Scouting breakdown of new Lions RB Jonathan Williams, signed Monday
The Lions made an interesting signing on Monday morning. Just before the team took to the practice field for the first time in training camp, the Lions signed RB Jonathan Williams and dumped fellow RB Wes Hills.
Williams adds talent to a crowded backfield that now includes returning starter Kerryon Johnson, second-round rookie D’Andre Swift, speedy second-year back Ty Johnson, rookie Jason Huntley and big Bo Scarbrough, who played well down the stretch in 2019.
What are the Lions getting in Williams?
The primary thing with Williams is his health. Since being a fifth-round pick from Arkansas by the Buffalo Bills in the 2016 NFL Draft, Williams has only been healthy enough to be active for 23 NFL games. And that doesn’t include the fact he missed his senior season at Arkansas with a broken foot, either.
The 5-11, 217-pound Williams played nine games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2019, carrying the ball 49 times for a career-high 235 yards. Almost all that action came in a two-week period. In Weeks 11 and 12 last year, Williams topped 100 yards rushing in both games while filling in for various other injured Colts backs.
In those two games, Williams flashed the combination of power and balance that made him highly-touted before the final injury at Arkansas. He’s a physical, downhill-style runner with active shoulders and hands. Williams can jump-cut and burst out of a cut well.
This run against the Texans is pretty emblematic of Williams’ style: not always great with the vision or acceleration, but he’s tough and never stops the feet from moving,
Jonathan Williams takes a hit and keeps moving all the way to the end zone! đź’Ş @Jwillpart2#Colts
As an inside runner, he’s quicker and faster to bounce out than Scarbrough. Staying aggressive in pressing the initial hole has been an issue for Williams going back to his college days; he’s impatient and will make unnecessary bounce cuts to the outside behind the line. Ball security was a big issue for the Bills, who let him go after two fumbles in just 27 carries in his rookie campaign.
He does have some receiving ability and reliable hands out of the backfield. Williams did get special teams work in Buffalo and again last season with the Colts, an important facet for reserve RBs in Detroit.
A scouting report on new Detroit Lions DT Daylon Mack, acquired off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens
The Detroit Lions have themselves a big new addition to the defensive line. Daylon Mack is the newest member of the Lions defensive tackle group.
The team claimed Mack, 23, off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens. He was Baltimore’s fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft after playing collegiately at Texas A&M.
The first thing you notice about Mack is his rather generous posterior. He’s 6-foot-1, 340 pounds and most of that weight seems centered around the backside. Or as I said after watching him at the Shrine Game and Senior Bowl practices in 2019,
Not even joking, we were talking about Daylon Mack's ass at the Shrine Game practices on the sidelines. In a favorable context of bubble, of course, right @PigskinPaul
He was an underwhelming performer during his time at Texas A&M, flashing occasionally but never dominating. His production perked up as a senior after coaching changes, both at head coach and his positional coaches. The incredible lower-body strength and surprising quickness — quick enough that he played some option RB in high school at 300 pounds — for a guy of his considerable girth produced 5.5 sacks and caused a lot of disruption against a lot of good offensive linemen in the SEC that year.
He underachieved relative to his recruiting hype for the Aggies, but Mack came alive in St. Pete. From a heavy DE spot he has remarkable quickness to crash the B-gap. He’s a player I can verify the Lions watched intently throughout the week.
Their interest then was in using Mack in the A’Shawn Robinson role in Matt Patricia’s defense, a heavy DT that can maintain a gap against the run but also line up outside the guard in a 3-man front and attack.
Mack didn’t see the field in Baltimore other than on special teams. They drafted a couple of lighter-type players in this offseason while also letting Michael Pierce, who Mack sat behind as a rookie, leave in free agency. Their changing taste in D-linemen gives Mack an opportunity to prove himself to a coaching staff that liked him a lot heading into the 2019 NFL Draft.
Outlook
Mack has to be in shape, something he battled at Texas A&M. If he is, he can definitely crack the Lions 53-man roster. His ability to play as Danny Shelton’s primary backup but also kick outside to Da’Shawn Hand’s role gives him a very good chance to stick. With John Atkins opting out, Mack is competing for rotation spots with Kevin Strong, Olive Sagapolu, Jonathan Wynn and rookie John Penisini. Figure on two of them making the Lions final roster.
