The Cleveland Browns made a huge splash this offseason by acquiring Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans. He will be their new franchise quarterback, as they will now be looking to trade Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2018 NFL Draft.

Trading Mayfield would help them restock their draft capital, which they dipped into to acquire Watson. In addition to giving Watson a five-year, $230 million contract he signed as part of the deal, the Browns surrendered the No. 13 and 107 overall selections in the 2022 NFL Draft, a first and third-rounder in 2023 and a first and fourth-rounder in 2024.

There is no denying that the Browns are in a better position to win with Watson under center as long as he is cleared to return to the field. But, with such limited draft capital going forward, Cleveland will have to make the most of the selections that they do have.

Finding some gems in the middle rounds of the draft is what truly separates rosters. If you have a player producing at a high level that is on a small contract, it will enable you to spend resources elsewhere to upgrade the roster.

For the Browns, one of the areas they could use some help in is at wide receiver. They did a good job acquiring Amari Cooper from the Dallas Cowboys, but they need to continue adding some talent behind him.

Jarvis Landry is a free agent after being a cap casualty, so the team should turn to the draft to fill the void. One player to keep an eye on in the third round when Cleveland comes on the clock is Alec Pierce out of Cincinnati.

Pierce bounced back in 2021 to have a solid season for the Bearcats after playing in only six games in 2020. He caught 52 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns this past season as Desmond Ridder’s No. 1 target in the passing game.

Pierce also has experience playing special teams early in his collegiate career, which is something that teams will love. To make an impact sometimes early in your career as a mid-round pick, you have to pay special teams. Pierce will have an edge there already having some experience doing it.

He has the size to make some plays down the field, as he had 13 deep receptions last season. But, his lack of burst of quickness off the line of scrimmage could present some issues at the next level.

But, as a third-round pick, he is a worthwhile selection. He could bring a deep threat to the Browns’ offense that they are lacking. The strength that he possesses will help compensate for his lack of athleticism and will also get him on the field more because he can be an excellent blocker in the run game.