Tag: Zack Kuntz

Post-free agency mock draft as Browns add tantalizing youngsters

How does free agency shift the draft plans of the Browns?

Step one of the off-season is well underway as the Cleveland Browns have added talent to their roster this week during NFL free agency. What better time for a 2023 NFL Mock Draft? The Browns needed to rebuild their defensive line for Jim Schwartz and have added an impressive young pass rusher as well as three defensive tackles including Dalvin Tomlinson.

After adding Juan Thornhill on Thursday the 2023 NFL Draft for the Browns will likely be with an eye past 2023. Having filled most of the starting roster holes in free agency the team won’t need rookies to have major roles barring injuries. Let’s look ahead at some young players that could develop into important role players in Cleveland.

Podcast: Most intriguing Browns draft prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft

A few dream draft targets for the Browns.

The NFL offseason is in full force as the NFL free agency period rages on changing draft needs. The Cleveland Browns overall draft plan won’t change much as they look at the draft more as a long-term plan not to fill immediate needs for this season.

There are some talented players in each round that could grow into great players if developed right and be long-time answers at premium positions. In this episode, I’m joined by Browns YouTuber Quincy Carrier to break down our favorite draft prospects regardless of round. You can watch this week’s episode here to find out our draft crushes.

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Panthers 2023 mock draft 5.0: Swing for the fences edition

The Panthers have been swinging for the fences this offseason. So, for our latest mock draft, we filled the card with some of this year’s most potent prospects.

Last Friday, the Carolina Panthers swung for the fences—and cleared them.

The team’s stunning acquisition of the 2023’s No. 1 overall pick was just the latest—and perhaps greatest—hit of what’s been a bold offseason. Between wrangling together an all-star coaching staff and taking control of the upcoming NFL draft, the Panthers are going all out.

So, for our newest mock, we’ll keep with that approach. Let’s risk it for the biscuit and go for some of this year’s most appealing upside.

2023 NFL draft: Latest Giants Wire mock sees trades, 12 picks

In the latest 7-round mock draft from Giants Wire, the New York Giants trade back and end up making 12 total selections.

The New York Giants received two compensatory draft selections from the league on Thursday, raising their total to 11 for the upcoming NFL draft.

The Giants have settled some pressing issues already this offseason by bringing quarterback Daniel Jones under contract and placing the franchise tag placeholder on running back Saquon Barkley.

General manager Joe Schoen still has plenty of cap room to play with in free agency and will be filling some much-needed holes before he gets to the draft table.

One glaring need likely to be addressed in free agency is wide receiver. We project Schoen will bring in a veteran (perhaps Odell Beckham Jr., Adam Thielen or someone along those lines) and perhaps bring back Sterling Shepard or Darius Slayton.

Taking all of that into account, we decided to try our hand at a pre-free agency mock draft based on the news of the added draft picks.

Podcast: Overhauling the defense with a 2023 NFL Mock Draft

The Browns add depth all over their defense in this mock draft.

The offseason is starting to hear up with free agency coming next week for all 32 NFL teams. Regardless of what the Cleveland Browns due during that period, getting young players for the future in the 2023 NFL Draft is as important. In this 2023 NFL Mock Draft, landing Northwestern freak Adetomiwa Adebawore is an excellent start.

Trying to do my best Andrew Berry impersonation, I traded back and out of a few spots and ended up adding four picks in next year’s draft before landing Adebawore. Trying to set up Jim Schwartz for the future, I drafted defensive players at every level to develop under Schwartz.

You can listen to this episode here for the audio version or watch it here for the video version.

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Old Dominion tight end Zack Kuntz fits the athletic profile the Browns want

The Old Dominion prospect is someone to watch in April.

Last offseason tight end David Njoku and the Cleveland Browns reach a massive contract extension to keep the player in town. Njoku, outside of injuries, had a nice season in 2022 but the rest of the tight end room didn’t do much. If the Browns wait until later in the 2023 NFL Draft to address the position they should target former Old Dominion and Penn State tight end, Zack Kuntz.

Kuntz has great size and length giving him an impressive catch radius at 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds. He is a polished route runner with impressive hands that creates a great red-zone target for quarterbacks. Though his blocking needs some work technique wise he has the strength to be an effective blocker as well.

There isn’t much college production even at the smaller school level which is worrisome but his athletic profile is off the charts. With his testing at the NFL Combine, Kuntz had a perfect 10 Relative Athletic Score showing that he is a raw prospect with all the tools to be a great player if developed right.

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4-Down Territory: Risers and fallers from the 2023 scouting combine

With the scouting combine in the rear view, 4 Down Territory’s Luke Easterling and Doug Farrar recap which NFL prospects’ draft stocks rose and fell the most.

Every week in “4-Down Territory,” Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling of Bucs Wire and Draft Wire go over the things you need to know about, and the things you need to watch, in the NFL right now. With the 2023 scouting combine wrapped up, it’s all about how the prospects did in the medicals, in the meeting rooms with NFL teams, and of course, on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.

This week, Doug and Luke discuss:

00:00 – Intro

01:01 – Which offensive draft prospect helped himself with the combine drills?

05:29 – Which defensive draft prospect helped himself with the combine drills?

09:18 – Which offensive prospect failed to capitalize on it when the rubber hit the road?

13:36 – Which defensive prospect didn’t meet expectations at the combine?

You can watch this week’s episode of “4-Down Territory” right here:

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Post-Combine Mock Draft: Browns add explosive WR, reshape defense

The Browns add Josh Downs and a ton of defensive talent in this post-combine mock draft

The NFL Scouting Combine has come to a close as the 2023 NFL Draft process progresses one step closer to the main event. And for the Cleveland Browns, that means taking strides toward getting back into the playoffs by infusing their roster with young talent. While the Browns do not have a first round pick for two more seasons, they do have eight picks to attack the draft with this year. Could a name like North Carolina’s Josh Downs join the squad this upcoming April as they look to mold a more explosive passing attack in 2023?

As the combine has concluded, here is a mock draft adjusting to board movement based on risers and fallers in Indianapolis, Indiana.

2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Biggest winners from Saturday’s workouts

Which prospects made themselves the most money at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday?

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine continued Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium, as the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends took the field in front of all 32 teams.

Here are a handful of prospects who helped their draft stock during Saturday’s testing and on-field workouts:

Retooling the defensive line and adding speed in this Browns Mock Draft

Giving Jim Schwartz tools to work with.

The entire NFL world is in Indianapolis getting up close and personal with the top prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Cleveland Browns will have a close eye on the defensive linemen and wide receiver drills. It’s also the chance for teams to talk to each other about possible trades as free agency kicks off in a couple of weeks.

The Browns have got to find a dynamic fast playmaker at wide receiver as well as retool the entire defensive line outside Myles Garrett. Let’s take a look at how the Browns do all this in this Cleveland Browns mock draft.