Tag: Mohamoud Diabate

4 Downs: Austin Watkins dominance, Cade York inconsistencies, and other takeaways vs. Eagles

Enjoy this week’s edition of 4 Downs!

The preseason matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns ended in an 18-18 deadlock. There is no overtime in the preseason (thankfully) as the first career start for quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson ends in a tie. There were quite a few players with spotlights on them, particularly wide receiver Austin Watkins and kicker Cade York (for different reasons).

In this preseason slop fest that consisted of loads of turnovers and penalties, what stood out for the Browns? Here is your preseason Week 2 edition of 4 Downs.

Browns Twitter reacts to Week 2 preseason tie vs. Eagles

How did twitter react to the third preseason game?

Though not many significant starters played for the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, there were still plenty of highlights to watch. Wide receiver Austin Watkins Jr. continued his excellent preseason making play after play and forcing the team to possibly make a tough decision come roster cutdowns.

He has nice body control and he understands how to attack a defense and has reliable hands. On the other side, it was undrafted free agent linebacker Mohamoud Diabte who made a ton of plays for Jim Schwartz.

Let’s take a look at how Browns fans reacted on social media to the win over the Eagles Thursday night.

WATCH: Browns LB Mohamoud Diabate forces another turnover vs. Eagles

Another big play from the rookie

The impressive preseason for rookie linebacker Mohamoud Diabate continues as he punches the ball out to force a fumble and turnover for the Cleveland Browns. He started out the night making a massive play in the run game to score a safety and now he gets the ball back for his offense with the fumble forced against the Philadelphia Eagles.

He used the move that was made famous by Charles Tillman with a perfect punch of the football to get it lose. The guy can flat-out play with terrific range to cover a lot of ground on the field in the blink of an eye, he gets closer and closer to earning a roster spot.

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WATCH: UDFA LB Mohamoud Diabate forces safety vs. Eagles

The rookie continues to make a case for a roster spot

For the second straight week, the Cleveland Browns have scored a safety. Undrafted free agent linebacker Mohamoud Diabate forces the safety after reading the run play and exploding downfield and tackling the Philadelphia Eagles running back in the end zone. With the injury to Jacob Phillips there is a linebacker spot up for grabs and Diabate continues to make his claims about it.

He has earned the chance to prove himself on the active roster, he has shown he is effective in both the run game and as a cover player. No question he has shown some flashes in camp and the last two preseason games.

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The DTR Show, roster spot battles, and more to watch for as Browns take on Eagles

The Browns, led by rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, will take on the Eagles tonight. What should you be watching for?

After two days of joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cleveland Browns will now square off with them in their third preseason game of the 2023 season. Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start this game as both Deshaun Watson and Joshua Dobbs will not suit up in Philadelphia.

Thus far we have seen flashes of the first-team offense (who will not play tonight), dominant performances from the 2023 NFL draft class of rookies, and some camp battles heating up as the end of training camp nears.

As the Browns get set for another week of preseason action, what should you be watching in this exhibition matchup against the Eagles?

PFF’s 10 highest-graded Browns defenders against the Commanders

Who stood out the most according to PFF on defense for the Browns?

The second preseason game is in the books as the Cleveland Browns fell to the Washington Commanders 17-15 on Friday night in Cleveland. The starters that did play showed why fans are excited for the upcoming season. Overall the defense showed up both from a starter standpoint and some of the young depth pieces that saw playing time.

The biggest standout from the defensive side was undrafted free-agent safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. He received the highest grade on the defensive side from PFF. All in all the top 11 graded players on the defensive side received a grade of 70 overall or higher, here are the top 10 graded defenders for the Browns.

Podcast: LB Mohamoud Diabate could steal a Browns roster spot

Diabate has the skill set to be a nice special team player early.

The linebacker room could be the weakest position for the Cleveland Browns after the team hasn’t made many moves to upgrade the group this offseason. They should get better if Anthony Walker is healthy and Sione Takitaki can come back at the level he was playing before his injury last year.

One of the only intriguing moves at the position was the team signing undrafted free agent Mohamoud Diabate out of Utah. He is a smaller player and likely needs to add size if he is to be a MIKE linebacker, but he brings an intriguing skill set.

In his final season of college after transferring from Florida he saw a bit of a change in usage. He was used as a pass rusher more and it seemed to be where he excelled. He is a good athlete that could make an impact on special teams and as a situational rusher early on.

You can watch this week’s episode to hear more about Diabate as well as watch some films by clicking here to watch the video.

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Browns UDFA profile: Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah

Diabate will bring an interesting skill set to training camp.

Some were shocked when the Cleveland Browns decided not to draft a linebacker in the 2023 NFL draft when they don’t have a long-term answer at middle linebacker. However, they did add an intriguing player post-draft signing the undrafted linebacker from Utah Mohamoud Diabate.

Diabate is a guy that places with physicality and has great range moving from sideline to sideline and in coverage. He showcased his speed and athleticism during the testing process receiving a 9.11 Relative Athletic Score.

Thought he needs to clean up some things when in zone coverage he has the speed and athleticism in man coverage to be pretty effective and it shows up on his tape. When he is playing downhill in the run game that is where he is the best showcasing his speed and physicality.

It will be hard for Diabate to make the roster but his skill set would be perfect for special teams. If he can show he can be an effective special teams player he could make the practice squad or 53-man roster as a developmental player that could give quality snaps down the road.

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Browns: 4 undrafted free agents with the best chance to make the 53-man roster

Which UDFAs have the best chance to make the roster?

From wide receiver Cedric Tillman to center Luke Wypler, the Cleveland Browns utilized their seven picks in the 2023 NFL draft to add depth and future contributors to their roster. They then added even more rookies to their roster, signing a couple of handfuls of undrafted free agents to their roster. While linebacker Mohamoud Diabate headlines this group, there is more than one player with a shot to make the final 53-man roster by the time training camp concludes.

Who has the best bet to see themselves on the active roster when Week 1 rolls around? Here are four undrafted free agents at positions of need who fit the bill.

Browns: UDFA LB Mohamoud Diabate named player to watch

Could the UDFA linebacker make an impact in Cleveland?

The 2023 NFL draft came to a close, and there is always a mad race to sign undrafted free agents afterward. For the Cleveland Browns, they shoveled out a ton of money to Utah linebacker Mohamoud Diabate to get him to training camp. And Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon thinks he has a chance to make an impact:

“Diabate is a former EDGE who converted to inside linebacker, but he’s built more like a tall safety (he’s 6-3/229). Moves very well in space and can both blitz and cover, making Diabate an ideal sub-package player who offers a ton of potential on special teams units.”

With both Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki suffering season-ending injuries, Diabate could end up making the initial 53-man roster until both players are healthy. With the sheer athleticism to compete, Diabate can at least contribute on special teams when suited up.

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