While the Cleveland Browns continue to mull over their draft options, they are looking at ways to improve on both sides of the ball. After visiting multiple quarterbacks in this year's draft, the team is now looking at the top defensive candidates. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland is bringing in some of the top secondary players for a workout, including Alabama's Dee Milliner and LSU's Tyrann Mathieu.
Milliner has been floating around the top-10 on multiple draft boards. Experts have him being taken everywhere from No. 1 overall to Kansas City or No. 4 to the Philadelphia Eagles. As more teams make it clear what position they are gunning for, Milliner's place in the draft will be better known. He is easily the top cornerback in the draft this year and would be an immediate starter for any team that decides to pick him up. Milliner ran a blazing 4.37 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. Pairing his speed with his ability to find the ball in the air and he makes for an excellent draft prospect.
Looking at drafting Mathieu in the first round is considered risky by some. While there is no doubt that Mathieu is an excellent football player, his off-the-field issues have overshadowed all of that. The one time Heisman Trophy candidate sat out of football all last season due to multiple failed drug tests that led him to be dismissed from the team. Mathieu did everything he could to prove that he is ready to make a full comeback into sports. In 2011, he led LSU with 70 tackles and forced six fumbles , an SEC high that year.
The Browns will draft No. 6 overall which could put them in a position to land Milliner. The Eagles pick at 4 and they are rumored to be interested in a cornerback after the departure of Nnamdi Asomugha. If the Browns decide that Mathieu is worth a first-round pick, they will easily get him at No. 6 since most teams are not considering him with their first draft pick.
Cleveland is in desperate need for help in the secondary. They surrendered an average of 245.2 passing yards per game, ranking them 25th overall. The Browns are still looking at a quarterback to draft, but they need equal help on defense. This is a team that could go either way on draft day.
