Tag: Browns UDFA

The Browns Wire Podcast: Bill Carroll’s legendary memory joins the show

The Browns Wire Podcast: Bill Carroll’s legendary memory joins the show to talk Buckeye history, Browns UDFAs and more

Welcome to The Browns Wire Podcast, hosted by Josh Keatley (@JoshKeatley16). This week Adam Moore (@Moore2102) and I are joined by foot expert/historian, Bill Carroll (@elevenbravo138 & @BCarroll138). Bill walks us through his in depth college scouting process, his thoughts on the Browns draft & undrafted class. We then discuss more XFL and revisit the career of former Buckeye legend, Vinnie Clark.

It’s also available on all of your favorite podcast apps, including iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher and Spotify. Thanks for listening!

Music provided by Good Reverend.

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Kevin Davidson: What the Browns are getting in their UDFA QB

Kevin Davidson: What the Browns are getting in their UDFA QB from Princeton

Baker Mayfield is the quarterback of the present and the future for the Cleveland Browns. However, backup Case Keenum is getting up in age and it is never a bad idea to explore other depth options, especially when those options come from the Ivy League. It should not be shocking that GM Andrew Berry and his staff snagged a former Princeton Tiger in the undrafted free agent class.

Name: Kevin Davidson

Position: Quarterback

School: Princeton

Height: 6-4

Weight: 224 pounds

Strengths: Davidson is another prospect the Browns picked up that was thought to likely hear his name called late. He is one of the most talented quarterbacks in Princeton history and had an extremely productive season passing for 2,574 yards and 20 touchdowns to just six interceptions. He ended the season with a 66.5% completion percentage and a 104.6 passer rating. These eye-popping numbers and his insanely big arm make him a legit NFL prospect.

Weaknesses: The biggest issue with Davidson is the obvious lack of competition that he faced in the Ivy League. This was likely the biggest reason he didn’t hear his name called on draft night. He is a clear project that is in no way ready to see the field and will likely need a redshirt season. When faced with pressure, Davidson is pretty horrendous and all of his fundamental mechanics breakdown.

Overall:

Davidson was predicted by many to see his name called in the late rounds and he has the raw potential to play in the NFL, but he is likely never going to develop into a regular or consistent contributor. More than likely Davidson will always be on the roster bubble. He needs a redshirt season to even be considered a viable number two, and the Browns will have to decide whether or not he is worth the wait and the roster spot.

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Nate Wieting: What the Browns are getting in their UDFA TE

Wieting has some durability issues but showed NFL skills at Iowa

The Cleveland Browns added 15 undrafted free agents following the 2020 NFL Draft, and the tight end from Iowa is one of the most intriguing. With expectations that Cleveland is going to be using two tight end sets in the base offense it will require more depth. The Browns did add Austin Hooper in free agency and Harrison Bryant during the draft to join David Njoku, Pharaoh Brown and Stephen Carlson. Is there room for another?

Name: Nate Wieting

Position: Tight End

School: Iowa

Height: 6-4

Weight: 244 pounds

Strengths: Wieting is a great addition as an undrafted free agent considering most pundits viewed him as a late-round prospect. He is clearly a hard worker ready to grind as evidenced by his rise from walk-on to full-time starter and he is coming from TEU, where even the most unheralded tight ends contribute at the next level. Wieting flew under the radar for a ton of reasons, but he has excellent blocking ability and appears to have an extremely high floor.

Weaknesses: We discussed Wieting flying under the radar and the fact that most viewed him as a draftable prospect, but it is pretty obvious his injury issues are the main reason he didn’t hear his name called. He only missed two games this past season due to a calf injury, but he found his way to the sideline quite often throughout the year. His best attribute is as a blocking tight end, but he lacks the ideal strength you look for in a blocking specialist and this is evident as he fails to put guys in the dirt despite being in the right position.

Overall:

Wieting is good enough to hang in the NFL in a reserve role and key special teams contributor, but he is unlikely to ever develop into a key piece on offense. It is hard to predict what the Browns are going to do with him. They may view Wieting as a reliable enough blocker and asset special teams, which should help his cause, but the tight end room is getting crowded.

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Drake Dorbeck: What the Browns are getting in their undrafted OT

Drake Dorbeck: What the Browns are getting in their undrafted OT from Southern Miss

It is no secret that the biggest issue heading into the 2020 offseason for the Cleveland Browns was the offensive line. Not only did Cleveland address that position with a big addition in free agency in Jack Conklin, but they selected offensive tackle Jedrick Wills in the first round. Apparently, the Browns are not done as they added another potential depth piece after the draft was completed.

