EVERYBODY SCORES! Cavs vs Hornets: Behind the Box Score
January 24, 2015ESPN report on Johnny Manziel paints a putrid picture
January 24, 2015The Senior Bowl is the first big event of the NFL Draft process. It gives NFL teams their first chance to see the senior draft prospects up close in practices and the game. Last season the Browns were very impressed with the players in the game, selecting three players in last year’s draft who played in the Senior Bowl. Second rounder Joel Bitonio, third rounder Chris Kirksey, and fourth rounder Pierre Desir all played in the 2014 Senior Bowl. The 2015 Senior Bowl is this Saturday on NFL Network at 4 p.m. It is filled with a lot of potential first round picks and has a lot of talent who can make an immediate impact in the NFL. The Browns have holes to fill on their roster and this game will host players who can meet their needs. Here are ten players who Browns fans should watch intently in the game because of their potential fit with the Cleveland Browns.
DE/OLB Hau’oli Kikaha, Washington
Hau’oli Kikaha is a 6-foot-3, 246-pound pass rusher who should fit well as an outside linebacker in the Browns 3-4 defense. In his senior season this past year, he posted 72 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, two passes defended, three forced fumbles, and 19 sacks. He had the most sacks last season among all Division I-A players. He has very good quickness and hands to be a dangerous pass rusher at the next level. Kikaha has a great motor and plays well against the run, but can struggle versus stronger blockers. He can make an immediate impact as a pass rusher but will struggle in coverage because of his lack of athleticism in space. He has an injury history that could scare off some teams, too.
Draft Range: Late 1st/Early-Mid 2nd Rounder
DT Danny Shelton, Washington
The 6-foot-2, 339-pound defensive tackle is a great fit as the nose tackle for the Browns. In his senior season this past year, Danny Shelton had 93 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and nine sacks. He is an extremely strong lineman who is very productive against the run. He is a stout run defender who can fill two gaps because of his strength and size. His size allows him to overmatch one blocker, so he can draw multiple blockers enabling others around him to get free. Shelton is not a great pass rusher, but he can bull rush into sacks and he does have sneaky athleticism for a man his size. He is a perfect fit for the Browns in need of a run stuffing nose tackle.
Draft Range: Early-Mid 1st Rounder
OT TJ Clemmings, Pittsburgh
The 6-foot-6, 315-pound offensive tackle could be a very good fit for the Browns right tackle spot in the zone blocking scheme. TJ Clemmings has the potential to be a Pro Bowl tackle because of great athleticism and size. He is a little raw at this point because he only switched to the tackle position at the end of the 2012 season after playing defensive end. His pass blocking is very solid because of his ability to move laterally and stay with quick edge rushers. In run blocking, he would be very good in zone blocking because of his ability to move in space and blow through blockers. Clemmings is still raw in technique and experience at the offensive tackle spot, but he could be a real value pick for the Browns in the first round because of his upside.
Draft Range: Early-Mid 1st Rounder
WR Sammie Coates, Auburn
The 6-foot-2, 201-pound wide receiver is a big playmaker who could add a deep threat to the Browns. This past season, Sammie Coates had 34 receptions for 741 yards and four touchdowns. He has great size and speed combination that allows him to make big plays. He is a deep threat player because of his elite speed to separate and size to go up and get the ball. He is a solid blocker because of his size and strength, too. Coates does not run crisp routes, so he can waste his advantage of his speed by running sloppy routes. He is also prone to drops because of concentration. He has the ability to be a very good receiver in the NFL.
Draft Range: Late 1st/Early 2nd Rounder
WR Josh Harper, Fresno State
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver might be a good second round value for the Browns. In his senior season last year, Josh Harper caught 90 passes for 1097 yards and 7 touchdowns. He is a quick receiver with the ability break tackles because of his agility to get defenders out of position. He has very good hands and can go up and grab the ball at its highest peak. He is a tough player who will go over the middle and catch in traffic. Harper is not a great route runner and does not have great top end speed. His injury history could also be an issue for teams wanting to draft him high in the draft.
Draft Range: 2nd Rounder
TE Clive Walford, Miami (FL)
Clive Walford could be the biggest mismatch in the tight end draft class. The 6-foot-4, 258-pound tight end had 44 receptions for 676 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior season last year. He is an athletic tight end who has a very good size and athleticism combination. He is faster then most linebackers and bigger then cornerbacks. Walford can go up and make tough catches, but sometimes suffers drops because of lack of concentration. He has developed into a very solid blocker with the ability to help out in run and pass blocking. He must add more weight to his frame in order to block the bigger players in the NFL.
Draft Range: 2nd Rounder
OT La’el Collins, LSU
The 6-foot-5, 321-pound offensive tackle is a bruising tackle, who will fit more at right tackle or right guard in the NFL. La’el Collins is a strong run blocker who can push his way through the line and get to the second level. He is a tough player with a strong motor to finish off his blocks. For a man his size, he is quick off the snap, allowing him to get an advantage against the pass rusher. He struggles against speed rushers on the edge, so he will either be a right tackle or move inside to guard. Collins can sometimes get off balance in pass protection because of his lack of quickness to change direction.
Draft Range: Mid 1st Rounder
DE/OLB Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA
Owamagbe Odighizuwa is defensive end in a 4-3, but many believe he can play as outside linebacker in the Browns’ 3-4 defense. The 6-foot-3, 270-pound Odighizuwa had 61 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, and five passes defended in his senior season last year. He is a very good run defender because of his strength and very good length. He has good explosion off the line and strong hands that help him get past blockers and pressure the backfield. Odighizuwa is not a skilled pass rusher because he lacks versatility in pass rushing moves. He also has an injury history that could scare off teams from drafting him high.
Draft Range: Late 1st/Early 2nd
WR Justin Hardy, East Carolina
The 6-foot, 188-pound wide receiver is a player with great hands and can be very reliable to his quarterback. In his senior season last year, Justin Hardy was second in Division I-A in receptions with 121 catches and had 1494 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. He is a quarterback’s dream because of his ability to go up and bring down a catch, while also coming back to the ball when a quarterback is scrambling. He is not a fast receiver, so he could have trouble separating from the coverage at the next level. But once he does make the catch, he has elusiveness and toughness to make defenders miss. He also did not have to run intricate routes in college, so he must learn the NFL routes. He is probably one of my favorite receivers in the draft this year.
Draft Range: 2nd Rounder
DE/OLB Nate Orchard, Utah
Nate Orchard is an outside linebacker who has the ability to get after the quarterback. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound outside linebacker had 84 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three passes defended in his senior season last year. He had the second most sacks last season among all Division I-A players. He is a very good pass rusher because of his combination of quickness and strong hands to rip away from blockers. Orchard has a couple of quality pass rushing moves to get to the quarterback. He is not great in run defense because he struggles to get away from the bigger blockers. He is also not a fast player in space, so he struggles trying to cover in the passing game. The Browns could definitely use a pass rusher, though.
Draft Range: 2nd Rounder
-All player stats and measurements have come from the team websites of each player
3 Comments
“WR Sammie Coates, Auburn…He is also prone to drops because of concentration…”
BZZZZZT! NEXT!
Shelton, OO, Hardy for our first three picks would make me happy
Excellent article Joe Gilbert. Good, concise summaries with gifs = Awesome.