Browns bolster both lines in draft’s 2nd day

The Browns drafted Austin Corbett, a 305-pound offensive lineman from Nevada, in the second round.

The Browns, searching for a left tackle since Joe Thomas retired on March 14, opened the second round of the 2018 draft on April 27 by drafting Austin Corbett, a 305-pound offensive lineman from Nevada, with the 33rd overall pick.

Two picks later, the Browns selected 5-foot-11, 227-pound running back Nick Chubb from Georgia. Chubb rushed for 4,796 yards on 758 carries (6.3 average) and 44 touchdowns in four seasons with the Bulldogs.

The Browns began the night with the final pick (64) in the second round and traded it to the Colts for picks 67 and 178. They used the 67th pick on Chad Thomas, a 275-pound defensive end from Miami (Fla.)

“We thought Chad was one of the most physical defensive linemen

in the draft,” Browns vice president of personnel Andrew Berry said. “We think his run defense will play immediately in the NFL as a left end in our system. He can kick down inside and rush the passer. We think his best football is ahead of him.”

Corbett played tackle for four seasons in college but was used as a guard in the Senior Bowl. He said the Browns haven’t told him where he will line up, but with Joel Bitonio entrenched at left guard and Kevin Zeitler at right guard, Corbett will likely compete at left tackle. He said most teams that talked to him before the draft projected him as a guard or center.

“There were still some teams that were saying tackle,” Corbett said on a conference call. “There was no reason to move me to inside because I’ve played the past four years at tackle, but it varied with every team. Whatever the Browns ask of me is what they’re going to get, for sure.”

Numerous offensive linemen — guard Will Hernandez (34 to Giants), guard Braden Smith ( 37 to the Colts) and guard/tackle Conor Williams (50 to the Cowboys) — ranked higher by draft analysts were selected after the Browns drafted Corbett.

“Well, first of all, I don’t know who those guys are who are ranking these guys,” Alonzo Highsmith, Browns executive vice president of player personnel said. “It doesn’t matter to me. I’m confident in my ability. I’m confident in (general manager)

John Dorsey’s ability. I’m confident in Eliot’s ability (assistant general manager Eliot Wolf) and I’m confident in what we do as a group.

“The only thing we’re concerned about during the draft is getting the draft board right for the Cleveland Browns and we felt these guys were the best players where we ranked them and that’s how we’re going to roll with it. The interesting thing about the draft is, it’s all about nothing really because we don’t know what these guys are going to be for two or three years. And that’s the most important thing — are they football players? Are they real guys? Are they tough? Do they want to play the type of football we want to play? And that’s all that matters.”

Highsmith, a former NFL running back, compared

Chubb to former NFL running back Jamal Lewis because of Chubb’s “Quick feet, powerful lower body, good balance and good body control.”

Chubb suffered a seasonending knee injury in 2015 and had to undergo surgery, but he bounced back and rushed for 1,130 yards as a junior and 1,345 yards last season.

“The shelf life of a running back isn’t very long sometimes,” Eliot said. “When you see a guy come back from what Nick Chubb came back from, his history, his resume, you don’t have to talk about it, it’s there on paper for you. You can see it and he overcame a knee injury. So I have no questions on the guy. Just give him the ball.”

Chubb will share the running back duties with Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson.