Tag: Greg Newsome II

No Browns make NFLPA’s ‘Rising Stars’ lists

Media and fans use lists quite often but the NFLPA created their own. Interestingly, only 4 of the 20 players on the list are from the defensive side of the ball which may have kept Newsome & JOK off:

In sports, lists are a great way to share information and create discussion. Most of the time, those lists are made by media and fans as a part of an ongoing conversation. Whether the lists consist of the best running backs this year, biggest ‘x-factors’ or historical rankings, they are often meaningless outside of the engagement they create.

A little different is the lists we look at today because they are put out by the NFLPA. The purpose is a little vague as the organization that represents all of the players identified 10 rookies and 10 veterans, ranking each list in order from top to bottom, that they believe are “poised to have breakout seasons, gain fan support and ultimately rank among the top-sellers of all officially licensed player merchandise.”

For a team that is likely to garner a lot of attention, for quality play on the field as well as off the field issues, it is surprising that no one from the Cleveland Browns made either list.

QB Kenny Pickett of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the top rookie on the list and the only AFC North rookie. Baltimore WR Rashod Bateman is the lone veteran on the list coming in tenth.

While the Browns may not have any rookies that would fit the preseason hype, Greg Newsome II and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah are two young veterans that could be set up to break out this year. Unfortunately, the NFLPA’s list skews heavy offense with only one veteran defender and three of the ten rookies from that side of the ball.

Troy Hill’s poor performance in 2021 made moving on easy

Hill’s coverage in the slot fell off a cliff in 2021, giving Newsome and company a low bar to hurdle in order to improve the defense this year:

In a move that surprised many, the Cleveland Browns traded CB Troy Hill during the 2022 NFL draft. The Browns had drafted CB Martin (MJ) Emerson prior to the Hill trade but Emerson seems more suited as an outside defender.

Early in OTAs, Greg Newsome II has slid inside to take over the slot corner role that Hill had last year in his lone season in Cleveland. With Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams and Emerson able to hold down spots on the outside, Newsome has a chance to focus inside going into his second season.

Still, the trade of the Northeast Ohio native caught many off-guard. Hill was seen as one of the top slot corners in the league when the Browns signed him in the offseason. In 2021, his play dropped off a cliff according to Pro Football Focus:

But in 2021 free agency, he signed with the Cleveland Browns, where his slot coverage grade then tanked nearly 40 grading points year-over-year to 50.2.

While Hill could have bounced back in 2022 in Cleveland, it isn’t certain that he would have adjusted to Joe Woods’ system in year two. Instead, Newsome has a very low bar to clear to play better than Hill did in 2021.

After he played well as a rookie, Newsome seems suited for the challenge and, if his play outpaces Hill’s performance last year, could take the Browns defense to another level.

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Newsome, JOK laud comradery, connection within Browns

Despite the, seeming, never-ending drama around the team, Newsome and JOK shared their experience so far with the Browns in this podcast excerpt:

The Cleveland Browns have seemed to be a drama-filled organization for the better part of two decades since their return to the NFL. From coaching and front office changes to the myriad of characters that have passed through the building, the Browns have had negative story after negative story on and off the field for years.

The number of stories written about the likes of Josh Gordon, Johnny Manziel, Hue Jackson, Freddie Kitchens and, of course, Jimmy Haslam have filled many websites for years.

In 2021, much of that drama surrounded the relationship between QB Baker Mayfield and WR Odell Beckham Jr. That ended with Beckham being released.

This offseason, the acquisition of QB Deshaun Watson with his, now, 23 civil lawsuits pending against him, and the likely departure of Mayfield continues the drama with the Watson allegations being much more serious than anything else noted.

Despite all of this, CB Greg Newsome II and LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah had nothing but great things to say about the team’s comradery and connection last year and even so far this offseason. In this teaser for Varsity House Podcast, both defenders noted the culture on the team:

We look forward to hearing more about what Newsome and Owusu-Koramoah had to say on the podcast when the full episode is released later this week.

Looking back, Browns 2021 draft class keeps their high PFF grade

Draft grades immediately following a draft are always interesting. Maintaining a top grade after one season is something to take note of:

As with most fanbases, fans of the Cleveland Browns are busy looking forward. While the recent history provides a glimmer of hope, looking back has often been painful for the team, players, organization and fans.

The hope is that the Browns have turned the corner but they will have to prove it on the field.

The long-term extensions for Myles Garrett, Joel Bitonio, Nick Chubb, Wyatt Teller and Denzel Ward have locked up the core of the team for years to come. Deshaun Watson was given a new deal shortly after he was acquired as well.

With a lot of money tied up in some big contracts, Cleveland needs to hit on draft picks that are able to provide quality play on reasonable contracts.

