Can you review corners and safety’s? I have literally no knowledge on the footwork, and I miss almost every single time I get behind one.
Well, my first would be where do you expect the draft eligible osu guys to go? (homer question out of the way)
Also, any good linebackers or d lineman worth taking early on? Would love to get more speed all over the team regardless of position. Someone who could tackle would be nice too.
Linebackers, Safeties, DBs please
Seems like the theme here is (predictably so) defense.
As I said yesterday, the depth issues and schematic fitting of pieces within this defense enters year two. Woods has a ton of young talent to continue developing already, but then consider that this team is untethered to the following contributors for 2021:
DL:
Larry Ogunjobi (643 snaps)
Olivier Vernon (801)
Vincent Taylor (206)
LB:
BJ Goodson (848)
Malcolm Smith (559)
DB:
Terrence Mitchell (1071)
Kevin Johnson (576)
Andrew Sendejo (919)
Karl Joseph (660)
This is 6,200+ snaps of defensive experience potentially heading out the door.
I know some of these guys can and likely will be retained, but regardless of that we know that adding Billings, Delpit and Williams back into the fold alone is only the beginning of a defensive overhaul in this Cover 3 scheme.
Here are some of the guys on my early radar as potential Browns fits as we head into the off-season (note: no real order here):
EDGE:
Joseph Ossai - Texas - Lengthy arms with great combination of power and bend. Sets a good, hard edge in the run game which makes him an ideal fit opposite Garrett. Great motor, relentless competitor and always around the ball making plays. I don't know if he's heavy enough to play the weakside EDGE spot, but we'll see where he winds up metrics wise before I make that call. My DE1 in this class right now, knocked me out every time I saw Texas.
Zaven Collins - Tulsa - This dude is a game changing player, he does a little bit of everything just like Myles Garrett can do. Thick, athletic, flexible. Tremendous fit for the Browns and slots in right behind Ossai for me.
Kwity Paye - Michigan - Brick shithouse ball of energy off the edge. Heavy handed and powerful, can just collapse pockets with the bull rush. Largely considered a home run fit as a culture guy, works incredibly hard and sufficient enough athleticism to turn into an All-Pro caliber player at the next level.
Patrick Jones - Pittsburgh - Likely a Day 2 guy I like alot because he's developed some really strong pass rushing moves and has all the size, length tangible things you look for.
Rashad Weaver - Pittsburgh - Another Day 2 or early Day 3 guy from Pittsburgh, Weaver has worked a lot with Aaron Donald's personal guys and developed a wide array of athletic, impressive moves. Going to put up some impressive combine numbers for sure.
Guys I've seen and liked:
Jordan Smith - UAB
Brenton Cox - Florida - Questions about his size, is he lengthy enough and if he's more well suited as an OLB
Jayson Oweh - PSU - Knocks out the combine, doesn't always translate to the field
Daelin Hayes - ND
Need to see more:
Peyton Turner - Houston
Dayo Odeyingbo - Vandy
Gregory Rosseau - Miami
Hamiclar Rashed - Oregon State
Janarius Robinson - Florida State
Joe Tryon - Washington
Jaelen Phillips - Miami - Too many injuries, a bit scared off. Impressive when healthy.
Not a great fit, IMO:
Azeez Ojulari - Georgia - Love him, just think he's a 3-4 EDGE
Quincy Roach - Miami - See above
Carlos Basham - Wake Forest - Not overly athletic or bendy, so impactful otherwise
DT:
Jay Tufele - USC - Opted out, but a stout interior defender with 1st round grades. Played 3T at USC, faced a ton of doubles, but made a pretty good impact at collapsing a pocket.
Daviyon Nixon - Iowa - Another 3T, probably has a bit better burst than Tufele. Break out season in 2020, but hasn't always shown the consistency you want to see as a block eater.
Tommy Togiai - Ohio State - Gifted leverage player, understands how to anchor so well and is probably among the strongest players in this class.
Guys I've seen and liked/need to see more:
Levi Onwuzurike - UW
Marlon Tuipulotu - USC
Osa Odighizuwa - UCLA
Alim McNiel - NC State
Jaylen Twyman - Pitt
Ifeanyi Maijeh - Temple
Marvin Wilson - FSU - One of the best HS recruits I've ever seen who was undercoached and underdeveloped at his chosen school. Still has massive talent.
Christian Barmore - Alabama
Bobby Brown - Texas A&M
Not really a fit:
Darius/Dante Stills - WVU - Perhaps better fit in the 3-4, but if they come in a bit heavier I'll re-evaluate.
Tyler Shelvin - LSU
Haskell Garrett - In the same boat as Stills, would need to be convinced of the body.
LB:
*Note: LB and CB are the two positions I've seen/studied the least of. I want to watch more prospects, and I really am more interested in metrics and then going back to tape on both.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - Notre Dame - Really disappeared in the Clemson game, but he's largely schemed around. Fluid athleticism and good, sound tackler most of the time.
