Browns Connected to Deebo Samuel-like Wide Receiver

The Cleveland Browns have been linked to an explosive wide receiver who has been compared to San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel.

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) runs the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images / Will McLelland-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns are in need of another wide receiver after trading away Amari Cooper, and it's also important to note that Elijah Moore is slated to hit free agency.

Yes, the Browns have Jerry Jeudy, and Cedric Tillman may be a budding star, but there is no question that Cleveland needs some more depth at the position, and the Browns could absolutely use a legitimate No. 1.

While Cleveland can turn to free agency, the Browns don't exactly have a cushy financial situation, so they may have to punt to the NFL Draft for a definitive answer.

Could Cleveland actually use its first-round pick on a wide out?

It seems unlikely given all of the other roster needs the Browns have, but Cory Kinnan of Daft on Draft feels that the team could select Missouri Tigers star Luther Burden in April.

"Wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman have become legitimate threats down the field, but what they are missing is a player who can become an extension of their run game. ... Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III is that player," Kinnan wrote. "Not only is he Deebo-like with the football in his hands and hard to bring to the ground, but his ability to win down the field and along the boundary elevates his game even more."

Comparing Burden to San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel is certainly flattering, and it may be pretty on brand given Burden's versatility.

Burden has tallied six receiving touchdowns while punching in a couple of rushing scores this season. Last year, he hauled in 86 receptions for 1,212 yards while reaching the end zone nine times.

The Browns are probably more likely to select a quarterback or an offensive tackle in the first round, but stranger things have happened, and Burden could end up revolutionizing Cleveland's aerial attack.