partially torn meniscus, Bowers led the nation with 15.5 sacks and had more than 25 tackles for a loss. His impressive season shot him up draft boards, but right now his knee is a pretty large concern. If he was fully healthy, he could be a lock for the top two picks. If not, he is a nice steal here for the Browns. Here is McShay’s analysis:
New defensive coordinator Dick Jauron is leading the transition to a 4-3 scheme and needs to find the proper personnel along the front seven, and finding a traditional 4-3 end is a top priority this offseason. Bowers is an ideal fit, with the power, quickness an instincts to be an every-down end in the NFL. He might fall this far only because of lingering concerns about recent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, but if the Browns can get Bowers they will certainly be happy.