Pro Football Focus did the looking back for us by taking a glimpse at the play of the 2021 draft classes. For the Browns, retaining their initial draft grade of an A+ only took their top two selections, Greg Newsome II and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah:

If you knock your first two picks out of the park each draft, you’ll have an elite roster. That’s precisely what the Browns did in 2021. Greg Newsome finished with the highest coverage grade (70.6) of any starting rookie outside cornerback, while Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah finished as the sixth-highest-graded linebacker in the NFL (76.5 overall).

Cleveland is one of three teams to receive an A+ from PFF right after the draft and maintain that grade after one season.

The rest of the team’s selections still have something to prove but it is rare that mid to late round picks are productive as rookies.

For now, Andrew Berry looks to have hit a home run with his second draft class. Now can Newsome, Koramoah and the rest of the team’s now-second year players take the next step and help the team compete for a Super Bowl? Time will tell.

NFL cornerback Greg Newsome II calls Michigan State football wide receiver the ‘best in college football’

Former Northwestern star and current NFL cornerback Greg Newsome II calls Michigan State wide receiver the ‘best in college football’

Before being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, Greg Newsome II was one of the top cornerbacks in the Big Ten during his time with Northwestern. Given his history, he definitely has some insight on who might be the best receiver in college football this year.

His answer? Michigan State football’s own Jayden Reed. The speedy (no disrespect to Jalen Nailor) Spartan wideout probably could’ve left this year if he wanted to, but he decided to return for a fourth season, and Newsome thinks he will be the best wide receiver in the country this season.

With 1,026 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in the air last year, the numbers definitely back this up.

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See Deshaun Watson arrive in Berea, visit FirstEnergy Stadium with JOK, Newsome

With the team not providing coverage of Watson’s arrival, we got an over the fence video in Berea and an Instagram photo of him on the field in Cleveland with JOK and Newsome:

The Cleveland Browns announced the acquisition of QB Deshaun Watson a few days after his shocking change of heart in choosing Cleveland over New Orleans and Atlanta. Since that announcement, the team has not shared much else about Watson’s arrival.

While other teams celebrate their newest coaches, general managers and players’ arrival, the Browns have kept mostly silent regarding their new quarterback. Given the civil allegations pending against him and the only recently cleared criminal cases, the silence makes sense.

While the team hasn’t been celebrating Watson with public relations moves, they have reportedly agreed to a huge contract with the young quarterback. Currently, nothing related to Watson is on the home page of the team’s website.

Instead of a team video of Watson’s arrival, we got this one shot over the fence in Berea:

Instead of a team photoshoot, Instagram provided us images of Watson being joined by Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Greg Newsome II stepping foot on FirstEnergy Stadium’s field:

It is great to see Cleveland’s most recent top draft picks joining together to welcome Watson to the team. Given the circumstances surrounding the quarterback, it will be interesting how much PR efforts the team puts into his acquisition or do they stay relatively low-key as they have with him so far.

A press conference is expected today to introduce Watson to the media. GM Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski will speak in person while owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam will conduct a remote session on Zoom.

Browns Ward, Newsome elite in man coverage in 2021

2 of the top 5 in man coverage is impressive. Not surprising that the top guy (Ramsey) watches tape of Ward to learn and grow:

The Cleveland Browns as a team did not have the season that they wished to have. Different components of the team, however, were really good. The offensive line continued to produce including two All-Pros, Myles Garrett continued to be his elite-level defensive end play and the team’s top rookies were so good they’d be redrafted much higher.

While we covered the data that offense, specifically passing offense, has been the primary way to make the Super Bowl, passing defense can help slow that down. The Browns have invested a lot in coverage. Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II were first round picks, Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit were second round picks, Ronnie Harrison was added in a trade and John Johnson III and Troy Hill were free agent additions.

Even the drafting of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was celebrated due to his coverage skills.

Ward and Newsome, in particular, were especially impressive in 2021 with their ability to play man coverage (called “single” in the tweet):

Two of the top five in the league and the only pair of teammates. Interestingly the top player on the list, Jalen Ramsey, noted that he watches tape of Ward to help him be his best:

Defensive coordinator Joe Woods likes to run a versatile scheme with some man and some zone, leaning more toward zone coverage. With Ward and Newsome, Cleveland is well setup to play both coverages well. An contract extension for Ward could lock in the duo for years to come.

NFL draft: 2021 redraft by ESPN has Browns picks going much higher

A great sign for the Browns top two rookies: ESPN’s redraft has both going much higher:

The Cleveland Browns had their top two draft picks do very well as rookies. It wasn’t enough to carry the team to the playoffs but few rookies are able to do that on their own. Instead, despite small contributions from just two other draft picks, the Browns 2021 NFL draft haul was ranked quite high at the end of the season.

The team, and their fans, are hoping this offseason leads them back to the playoffs. Our mock offseason attempted to do just that.

Greg Newsome II did a very good job across from Denzel Ward, showing scheme versatility, good coverage and a willingness to get physical both in coverage and in the run game. Selected 26th overall, Newsome was a great pick for Cleveland.

