The Browns have the first overall pick in this year’s draft, they have three others in the first two rounds and should be in the neighborhood of the 14 picks they made in 2016 once compensatory selections are doled out.
They’ll be able to use Senior Bowl practices as part of their evaluation process of players to use with those picks. Senior Bowl executive director and one-time Browns General Manager Phil Savage announced Tuesday that the Browns will provide the coaching staff for the South team in this year’s game.
That’s something Browns coach Hue Jackson said he wanted to do before the announcement was made.
“I’m excited about coaching the Senior Bowl,” Jackson said in a statement. “They really do an outstanding job of getting great players to participate in the game. Obviously, this can be really beneficial to our organization by spending a week coaching some of the best players in college football while we are preparing for the draft. I always say coaching is all about teaching and putting players in the best environment to succeed. I really look at this as an opportunity to help these young men be at their best during a week in which they get to showcase their talents to the entire National Football League.”
The Bears, who are set to pick third overall, will provide the staff for the North side. Head coach John Fox said he is “excited for this opportunity to get a hands-on look” at some of the prospects making their way into the NFL this season.
The Senior Bowl practices kick off on January 24 in Mobile, Alabama and the game will be played on Saturday, January 28.
