Browns 2024 Combine Prep: Georgia WR, Ladd McConkey

The NFL is gearing up to take over Indianapolis next Monday to get the first look at the upcoming rookie class. For Browns fans, our evaluation starts at the wide receiver position

As it stands right now, the Cleveland Browns won't be making a selection until pick 54 on day two of the NFL Draft. Andrew Berry is not known for moving up in the draft but is more apt to move back.

All signs point to the Browns being in the wide receiver market for their first selection, whenever that may come during April's draft. 

Unfortunately for the Browns, they will not be in the market for top tier prospects like Marvin Harrison Jr. or Rome Odunze. Their evaluation starts with the day two guys and beyond. Lucky for Cleveland, this is one of the deepest wide receiver classes of recent memory.

Our evaluation of the 2024 rookie wide receiver class starts with Georgia standout Ladd McConkey.

The 22-year-old Georgia Bulldog limped through a senior season that was derailed by a sprained ankle injury suffered at the end of November against Ole Miss. 

In just seven games in the 2023 season, McConkey finished with 30 catches for 478 yards and two touchdowns. The numbers aren't gaudy by any means, but the intangibles are there. 

While he stands at just 5'11, McConkey is widely considered one of the best route runners in the entire draft. He is a technician with a vast knowledge of the route tree and he catches everything. His 6.3 percent drop rate ranks him eighth out of the entire 2024 draft class, one spot ahead of the consensus top receiver of the class, Harrison Jr. 

One aspect of McConkey's game that stands out when watching his tape is the suddenness that he displays when getting in and out of his routes. He can separate from defenders at top speed but also create space with his quickness.

McConkey's greatest sample size comes from the 2022 season where he was fully healthy and finished with 58 catches, 762 yards and seven touchdowns.

Dec 30, 2023; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Ladd McConkey (84) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Florida State Seminoles during the first half in the 2023 Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports   / © Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The fit in Cleveland is a pretty good one for now and for the future. As this offense evolves to the vision of Ken Dorsey, speed and precision at the wide receiver position are paramount – two boxes the McConkey checks.

From a personnel standpoint, McConkey provides this roster with a potential replacement for Elijah Moore if his second year in Cleveland hits similar speed bumps as the first.

McConkey is projected as a late first, early second-round pick. If he were to fall even a little bit Cleveland could be a team that is primed to jump up and make a run at the former Bulldog.