Cleveland Browns NFL Draft Rumors: Obi Melifonwu Moves Up In NFL Mock Drafts, Dallas Cowboys Interested Too

Cleveland Browns-NFL Draft rumors reveal an interest in Obi Melifonwu as a first-round pick. The Browns hosted Melifonwu for a meeting on Friday (April 7), confirming that the team would like to land the defensive back in the 2017 NFL Draft. The list of teams already interested in Melifonwu includes the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, both of which have hosted him during the NFL offseason.

A recent NFL mock draft was presented by Sporting News, giving a full look at what teams might be targeting with first-round picks. At the top of the draft board, the site agrees with quite a few other NFL Draft rumors, with the Cleveland Browns taking Myles Garrett with the No. 1 pick. Garrett is a defensive lineman from Texas A&M who has also played outside linebacker. He could be a difference-maker to the Browns on defense.

Sporting News also addressed Cleveland Browns rumors about who the team might second with their second pick of the first round. This particular NFL mock draft has the Browns drafting Mitchell Trubisky. The North Carolina quarterback has been getting a lot of buzz lately, with many analysts suggesting that he might become a top 10 selection. If Trubisky is off the board, then it opens the door for the Browns to either select Melifonwu or to move down in the draft order. The Browns could also target Melifonwu in the second round if he is still available.

In the 2017 NFL Draft order, the Cleveland Browns have the first second-round selection (No. 33 overall) as well. This is where the Browns may have wanted to target safety Obi Melifonwu, but it’s unclear if he will still be available. Both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys have been showing a lot of interest, meeting with him ahead of the late-April draft. Many new NFL mock drafts have also listed Melifonwu as a first-round selection of the Steelers at No. 30. The Cowboys could grab him at No. 28 first if they wanted to.

A previous report by Sporting News discusses why Obi Melifonwu has been moving up in the 2017 NFL mock drafts. The Connecticut defensive back went through impressive workouts at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine, turning the heads of a lot of NFL scouts. Melifonwu is no longer going to be a secret on draft day, with the expectation that his first-round talent will now get rewarded with a nice pay day. While the latest Cleveland Browns rumors might have shown a lot of interest, if they don’t use the No. 12 pick on him, they might miss out on Melifonwu.

There have been previous NFL rumors about the Browns entertaining trade talks for the first overall selection, but it now seems that the front office is content with getting an elite player on the defensive side of the ball. Myles Garrett (pictured below) is certainly the type of player who could help make the Browns defense something formidable to all opponents. While it certainly doesn’t help improve one of the worst offenses in the entire league, it could ensure that the Browns stay in more games. That might make a huge difference for whoever is tagged to start at quarterback.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Browns acquired quarterback Brock Osweiler from the Houston Texans earlier in the NFL offseason. While the team has worked hard to deal him to another franchise, he still remains on the active roster. This could mean that he will be the starting quarterback, with someone like Mitchell Trubisky shadowing him for a season. With a number of mid-round selections waiting to be made, the Browns could also improve the offense later during the 2017 NFL Draft.

If Trubisky isn’t available at No. 12, the Browns could also look at drafting tight end O.J. Howard. It’s even possible that the Browns go after quarterback Deshaun Watson if he is on the board at No. 12. It’s also no secret that the team would love to land Ohio State safety Malik Hooker with that pick, but he is expected to also be a top 10 selection. A lot is still up in the air, which is why the major sites are disagreeing in the latest NFL mock draft. As for these recent Cleveland Browns-NFL Draft rumors, getting Obi Melifonwu at No. 33 might just be the steal of the draft.

[Featured Image by Butch Dill/Getty Images]