The Dallas Cowboys’ top option at swing tackle might be second-year offensive lineman Brandon Knight
One of the strengths of the Dallas Cowboys in recent years has been their offensive line. Since drafting Tyron Smith in the first round of the 2011 draft, the organization has selected five offensive linemen in the first three rounds of the past 10 drafts. The number grows to six if including La’el Collins, a first-round talent who dropped out of the draft due to circumstances not in his control.
However, that hasn’t stopped the Cowboys from adding talent outside of the draft. One of the offensive lineman who has stuck around despite having Pro Bowl caliber players around him is tackle Brandon Knight.
Dallas added Knight as undrafted free agent out of Indiana in 2019, where he played four years. Knight began his career splitting time at tight end — where he caught one touchdown — and tackle for the Hoosiers during his freshman year before settling in at RT for the remainder of his three seasons. During his junior year, Knight was a Big 10 honorable mention at tackle.
SUMMARY: A three-star recruit out of high school, Brandon Knight was a three-year letterman at Noblesville and chose to stay close to home at Indiana over offers from Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech and others. He worked himself into the starting lineup in 2016 but injuries plagued his sophomore and junior seasons. He stayed healthy as a senior and had his best season, starting every game at right tackle. Knight is smooth in his setup and appears comfortable on his feet to cut off outside speed. However, his length is only average, losing balance and forcing his upper body to overextend. While he competes with the awareness and finishing grit required in the run game, he doesn’t consistently create movement as a drive blocker and his base strength shows foundation cracks at contact. Overall, Knight has a workable skill set due to his movements and instincts, but his mediocre pass protection, average play strength and injury history lead to fit concerns in the NFL.
Rookie Year
Knight saw action in seven games as a rookie. He earned his way onto the roster as a swing tackle and got a start against the New York Jets, filling in for the injured Collins at RT.
Knight held up admirably in his first season, giving the Cowboys the confidence to declined the option on Cameron Fleming this offseason. It’s an impressive feat considering there’s a new coaching staff, who must’ve admired Knight’s play in 2019.
One of the bright spots of DAL's loss was the performance of UDFA OL Brandon Knight filling in for an injured La'el Collins in 2nd half.
Knight was quick out of his stance & routinely beat GB's rushers to the spot. Protected his inside edge well & showed off impressive footspeed pic.twitter.com/1saj2QMPBx
After working with Marc Colombo in 2019, he will now be under the veteran tutelage of Joe Philbin.
What To Expect in 2020
For the upcoming season, Knight will head into the year in competition to be the top swing tackle on the roster.
As a second-year player, Knight will have the benefit of having been in an offseason program and the game experience that only veteran Cam Erving can boast. Expect one of the best training camp and preseason battles for the top swing tackle to be had between the two.
Former Clemson star Mitch Hyatt, also a 2019 UDFA, and 2020 Texas Tech UDFA Terrence Steele, will also be competing for a role on the roster.
With the addition of two additional practice squad spots and extra game-day roster spots with OL caveats, Knight should be able to continue his career and potential ascent with no problem. How high he climbs on the OT totem will be up to him.
The Cowboys seem to believe in Knight’s ability. Despite playing only RT in college, he showed enough athleticism and the ability to play both tackle positions in Dallas. They did bring in Erving to compete with him, but the team would save money by keeping Knight and jettisoning Erving.
Even with the loss of Travis Frederick to retirement, the Cowboys’ offensive line is one of the deepest, most versatile groups in the league. New head coach Mike McCarthy and offensive line coach Joe Philbin have worked well together in the past, it will be interesting to see how Knight develops under their guidance.
You can chat with or follow Ben on twitter @BenGrimaldi.
This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown. Up next is rookie DE Ron’Dell Carter.
He’s literally the first guy to take advantage of an opening, so don’t be surprised if rookie Neville Gallimore squeezes through a crowded group to emerge with some stellar highlights in 2020. Our player profile countdown to the regular season resumes.
The new staff had to make a move.
The Dallas Cowboys front office, with a battery in their back from the now-departed Rod Marinelli, tried to get ahead of the game. There was little doubt the team was going to be in need of defensive tackle help following the 2019 season as 2016 draft pick Maliek Collins would be a free agent. The club decided to take a chance on the long-term development of Central Florida’s Trysten Hill but the move didn’t pan out in Year 1 and he barely saw the field.
So with Collins gone (following Marinelli to the desert to play for the Las Vegas Raiders), new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan went out and got two big veteran bodies for the interior of the defensive line. Gerald McCoy is on a three-year deal while Dontari Poe is basically a one-year rental with a team option for Year 2. Beyond that though, the club had to get some youth for the rotation. Enter Oklahoma nose tackle and Canadian citizen Neville Gallimore.
The Cowboys were enamored with the man who had over 30 scholarship offers entering his collegiate career. They got to see him up close and personal as he trained in Frisco leading up to draft weekend. In what many predict will be the club’s best draft class since the famed 2016 haul that netted Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott, Jaylon Smith and Anthony Brown (along with Collins), Gallimore was a name the team strongly considered taking in the second round at pick No. 51. The team went with CB Trevon Diggs, who they considered taking in Round 1 before WR CeeDee Lamb fell in their laps, so getting Gallimore at No. 82 was heaven sent.
Scouting Report
Gallimore is a ridiculously quick big man, who is routinely the first player off the line of scrimmage. While he doesn’t always get to the quarterback, he does that plenty enough and will still compromise the OL’s integrity when he doesn’t.
That’s a big deal for a team which routinely saw their defensive ends double teamed in 2019. Gallimore adds to the Cowboys’ new commitment to the defensive interior under new coordinator Mike Nolan and vaunted defensive line guru Jim Tomsula. He’ll work magic with a player with the athletic skillset Gallimore possesses.
Film Breakdown
Just an outstanding breakdown from Chris Martin and Michael Felders on the way he translates his athleticism into production from the 1-tech position.
Highlights from 2019 Season
Raw Film vs Texas (2019)
4.79 40-yard Dash at 2019 Combine
Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing in at just over 300 pounds, the big man turned heads at the combine with the fastest time for a three-bill D-lineman in two decades.
“Gallimore is an athletic marvel for a 300-plus pounder with the rare motor and violent hands to make plays outside his square. His splash plays are some of the best snaps you will see at the position, but his college production doesn’t match up with his impressive power/athletic traits. Overall, Gallimore isn’t the most technically sound player, but he is an athletic, charged-up big man with the explosive hands to reset the line of scrimmage or pass off blocks on his way to the pocket, projecting as a three-technique with NFL starting potential.”
Competition for snaps
Gallimore would seem to be in line for a lot of snaps as a rookie. The Cowboys ran just under 1,100 defensive plays in 2019, with Collins being on the field the most of any lineman, 71.2% of the time.
Meanwhile the two projected 2020 starters at defensive tackle, free-agent signings Dontari Poe and Gerald McCoy were in Carolina last season. The Panthers averaged 70 snaps a game on defense with Poe appearing in 11 games and McCoy all 16. Poe averaged 38 snaps a game and McCoy 44.
The Cowboys ran an average of 69 snaps per game, so projecting everything to stay consistent (it won’t, but for projection purposes), there are a total of 56 snaps for the rotation at defensive tackle behind the starters.
Competing with Gallimore for those snaps will be Hill, Antwaun Woods, Tyrone Crawford and UDFA Garrett Marino.
Marino is a longshot to make the roster, unless Covid forces the NFL to expand from 53 players. Crawford is in the final year of his contract and comes with a hefty price tag. While he’s been the leader of the defense in the past, his salary and a possible collapse of the cap in 2021 could lead to a cost-cutting move that saves Dallas $8 million they can use next season.
Woods is a pass-rushing nose tackle who suffered through a down year after injuring his knee in Week 1 of the season. He showed a lot of promise in 2018 and is playing under an ERFA tender in 2020.
With Hill being a complete wild card, drafted by a staff that is no longer around and a disappointing showing as a rookie, the path is clear for Gallimore to earn 30-40 snaps a game.
With the lost offseason, that might not be the case right out the gate, but it could happen sooner rather than later.
With Poe being on a one-year deal with a team option, the club could look to lean to their younger players more than normal, with an eye to reducing costs in 2021.
The team seems inclined to move Gallimore to the 3T position instead of keeping him at the nose, but the rookie has the talent to do both depending on the situation. Tomsula will be able to be creative in his technique teaching.
Interview with Pro Football Talk at Combine
This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown. Up next is OT Terrence Steele.
The Dallas Cowboys have had there fair share of success when it comes to UDFAs.
The Dallas Cowboys have had their fair share of success when it comes to undrafted free agents since they joined the NFL in 1960. Drew Pearson, Tony Romo, Mark Tuinei, Hall of Famer Cliff Harris, Dan Bailey, La’el Collins, Everson Walls, and long time special teams hero Bill Bates all have experienced both individual and team success. One could even say the Cowboys are the most successful team of all-time in finding undrafted gems.
Gil Brandt ranks his Top 30 undrafted free agents in NFL history and the Cowboys own seven places. While the odds are surely not in one’s favor, its every undrafted players dream to defy the odds and have the kind of success where their rise to glory will be talked about forever. That walk to glory starts with the first step of making a team, and that’s what Michigan TE Sean McKeon will be looking to do.
McKeon has good height and size, listed at 6-foot-5, 246 pounds. He has appeared in 40 games as a Wolverine with 23 starts. He has experience playing special teams which is always a good quality to have as that may end up being his best option to make the team.
McKeon attended high school at Shepherd Hill Regional High School where Rivals.com ranked him as three-star prospect, the No. 32 tight end nationally and the third-best prospect in the state of Massachusetts. He received similar honors from Scout.com as he was also ranked the 32nd-ranked tight end in the classs and the 22nd-ranked tight end by ESPN.
He arrived in Ann Arbor in 2016, appearing in four games playing behind 2017 5th-round pick Jake Butt. His sophomore year, McKeon appeared in 13 games. starting 10. He registered 31 receptions for 301 yards, while hauling in three touchdowns.
His numbers slipped to only 14 receptions, 122 yards and one touchdown in his junior year, but he also made contributions as a special team player. His senior year he started seven games and caught 13 passes for 235 yards, and two touchdowns.
Film Study: Vs Ohio State (2019)
Scouting Report
McKeon’s opportunities were few and far in between, but when he got the opportunity to catch the ball he did so keeping the rock away from his body well. Most of his work was done as an inline blocker or lined up in the H-back position. He was frequently targeted in the flats and underneath versus zone coverage.
McKeon possess deceptive burst once he gets going, especially on open flat opportunities or tight end throwbacks and screens, something he has had some success executing.
Perhaps due to a lack of opportunities, he shows a urgency getting up field quickly to gain positive yards. As a runner he doesn’t shy away from contact and he runs with his pads low helping him to absorb hits. He has much room to improve as a route runner and often times on downfield routes it seems as if he is running in mud. He is a adequate blocker who can keep his body in between the defender and the ball carrier but the longer he is left on a island the more his lack of strength shows up.
PROS:Â Sean McKeon is a sturdy, well put together athlete who has some 3-down ability as a tight end. McKeon is fairly effective as a blocker, he possesses a solid foundation and brings active feet behind his hips to be a persistent thorn in the side of defenders. I like his work as a blocker most when he’s assigned inside-out leverage. Soft hands, has little issue with catching the football away from his body. Having a well developed frame will help in staying planted on contested situations and not being knocked loose of potential catches. Pairs that frame and soft hands to good concentration and hand-eye coordination, even when being contacted at the catch.
CONS:Â Is not quite the kind of athlete that you can plan on being a mismatch in the receiving game. McKeon isn’t as appealing in flex situations as he is from an in-line position and doesn’t appear as though he’s going to stress nickel defenders on reps working up the field. As a route runner, McKeon needs to become more effective in dealing with defenders at the top of route stems. Currently becomes befuddled and struggles to produce a false step from defenders to aid in a clean release and avoid collisions in the secondary. As a blocker, there are instances in which he really struggles to engage his outside hand to gain leverage and hook defenders to cross face and gain outside contain vs. leveraged defenders to the boundary.
Roster Outlook
The Cowboys tight end position is an unique one. Blake Jarwin just signed a four-year, $22 million contract with$ 9.25 million guarantees and has flashed an ability to stretch the field and also be very effective after the catch averaging 11.8 yards per catch. With more opportunities Jarwin should be a more productive player.
Behind him is newly acquired Blake Bell who is primarily a blocking tight end and Dalton Schultz who had his opportunities taken from him when Jason Witten unretired and bogarted the lion’s share of snaps for the position .
These guys will compete at camp for that second tight end spot and should be used when the Cowboys go to 12 and 13 personnel. With the selection of CeeDee Lamb, that won’t be nearly as frequently as year’s past, though.
McKeon will be competing directly with Cole Hikutini and fellow undrafted free agent Charlie Taumoepeau for practice and pre-season snaps. Its critical for McKeon to show consistency as a blocker and as a pass catcher but also make plays on special teams to give himself an additional boost at making the team.
On the other hand, McKeon is also competing with the rest of guys at the back end of the roster to make one of the 12 practice squad spots so its important he take advantage of any opportunity he is given.
A rack of points. Silenced by the Lamb. Two shakes of a…
This is what 40-burger dreams are made of. Our player profile series returns with the anointed one.
With the addition of CeeDee Lamb the Dallas Cowboys offense has the makings of a juggernaut for at least the next two seasons. The football gods smiled down upon Jerry Jones’ yacht on draft night 2020, allowing what could have been the most dynamic wide receiving threat of the class to somehow make his way down to No. 17 and into the Cowboys laps.
Already boasting one of the league’s best offenses and with the opportunity to break free from the shackles of Jason Garrett’s conservative nature, Dallas now boasts an arsenal which will give them a chance to be mentioned in the same breath as Kansas City and New Orleans.
Wide Receiver Flock
Lamb will join Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup and form one of the league’s most destructive wide receiver corps. Standing at 6-foot-2, and weighing 198 pounds, Lamb presents a physical, aggressive pass catcher and run blocker who excels after the catch and with physical contact.
Corners who shy away from contact are going to be placed in amber on film for all eternity against this dude.
Film Study – vs Alabama
Here’s a look at his best work, from a 2018 game against the Crimson Tide in 2018. In this Orange Bowl contest, he caught eight passes for 109 yards and one score.
Film Study – vs Texas Tech
In this game from the past season, he caught seven receptions for 185 yards and three touchdowns against the Red Raiders.
Lamb’s Wool
PlayerProfiler.com
How big a shock was it that Lamb was still available with the 17th overall pick? The Dallas Cowboys never even did a pre-draft interview with the Oklahoma wideout. That’s how unlikely it was that he’d even be an option.
Nearly every mock draft on the planet had Lamb being selected within the first twelve picks, so it would have been understandable if owner Jerry Jones and coach Mike McCarthy unexpectedly found themselves in scramble mode once the Cowboys were on the clock. They had a need in the secondary, they had a need on the defensive line, and they had been flirting with several names in the super-deep wide receiver class. LSU DE K’Lavon Chaisson (Jaguars), TCU WR Jalen Reagor (Eagles), LSU WR Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Michigan center Caesar Ruiz (Saints) will be the players most often compared to Lamb over the course of their NFL careers.
Dallas’s decision seemed to come down to either Lamb or Chaisson. The buzz for Chaisson had been building in the days leading up to the draft, with even the Cowboys’ franchise sack leader DeMarcus Ware raving about the “monster” prospect and going so far as saying he reminded Ware of himself.
Dallas was always in the market for a wide receiver, but the hometown TCU product was seen as a more realistic possibility for the Cowboys. A slim speedster catching passes, Reagor also excels as a punt and kick returner. The Cowboys have a need in that capacity, too, and they could have checked both boxes by taking Reagor.
A true slot receiver was on the Cowboys’ wish list after losing Randall Cobb in free agency. Jefferson, who led the nation in 2019 with 111 receptions in his junior season at LSU, would have fit that bill perfectly. He’s got good size, runs well, has speed, possesses great body control, and displays strong hands.
Ruiz was universally considered the best interior offensive lineman in the draft class, and the type of player who could turn out to be elite at the center position. The Cowboys were said to “love” the 6-foot-4-inch, 320-pound Michigan junior.
The 17th slot was thought to be too high for Ruiz to be drafted; New Orleans drafted Ruiz with the 24th pick on Thursday night.
Lamb’s Chicken
Lamb will sign a four-year contract and Dallas will have the fifth-year option to keep the Oklahoma product within their clutches for the next half-decade at least. His contract parameters are set based on his draft slot.
Signing Bonus:Â $7,749,100 Total Salary:Â $14,010,014 2020 Cap Hit:Â $2,547,275
He’ll be the foundation of the Cowboys offense in a short period of time, the question is which of the two other top receivers will be with him beyond 2021.
Cooper’s five-year deal has an out after that season with minimal dead money compared to his contract. Gallup’s rookie deal expires that year as well. With having Lamb on the cheap, it’s most likely only one of the other two players are in Dallas for 2022, and it’s possible the club looks to reset opposite Lamb completely, based on how these next two seasons go.
Sheer Excellence
Here’s what the experts had to say about Lamb entering the draft. This is what Dallas has added to the equation.
Lamb has quick hands and feet to give defenders the slip before and after the catch, showcasing the football IQ and athleticism that allows him to find open space downfield. There is a backyard football element to his game… a balanced athlete with the body fluidity of a much small player and the ball skills and competitive nature of a much bigger player, projecting as a high-ceiling NFL starter due to his playmaking instincts.
CeeDee Lamb projects as an alpha WR in the NFL. No, he doesn’t have elite top end speed, but Lamb checks damn near every other possible box. He’s smooth with his feet, possesses elite body control, vacuum hands and is a dynamic, angry runner after the catch.
Explosive, three-level playmaker and vital cog in one of the most potent offensive machines in college football over the last three seasons. Lamb uses speed and separation quickness to dominate competition in a scheme that frequently created open throws in space. Lamb has the potential to play any of the three receiver positions as a pro and should benefit greatly from the NFL’s continued movement toward college-style passing attacks.
On tape it is clear that his ball skills are elite, and he absolutely attacks the ball and then the defense with a confidence level you admire. He is so strong for his size, something that can be seen often as defenses try to corral him and contain him from another big play. He has jet sweep and swing pass ability, but he is just so scary in space. Sometimes, as Texas will confirm, he just cannot be tackled. He has nitro, too. Lots of nitro. His hips and sharpness are really impressive.
Grade: Franchise Player-Should start this year and compete for a role as a leading producer in the passing game. |Â WR Rank: 1
Lamb can play all three positions, but placing him in the slot would allow him to earn mismatches with safeties in the deep game or force a cornerback inside where Lamb will still feast on two-way opportunities. Lamb is also a physical blocker who punches, latches onto defensive backs, and turns them. His presence in the 11 personnel (3 WRs, 1 RB, and 1 TE) run game will be an asset.
Highlight Reels (NSFW music)
This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown. With 87 days* remaining until the NFL’s first game, up next is tight end Cole Hikutuni.
Ja’Marcus Bradley: What the Browns are getting in their UDFA WR
The Cleveland Browns are deep at wide receiver and they went out and signed two undrafted free agents to an already talented position. Both of those players are not going to make the team, but below we dive in to see if Ragin Cajun product Ja’Marcus Bradley is the chosen one if Cleveland does decide to keep a UDFA wideout.
Name:Â Ja’Marcus Bradley
Position:Â Wide Receiver
School:Â Louisiana
Height:Â 6-0
Weight:Â 198 pounds
Percentage of catches that a WR forced a missed tackle:
Strengths:Â Another prospect that likely should have been drafted, Bradley was seen as a late-round target by most analysts. He had an extremely productive college career, statistically speaking, especially the last two seasons. Bradley had a very impressive East-West Shrine Bowl week and was expected to explode during his pro day before the pandemic hit. He still held a virtual workout and reportedly ran a blazing 4.4 forty yard dash.
Weaknesses: I think a big reason why Bradley didn’t hear his name called on draft night was due to him not meeting expectations this past season. Although there was no dip in production — Bradley actually hauled in 20 more receptions — he had a lower yards-per-reception average and the same amount of touchdowns. This is not just based on statistical expectations, either. He didn’t dominate the Sun Belt like many expected him to based off his 2018 film.
Overall: Bradley is talented enough to make an NFL roster as he is a good enough receiver to provide adequate depth when needed and could be a great special teams contributor. It is hard to predict whether or not Bradley can make the Cleveland roster, because they are so talented at the position, but it would not be surprising to see him hang around at least on the practice squad. He does appear to be the more talented of the undrafted receiver duo.
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.
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:Â 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:Â
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.
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.
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) April 22, 2020
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.
Tony Brown with the sweet #toetapTD to help lead the Buffs all the way back for a huge win!
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:Â 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.
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.
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.
