We can applaud the Cleveland Browns for the work they did in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it would be deserved. They not only found talent with Michael Hall and Zak Zinter but also received praise for bringing in Louisville wide receiver Jamari Thrash and South Dakota cornerback Myles Harden.

As much fun as it is to look at their accomplishments, we also have to face the fact that their AFC North rivals have also been good when it comes to drafting. That was the case once again this year as they each landed several talented players. Here we look at one from each team that could wind up causing Cleveland the most frustration.

At 6-foot-3 and 299 pounds, Kris Jenkins entered the NFL with a national title under his belt following his final season at Michigan. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he’s also the son of Kris Jenkins, Sr. who spent 10 years in the NFL and made it to the Pro Bowl four times as a defensive tackle.

Jenkins was the Cincinnati Bengals second draft pick after they took Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims in Round 1. While Mims plays a more important role — especially given the injury history of Joe Burrow — Jenkins is the more worrisome pick.

Mims, as talented as he is, comes in with plenty of questions on his own. He’s also dealt with injuries and doesn’t have much starting experience.

Jenkins, on the other hand, has the NFL bloodlines and registered 113 tackles with 4.5 sacks over the past three seasons. Cleveland has had trouble in recent years with athletic pass rushers up the middle and Jenkins is a relentless attacker with a dangerous spin counter. If the Browns O-line isn’t prepared for him, he can make life tough on Deshaun Watson.

Payton Wilson, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
One of the more exciting — yet risky — selections this year was North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson. This past season with the Wolfpack, he racked up 138 tackles with six sacks, three interceptions, and 17.5 tackles for a loss.

The 6-foot-4, 233-pounder redshirt senior was phenomenal throughout his entire collegiate career and then showed out at the NFL Combine with impressive drills and a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash. Wilson had all the tools to be a first-round pick but there was a giant red flag — he’s been injured often.

He had knee injuries dating back to his high school days that caused him to redshirt as a freshman in 2018. He then suffered a shoulder injury in 2021 that allowed him to medically redshirt and gain another year of eligibility. Between these injuries, Wilson had to fight through two dislocated shoulders in 2020.

All these concerns had him off the board for many teams but the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to roll the dice with their second pick in Round 3 — which was obtained when they sent Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Pittsburgh typically has a strong defense, so they take a chance on a player who might not be 100 percent all the time. When he is on the field, however, Wilson is going to be a major problem. He’s a game-wrecker who can stuff the run, blitz the passer, and cover tight ends. We all knew someone would take a flier on him, it’s just too bad it was Pittsburgh.

Adisa Isaac, EDGE, Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have been praised for their ability to draft for years and they once again had a solid selection of rookies. Nate Wiggins was their top choice near the end of Round 1 and he should be able to develop into a solid CB1 before long. They also landed Roger Rosengarten late in Round 2 as a future starting offensive tackle.

In Round 3, they once again struck gold, this time with Adisa Isaac from Penn State.

Standing 6-foot-4 and 247 pounds, Isaac was born to play outside linebacker in the 3-4. A former team captain, Isaac is praised for his high football IQ and determination. He’s a hustle player who knows how to win with his hands and he’s coming off his best season yet.

Isaac finished 2023 with 37 tackles, 16 of which went for a loss. He also had 7.5 sacks and while he gets attention for his pass-rushing, he was an excellent run defender according to PFF last year as well. They even graded him higher (82.4) against the run than they did the pass (72.9).

Baltimore might have a two-time MVP under center in Lamar Jackson, but this is still a franchise that takes pride in playing great defense. Isaac will fit right in and could wind up being a problem for the Browns down the road.