2024 NFL draft grades: How did the Cleveland Browns do this year?

BEREA — Bolstering depth, establishing succession plans and fortifying special teams with the new kickoff rule at the forefront of the thought process.

Those are the goals the Browns tried to achieve in the 2024 NFL draft.

Not much of it is going to excite any fan base.

An overall grade for Cleveland's effort? Let's go with a B, a good initial impression for a franchise lacking a first-round pick due to the March 2022 trade it executed with the Houston Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Browns draft grades

Here's a breakdown of my pick-by-pick grades and the traits General Manager Andrew Berry coveted most in each prospect he chose:

• Second round (No. 54 overall): Ohio State defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. — B+. Berry likes: Pass-rush ability.

• Third round (No. 85): Michigan guard Zak Zinter — B. Berry likes: Pass protection.

• Fifth round (No. 156): Louisville wide receiver Jamari Thrash — C+. Berry likes: Separation from defenders.

• Sixth round (No. 206): Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson — B. Berry likes: Strength in run game.

• Seventh round (No. 227): South Dakota nickelback Myles Harden — B. Berry likes: Instincts and versatility.

• Seventh round (No. 243): Cincinnati defensive tackle Jowon Briggs — B-. Berry likes: Movement ability.

Browns 2024 NFL draft: Zak Zinter, Mike Hall Jr. brought back together in Cleveland

No one knows how any of this will pan out, but the fits the Browns found and their overall strategy made sense for the most part. In the interest of nitpicking, Berry completed zero trades to improve positioning on the board or increase bites at the apple. The absence of a tight end in the aforementioned draft haul is worth mentioning, too. When asked about it, Berry pointed out there are more moves to be made before the 2024 season kicks off in September.

In terms of the bigger picture, keeping up in the AFC North isn't easy because it's the best division in the NFL. It's the only one from which three 2023 playoff teams emerged, with the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers qualifying for the postseason along with the Browns.

The Ravens won the division last season, and the Browns placed second, their best finish in the regular-season standings since 2007. The Browns have never won the AFC North, which was formed in 2002. And they haven't won a division title since 1989.

Below is a quick rundown of what the other AFC North teams did in this year's draft.

Cincinnati Bengals 2024 NFL draft grade

Like the Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals focused on the trenches early.

They picked Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims (first round, No. 18 overall), Michigan defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (second, No. 49), Alabama receiver Jermaine Burton (third, No. 80), Texas A&M defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson (third, No. 97), Iowa tight end Erick All (fourth, No. 115), TCU cornerback Josh Newton (fifth, No. 149), Arizona tight end Tanner McLachlan (sixth, No. 194), Mississippi edge rusher Cedric Johnson (sixth, No. 214), Mississippi safety Daijahn Anthony (seventh, No. 224) and Miami center Matt Lee (seventh, No. 237).

Draft grade: B-

Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 NFL draft grade

Protecting offseason quarterback acquisitions Russell Wilson and Justin Fields was a top priority of the Steelers.

They selected Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu (first, No. 20 overall), West Virginia center Zach Frazier (second, No. 51), Michigan receiver Roman Wilson (third, No. 84), North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson (third, No. 98), South Dakota State guard Mason McCormick (fourth, No. 119), Iowa defensive lineman Logan Lee (sixth, No. 178) and Texas cornerback Ryan Watts (sixth, No. 195).

Draft grade: A

Baltimore Ravens 2024 NFL draft grade

The Ravens leaned into their reputation for developing standout cornerbacks and edge rushers.

They chose Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins (first round, No. 30 overall), Washington offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten (second, No. 62), Penn State edge rusher Adisa Isaac (third, No. 93), North Carolina receiver Devontez Walker (formerly of Kent State, fourth, No. 113), Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa (fourth, No. 130), Marshall running back Rasheen Ali (fifth, No. 165), Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary (sixth, No. 218), Michigan State center Nick Samac (seventh, No. 228) and Purdue safety Sanoussi Kane (seventh, No. 250).

Draft grade: B+

How did the Browns stack up in NFL draft against the rest of the AFC North?

On paper, the Browns had a quality draft. There is an asterisk attached, though, because they were limited by how much their roster could improve without a Round 1 pick. If you expected sizzle, perhaps you forgot about the Watson trade's impact on the draft.

Sure, even first-round selections have roughly a 50-50 chance of hitting, something Berry has mentioned. Yet, the crapshoot nature of the draft only becomes more prominent as the rounds progress.

Whether the Browns forsaking their most prized lottery tickets three years in a row proves to be wise will ultimately hinge on Watson and his surgically repaired throwing shoulder.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 2024 NFL draft grades: Did the Browns ace the draft?