Getting to Know Browns Camp Quarterbacks John Love and Riley Neal

Getting to know the Cleveland Browns newest quarterbacks: Kyle Love and Riley Neal.

The Cleveland Browns opened their rookie minicamp with a lot of interest in their drafted players. The team also brought in a number of undrafted free agents, tryout players, and non-rookie rostered players.

Two of those were quarterbacks Josh Love and Riley Neal.

Love is a 24-year-old who played college football at San Jose State with his last season there in 2019. For his career in the MWC, Love attempted exactly 1,000 passes completing almost 58% of them for over 7,200 yards.

In his four seasons on the field, Love threw for 43 touchdowns while adding 29 interceptions. Love was not much of a running threat in college.

The Los Angeles Rams had Love in camp last year but he failed to make their roster.

Neal, also 24, played four years at Ball State before playing his fifth, and final, season with Vanderbilt in the SEC. In his five seasons, Neal threw for 8,978 yards while completing 60% of his passes.

Overall, Neal threw 55 touchdowns compared to 30 interceptions in college. He was also more of a rushing threat than Love, compiling 1,410 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns during his five years.

Following his transfer to Vanderbilt, Neal completed his Master’s Degree.

Neal signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL draft but was waived in July of 2020.

With veterans Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum and Kyle Lauletta leading the quarterback room, the Browns needed camp arms to make things go. It is unlikely that either Love or Neal will stick around but both players get another chance to keep their NFL dream alive during the Browns rookie minicamp.

Browns Add Speed, Another Buckeye, With Johnnie Dixon Tryout

Cleveland added more speed to their wide receiver room with the tryout of former Ohio State Buckeye Johnnie Dixon.

After adding a world-class sprinter in Anthony Schwartz, the Cleveland Browns continued to add speed to their wide receiver room by giving Johnnie Dixon a tryout this weekend.

Dixon, the former Ohio State Buckeye, went undrafted in 2019 despite running an impressive 4.41 40-yard dash in the ramp-up to the NFL draft.

With the Buckeyes, Dixon had his best season in 2018 with 42 receptions for 669 yards and 8 touchdowns. He had 8 scores his junior year in Columbus as well.

The Houston Texans signed the wide receiver as an undrafted free agent but cut him before the season started. The Arizona Cardinals added him to their practice squad but he has yet to log a professional snap.

With Odell Beckham Jr. coming back from injury, Rashard Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge and JoJo Natson re-signed this offseason to go along with Jarvis Landry, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Schwartz, the Browns have a lot of competition in the wide receiver room.

Dixon’s Relative Athletic Score tells the story, his speed will be what gets him on the field, either on offense or special teams:

 

Rookie minicamp kicks off this week for the Browns

The Browns offseason workout and minicamp schedule is now released

The Cleveland Browns rookie draft class and undrafted free agents will get their first taste of the Kevin Stefanski coaching experience next weekend. The team’s rookie minicamp kicks off on Friday, May 14 and runs through Sunday the 16th.

It’s the first stage of the offseason workout program for the newcomers, which includes first-round cornerback Greg Newsome.

The NFL also set the dates for the other portions of the Browns offseason program through training camp, which will begin in late July.

OTA Offseason Workouts: May 25-27, June 1-3, June 7-10
Mandatory Minicamp: June 15-17
Rookie Minicamp: May 14-16

However, the NFLPA is pushing for players to not report for OTAs. The Browns were one of several NFL teams whose players did not participate in the voluntary workouts in April at the behest of the NFLPA, which is led by Brown center JC Tretter.