Name: Drake Dorbeck

Position: Offensive Tackle

School: Southern Mississippi

Height: 6-7

Weight: 317 pounds

Strengths: The first thing you notice about Dorbeck is his ideal size to play the position. Going around his length is going to take a defender days. He is not a waist-bender and understands the leverage game, consistently getting into good position. Dorbeck has a strong initial punch that disrupts pass rushers and the ideal strength to hold onto the block.

Weaknesses: It is not shocking that Dorbeck went undrafted as his footwork is just flat out not good and needs serious work before he is ready to contribute at all. His footwork is not just sloppy, but also slow and this may have gone largely unnoticed in the Conference USA. It will be an issue in the NFL. Dorbeck also lacks any kind of mean streak, failing to put guys into the dirt even on reps where he clearly can.

Overall: Despite the Browns needing to add solid depth to the offensive line, I don’t see Dorbeck being a factor. He is going to require a redshirt season and even after that his upside is minimal. He does check a lot of intriguing boxes, especially with his size, but with another undrafted free agent in Alex Taylor in the mix, Cleveland doesn’t appear to be a good fit for Dorbeck.

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Benny LeMay: What the Browns are getting in their UDFA RB

Scouting report on Browns UDFA RB Benny LeMay

With most of the Browns media turning to consistent Jadeveon Clowney coverage and the rest of the NFL Draft universe shifting to the 2021 class, we at Browns Wire are still diving into the underrated and underappreciated undrafted free agents of the class. This week we dive into one of the two new running backs.

Name: Benny LeMay

Position: Running Back

School: Charlotte

Height: 5-8

Weight: 221 pounds

Strengths: It is a bit shocking LeMay didn’t get drafted after having an outstanding East-West Shrine Bowl week and finishing the event off by earning the game MVP. It is even more confounding when you look at his insane 2019 campaign which includes a healthy average of 120.4 all-purpose yards per game. LeMay runs with a ton of power behind his pads and thrives when pouring the ball between the tackles.

Weaknesses: We discussed how it was surprising LeMay went undrafted, but the reasoning does appear very clear: his production is skewed from facing inferior competition. Also, LeMay lacks the ideal speed to be a reliable main back as evidenced by his 4.75-second 40-yard dash time at the combine. His lack of overall athleticism also limits how he can contribute on special teams, which pushes his stock even further down the list.

Overall: 

No one was more excited about Cleveland adding LeMay than me, but he will have a tough time making the final roster. There’s a lot of depth in the backfield and the fact that he will be competing with another undrafted back with much higher upside in Brian Herrien. LeMay does have the talent to stick in the NFL, but is likely never going to be the main back and will always be on the roster bubble.

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Jameson Houston: What the Browns are getting in their new CB

Jameson Houston: What the Browns are getting in their new CB

We have been looking into the new additions from the Browns’ undrafted free agent haul since the original announcement came. Although it is important to remember that these guys went undrafted for a reason, Cleveland has also gone out of its way to bring them in for a reason as well.

Name: Jameson Houston

Position: Cornerback

School: Baylor

Height: 5-11

Weight: 200 pounds

Strengths: Houston was a big recruiting win in 2015 as Baylor snagged the three-star athlete from a host of competing schools. He did a good job of building on his unique athleticism to build a solid college resume. His testing numbers are not good; Houston consistently ran in the 4.58 range throughout his career, but he does play faster on the field. It is not shocking Houston went undrafted, but there were multiple corners selected that did not have the upside that he offers.

Weaknesses: Houston is a confusing player to watch. He plays rather large but isn’t six feet tall, and he looks like a great athlete but doesn’t test well. He is still raw and has some room to grow, but a team has to be patient with him. I am unsure that his overall ceiling is high enough to warrant the time needed. Houston also appears limited to the outside as he lacks the ideal quickness to hang in the slot.

Overall: 

This signing was a bit weird, because they signed another Big 12 corner after the draft in A.J. Green that is the same style player, but far superior. Houston didn’t even appear to be the best corner on his own team in college. It would be shocking for the Browns to roll with two undrafted free agent corners and A.J. Green would get the nod before Houston, but perhaps he can play a role on special teams.

 

 

Tony Brown: What the Browns are getting in their undrafted WR

Tony Brown: What the Browns are getting in their undrafted WR from Colorado

The Cleveland Browns recently made it official that they have signed 15 undrafted free agents. Although it will be an uphill battle for each, they all bring something unique to the table. Some of these players are going to make the final roster.

We have been exploring which prospects it could be and today we move to the offensive side of the ball.

Name: Tony Brown

Position: Wide Receiver

School: Colorado

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195 pounds

Strengths:

Brown started his college career at Texas Tech and actually saw meaningful playing time as a true freshman. He ended up following his receivers coach to Colorado. His receivers coach is a name most Browns fans will recognize: Darrin Chiaverini, who played with Cleveland in 1999 and 2000.

