National Football League

Browns select linebacker Nate Orchard in 2nd round

Published May. 1, 2015 8:50 p.m. ET

foxsports

BEREA, Ohio (AP) Desperate for an outside pass rusher, the Cleveland Browns traded down in the second round before selecting Utah defensive end Nate Orchard with the No. 51 overall pick in the NFL draft on Friday night.

Orchard led the nation with 18 1/2 sacks last season. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder should help a defensive unit that ranked just 27th in sacks in 2014. Orchard will play outside linebacker in Cleveland's 3-4 defensive scheme.

The Browns lost one of their best edge rushers during the offseason when Jabaal Sheard signed as a free agent with New England.

Cleveland recorded only 31 sacks last season, and coach Mike Pettine has said the team must do a better job creating havoc in the pocket and pressure.

A converted wide receiver, Orchard has an uncanny knack to get to the QB.

''That's just my thing,'' said Orchard, who played in 50 games over three seasons with the Utes. In Cleveland, he'll play alongside Paul Kruger, who also played at Utah.

Orchard's given name is Napa Fakahafua and he lived in California as a child before moving to Utah. He didn't know his birth father, and moved in with one of his coaches, Dave Orchard. Before getting married, he changed his last name to Orchard.

Cleveland had the No. 43 pick but traded it and the No. 229 pick to Houston for No. 51, 116 and 195.

---

AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL