The Cleveland Browns won the analytics analysis following the NFL Draft, but ESPN's Mel Kiper gave the Browns his lowest grade.
Cleveland, Dallas, Philadelphia, and San Francisco all tied for the lowest grade in this year's draft, with each receiving a C.
"This was not a bonanza," Kiper wrote of the Browns' 14 picks, "but it should've been."
The Browns' assessment gets worse when compared to the rest of the AFC North. Kiper gave the Ravens an A, the Bengals an A- and Steelers a B. Which means the Browns graded the lowest in the division, according to Kiper.
Other sites were kinder to the Browns.
USA Today gave them a B, but wondered whether the Browns actually took too many receivers, saying "the question is if Cleveland opted for quantity over quality, and how many of those draftees will even make the 53-man roster." (After watching the Browns not draft receivers for two years, I'd never say they took too many.)
ProFootballFocus.com rated the draft an A, pointing out that WR Corey Coleman was the analytics site's top receiver, Emmanuel Ogbah the No.3 pass rusher and Rashard Higgins the No. 3 receiver. The site also had high praise for the selection of LB Joe Schobert. With everyone talking about the Browns and analytics, it's somehow fitting that an analytics site loved the team's draft.
Finally, Pete Prisco of CBSSports said what I felt: This Browns draft will be defined by the way quarterback Carson Wentz plays in Philadelphia. The Browns could have taken Wentz had they stayed with the second overall pick, but traded down for numbers of picks. The Browns went for quantity of picks over the quality that the second overall pick would bring.
"If (Wentz) is great, this draft will be irrelevant," Prisco wrote. "If he's not, the Browns win. There are some good players here to help the rebuild, but numbers aren't always the best thing if they don't pan out."
Prisco gave the Browns draft a C-.
The Browns clubhouse page has all the ESPN draft analysis, including instant reaction on all the Browns' 14 selections.