Brown has started for Colorado the last two seasons and was most productive this past year as he tied for the team lead in receptions with 56 and was named All-PAC-12 honorable mention. He is a prototype outside threat with above average route running ability and a high catch-point for 50-50 balls.

Weaknesses: Brown is not fast as evidenced by his unimpressive 4.65 forty-yard dash time. Honestly, based on his film he should be very happy with that time. We highlighted his effectiveness in contest catch situations and credited his high catch point, but it is also important to remember he struggles to create separation and is in contested situations more often than most.

Overall: There is a ton to like about Brown as he is technically very impressive and looks ready to be at the bottom of the two-deep now, but that also may be his ceiling; Brown’s athletic limitations are a lot to overlook. He is good enough to make the roster, but if the Browns elect to go with higher upside depth, he could be in trouble. Brown will never be star, but it would not be shocking to see him stick in the NFL or be a star in a league like the CFL.

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George Obinna: What the Browns are getting in their new outside linebacker

George Obinna: What the Browns are getting in their new outside linebacker

We have already broken down a few of the players in the Cleveland undrafted free agent haul, but today we are going to dive into a small school prospect that went under many radars (including myself) during the pre-draft process. The Browns are making an effort at being more effective at reaching and pressuring the passer. This signing was another instance of that.

Name: George Obinna

Position: Outside Linebacker

School: Sacramento State

Height: 6-3

Weight: 240 pounds

Strengths: 

Obinna was a defensive end in college and can provide versatility at end if he gains more weight, or also outside linebacker at the next level. Extremely productive college resume as he completely dominated the Big Sky conference earning first-team multiple times. Obinna started since his sophomore season, but also played meaningful minutes as a true freshman. He is a pass-rushing specialist as evidenced by owning the school career record for sacks with 33.5.

Weaknesses: We highlight Obinna’s “versatility” above and this could be true, but you could also make the argument that he wasn’t drafted due to his tweener status. He lacks the ideal size you want in an end and also the ideal athleticism of a classic outside backer. He played at a small school and dominated in large part due to his combination of size and quickness at that level. This is not going to be enough in the NFL.

Overall: Obinna is another prospect that has an uphill battle to make the final roster as he doesn’t have a real position and a defensive coordinator would need to put some effort into finding him a role. It is isn’t impossible for him to grow into the role of either a full-time end or outside backer, but the odds are against him. Obinna does have a chance of sticking due to his potential effectiveness on special teams.

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Jovante Moffatt: What the Browns are getting in their new UDFA safety

Jovante Moffatt: What the Browns are getting in their new UDFA safety from Middle Tennessee State

The Cleveland Browns recently announced the signing of 15 undrafted free agents. All are fighting uphill battles to make the 53-man roster, but they all have a shot.

Today we are taking a dive into Middle Tennessee State safety, Jovante Moffatt. Cleveland is looking for young playmakers in their defensive backfield and perhaps Moffatt fits the bill.

Name: Jovante Moffatt

Position: Safety

School: Middle Tennessee State

Height: 5-11

Weight: 213 pounds

Strengths: Moffatt has a ton of experience with 55 starts under his belt. He had an extremely productive collegiate career tallying 313 sacks and five interceptions. He had an impressive enough senior season to warrant an invite to the NFLPA Bowl and was able to play well enough to earn serious draft consideration. Moffatt does have a few games where he showed early-round potential, most noticeably his two-interception effort against Marshall this past season.

Weaknesses: Moffatt wasn’t selected during the draft for a reason. Despite having an impressive NFLPA Bowl it was not shocking to see him fall out completely. Even while playing in the C-USA, he disappears far too often. For every dominant game he has, he also has two underwhelming contests. Moffatt plays undisciplined and he doesn’t have the athleticism to make up for his mistakes in the NFL.

Overall: Moffatt is going to have an uphill battle to make this roster even with the Browns lacking ideal depth at safety. He has some very exciting tape and has an aggressive mentality that may allow him to contribute eventually, but there are a ton of boxes he doesn’t check and doesn’t have the ideal athleticism for that deep safety role in the NFL. Perhaps he can make the roster due to his special teams potential, but it will be tough.

 

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The Browns Wire Podcast: Josh goes solo on the UDFA haul, Clowney and more

The Browns Wire Podcast: Josh goes solo on the UDFA haul, Jadeveon Clowney, Malik Hooker and more

Welcome to The Browns Wire Podcast, hosted by Josh Keatley (@JoshKeatley16). This week we discuss the undrafted free agent haul, the possibility of Jadeveon Clowney n Cleveland & what s going to happen to former Buckeye Malik Hooker.

It’s also available on all of your favorite podcast apps, including iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher and Spotify. Thanks for listening!

Music provided by Good Reverend.

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