'Best player available': Who Dane Brugler says Browns can't pass up at No. 6 in the Draft

When you’re sitting at No. 6 overall in the NFL Draft, do you draft specifically for need, or grab a superstar you can't pass up? That’s the potentially franchise altering question facing GM Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns.

While the consensus screams for an offensive tackle or a game-breaking wide receiver, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler is banging the drum for a different strategy: best player available. Appearing on 92.3 The Fan, Brugler favored the elite talent on the board, specifically Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

"I firmly believe in taking the best player available when you're in the top 10," Brugler stated. "It comes down to what is the gap between Caleb Downs and your highest-graded offensive player."

NFL.com’s Nick Shook, a native Northeast Ohioan, joined The SICK Podcast with Andy McNamara, echoed the sentiment that the Browns are in a unique—if stressful—situation. Discussing the roster's current state and the allure of high-end talent, Shook noted that while the needs are obvious, you can't ignore a ceiling like Downs. "You're looking for cornerstones," Shook noted. "If the guy is a perennial Pro Bowler, you don't care what the depth chart looks like today."

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The debate is officially on. Do the Browns play it safe with a "need" pick, or do they grab a blue chip stud to make an already strong defense even more intimidating?

Caleb Downs: To Draft or Not to Draft?

Why You Draft Him:

• Generational Talent: Widely regarded as the best safety prospect in years, potentially a "top 2 player" regardless of position.
• The Buckeye Factor: A local hero with instant chemistry and a high football IQ who has already dominated at the highest collegiate level.
• BPA Security: Taking the highest-graded player reduces the risk of "reaching" for a sub-par tackle or receiver just to fill a hole.

Why You Pass:

• Positional Value: Safety is rarely viewed as a "premium" Top 10 position compared to left Tackle or WR1.
• Not a Natural Ballhawk: Downs is a physical, versatile force, but he isn't necessarily the pure centerfield free safety that naturally complements Grant Delpit’s aggressive style.
• The O-Line Crisis: With aging and injury-prone tackles, passing on a franchise protector at No. 6 could leave the quarterback—and the entire offense—dangerously exposed.

What Berry does pre-draft in free agency at OL and receiver will obviously dictate the first round strategy. If the Browns sign one of the top available tackles in Green Bay’s Rasheed Walker (for example), then selecting Downs at No. 6 and still a top tier WR 24th overall could make a lot of sense.

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