Perhaps a bigger steal was trading up to select Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. The Notre Dame product slid in the draft due to concerns about a heart issue and about his size. As a rookie, he showed great speed, awareness and hitting power for the Browns.

ESPN (subscriber, $) just did a redraft of the 2021 draft and both of those players were selected much higher than their original positions. First, Newsome was off the board with the 13th pick:

With Slater off the board, the Chargers address a need in the secondary with Newsome, who showed his potential for the Browns in 12 games last season. He allowed just one touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. By Pro Football Focus’ grading, Newsome had the highest coverage grade of all rookie corners when lined up outside. — Shelley Smith

Then they had Owusu-Koramoah going 19th overall:

There’s a lot to like about Davis: He has speed, size and length. If he develops, he could be a big help. But Washington drafted him as a possible middle linebacker, and that’s no longer how it sees him. Koramoah was among the Commanders’ final choices anyway, and he provides what they love: position flexibility. He could play linebacker in the team’s base defense and big nickel in sub packages. He showed instincts and made big stops this past season. The key for him will be staying healthy, but if he does, his speed and versatility are big plusses. — John Keim

In their place, ESPN had Cleveland selecting Odafe Oweh, the pass rusher who went to Baltimore a few picks later originally, and DL Milton Williams, at pick 59 instead of trading up to 52.

It is a great sign for the Browns future that two of their draft picks would be drafted much higher after their rookie years. The next step for the two, along with the rest of the draft class, is to continue to develop while on their rookie contracts.

Browns rookie class ranked high despite limited contributions after top two

With Newsome and JOK being very good as rookies plus a little versatile production from Felton, the Browns rookie class is off to a good start:

The Cleveland Browns top two draft picks were stellar in 2021. While Greg Newsome II and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah missed a little time due to injuries, the pair showed why so many were excited about the Browns second draft under Andrew Berry.

The duo recently was named to the Pro Football Writers all-rookie team. They were joined by Demetric Felton who made the team as a punt returner. Felton had 32 returns for 227 yards, an average of 7.1 per return, with a long of 24 yards. Outside of his return duties, he added 18 receptions for 181 yards and seven carries for 24 yards.

The rookie sixth-rounder also had two receiving touchdowns.

Outside of Newsome and Owusu-Koramoah, along with Felton’s versatile contributions, Cleveland didn’t get a lot out of their draft class. James Hudson III played poorly early while showing improvement late in the season while Anthony Schwartz did very little after flashing in the first game of the season.

Tommy Togiai, Tony Fields II and Richard LeCounte struggled to see the field.

Despite all of that, carried by the first two picks, the Browns draft class was ranked fifth overall by ESPN and PFF (Subscriber, $):

Why they’re ranked here: Cleveland’s first two selections in the 2021 NFL Draft stepped in and immediately contributed positively to their defense. Greg Newsome and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah both landed on PFF’s 2021 All-Rookie Team, and the Browns got small contributions from later selections such as Anthony Schwartz and Demetric Felton on offense.

Given the normal development of a draft class, Cleveland’s has a chance to be special. With their first two picks already excelling, the team hopes for development from the middle-round guys while hoping Felton can build on his multidimensional abilities.

The New England Patriots took the top spot due to Mac Jones, Christian Barmore and Rhamondre Stevenson having very good seasons as rookies.

Greg Newsome II, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah land on PFF’s All-Rookie team

Top two Browns rookies getting their respect in end of season conversations:

The Cleveland Browns have spent the last few seasons adding a multitude of young talent to the roster through the NFL draft. Players like Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb kicked off the most recent surge but Joel Bitonio’s selection in the second round years ago deserves mention.

The last couple of years have also brought in important talent with Greedy Williams, Jedrick Wills, Greg Newsome II and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Not all recent draft picks have been hits right away. An injury caused Grant Delpit to miss his rookie season and have an up and down second year. Anthony Schwartz failed to live up to his third-round status as well. Thankfully, those two and others have a chance to grow over the next couple of seasons.

Two players that hit the ground running for the Browns were their top two draft picks in Newsome and Owusu-Koramoah. The two rookie defenders were honored by Pro Football Focus as a part of their All-Rookie team:

Newsome was excellent in single coverage this season for the Browns. He allowed just 14 receptions on 31 single-coverage targets as a rookie and was PFF’s highest-graded rookie cornerback on those targets. Cleveland has a promising young cornerback tandem to build around between Newsome and fellow former first-round selection Denzel Ward.

But the speed JOK plays with, and his ability to handle a wider variety of coverage assignments than your average linebacker, has made an immediate positive impact on Cleveland’s defense. PFF charted Owusu-Koramoah with just 168 passing yards allowed into his coverage on 300 coverage snaps this season. That rate of 0.56 yards allowed per snap ranked third among off-ball linebackers with at least 250 coverage snaps during the regular season.

Cleveland was one of a few AFC teams to have two rookies on PFF’s list.

While the Browns season did not go as they planned, their top rookies performed very well and bodes well for the team’s future on defense.