Chazz Surratt - North Carolina - Been thinking about his fit with Cleveland and I think he'd be a great fit. Really gets into gaps and downhill, enough athleticism to play all three downs. Probably my top fit for this team, just love what he could bring to this team.
Nick Bolton - Mizzou - I truly don't know if he fits schematically, he might just be a fit for anyone. He's small and compact, but everywhere. Misses too many tackles in space, but he's in space quite a bit because they trust him in coverage more than most.
Kuony Deng - Cal - Putting this dude on the list because he's super interesting. 6'4, 250+ playing Mike and getting to the ball all the time. He's a hybrid EDGE/LB prospect at the next level for me.
Guys I've seen and liked/need to see more:
Tony Fields - WVU - Potential nickel defender,
Joshua Ross - Michigan
Pete Werner - OSU
Ventrell Miller - Florida
Need to see more/did not like:
Dylan Moses - Alabama - No thanks, change of direction is meh
Cam McGrone - Michigan - Meh instincts, flashes a lot of good. Too much out of position.
Jabril Cox - LSU - Instincts
Baron Browning - OSU - Instincts
Monty Rice - Georgia
Paddy Fisher - Northwestern - Slow
Derrick Barnes - Purdue - Pretty slow, want to see more
CB:
Patrick Surtain - Alabama - Among the best CB I've seen/studied, ever. He's polished, well taught (duh), maybe lacks a bit of deep speed but I don't care. He's a multiple time Pro Bowler, especially in this scheme. Guy I'd be inclined to move up for if the price were right.
Jaycee Horn - South Carolina - This guy isn't all that far behind. Another NFL bloodline, but he's thick as hell and pound for pound is probably one of the best/most competitive athletes at the position. Think he's off the board before Cleveland.
Eric Stokes - Georgia - Another guy who lacks top end speed, but does well with good technique and pattern match skills that make me think he could fit into the C3 Woods scheme.
Greg Newsome - Northwestern - Middle rounds guy I like a lot, tackles too high, but good flip and run ability.
Caleb Farley - All the tools in the toolbox, and another former high school QB (along with Surratt). C3 match skills would be really good to pair with Ward. Think he's off the board before Cleveland.
Rodarius Williams - Oklahoma State - For a conference who essentially plays no defense, Williams was as close to lock down as one can get. Waiting to see the metrics, but the tape was nice.
Guys I've seen and liked/need to see more:
Asante Samuel Jr. - FSU - Might not even be a nickel only guy. He's tough.
Israel Mukuamu - South Carolina - Huge dude, long arms. Is he athletic enough?
Kary Vincent - LSU - Nickel only
Elijah Molden - UW - Nickel only
Robert Rochelle - Cent. Arkansas
Not seeing it yet/need to see more:
Shaun Wade - OSU
Tyson Campbell - Georgia - Flashed at times, but just not consistent enough
Paulson Adebo - Stanford - Haven't seen enough of him. Stanford is a brutal watch live.
Keith Taylor - UW - Too slow, can he get himself there by March?
Aaron Robinson - UCF - Too handsy
Marco Wilson - UF
Safety:
Jevon Holland - Oregon - Sat out 2020, but plays the box and nickel both pretty well. Playmaker in the Matheiu mold who I think becomes a versatile weapon for the C3 where he can play robber safety (Joseph) or in the slot (MJ Stewart).
Paris Ford - Pittsburgh - Great at coming downhill to finish, super aggressive player. That can burn him sometimes, but I'd rather have too much than not enough.
Talanoa Hufanga - USC - Box safety that plays like a LB. Big time thump, biggest questions will be about athleticism.
Ar'Darius Washington - TCU - Overshadowed some by Moering, who likely gets drafted higher, I think this guy is the more versatile player who will play well in a nickel/box role.
Kolby Harvey-Peel - Oklahoma St. - Another box S prospect that also plays the slot. Projects as a robber safety, but probably not as versatile as some others.
Jamien Sherwood - Auburn - Thumper LB/S hybrid guy who I think projects as a box S.
Guys I've seen and liked/need to see more:
Devine Diablo - VT - Deep S with range and great special teams skills.
Trevon Moering - TCU - Deep S who also has played the slot some too.
Tyree Gillespie - Mizzou - Bit more a thumper at deep S than these other two.
Richie Grant - Versatile FS/Nickel type but not much of a box S
Richard LeCounte - Georgia
Joshua Bledsoe - Mizzou - Hybrid defender I haven't really seen
Reed Blankenship - MTSU
Ifeatu Melifonwu - Syracuse
Andre Cisco - Syracuse
Hamsah Nasirildeen - FSU - Big time talent, but questions about tackling persist
Certainly missing some in here. But a decent list of guys to watch defensively.
