Mar 1, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown speaks to the media during the 2017 NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The Scouting Combine provided clarity for some prospects and highlighted others that the Cleveland Browns could select in this year's draft.
This year's NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone. For the Cleveland Browns, a number of players impressed that could be on their team for the 2017 season. Since they not only have the first pick in the draft, but also have 11 picks overall, they have a substantial amount of control of this draft and the combine is an important part of that evaluation.
The most important takeaway from the combine for teams is the medical evaluations, which is the reason the event was established in the first place. For the Browns, their analytical formula values certain athletic traits that are measured at the combine. The most notable of these is explosion, which is calculated by looking at the 40-yard dash as well as the vertical and broad jumps.
This organization, as its currently constituted, has also put a premium on character in their players. While they've been doing their own research into the backgrounds of players, this gives them opportunities to meet with a lot of prospects face to face in a short period of time.
The following discusses eight players that thrived at the combine, completed enough of an athletic profile and appear to fit what the Browns want in players and could be targets for them when the draft happens in April.
Mar 6, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive back Fabian Moreau does a workout drill during the 2017 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
8. Fabian Moreau, CB – UCLA
Height: 5-11.875
Weight: 206 pounds
40-Yard Dash: 4.35s
Vertical: 38″
Broad Jump: 11'4″
3-Cone: 6.94s
Shuttle: 4.12s
Moreau didn't participate in the bench press, but he may well have had the most impressive performance at the combine of anyone that participated. Myles Garrett and Obi Melifonwu were outstanding, but didn't do agility drills. John Ross only did his jumps and the 40.
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Moreau gave teams a pretty complete athletic profile and it's tremendous. He was already considered to be a pretty good corner that could be in the second round, but this was still surprising. Moreau deserves to go in the first round based on everything he's done to this point.
The problem for Moreau, and potential benefit to the Browns, is that the class of corners is so talented and deep that he might not go as early as his talent warrants. There are over a dozen corners that appear capable of stepping in and contributing now and teams know that, so they may hold off on taking one early, opting to wait and grab positions that won't last as long.
Moreau becomes an intriguing option that could be sitting there at the 33rd pick in the draft. He's got plenty of size, speed and agility. He's got a ton of experience in press man and Cover-3, which the Browns could feature with Gregg Williams as their defensive coordinator.
Sep 17, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Chidobe Awuzie (4) rushes on Michigan Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight (3) and causes a fumble in the first quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
7. Chidobe Awuzie, DB – Colorado
Height: 5-11.75
Weight: 202 pounds
40-Yard Dash: 4.43s
Vertical: 34.5″
Broad Jump: 11′
3-Cone: 6.81s
Shuttle: 4.14s
Bench: 16 reps
Awuzie is another player with good tape that came in with questions about just how athletic he was. He answered them in a big way and suddenly Awuzie is a conversation to be a first-round pick.
What makes Awuzie such an interesting prospect is he is versatile. He can play corner, safety and nickel. In Colorado's defensive scheme, he tends to play the star which is a focal point for what the Buffaloes do to match up with opponents. It does a little bit of everything, including coverage, play off, tight man coverage and blitz.
Awuzie also has experience defending the boundary as a traditional corner. He is able to flip his hips and turn his back to the football, but he seems to be even better when he can play with the action in front of him and attack acccordingly.
In an NFL that is increasingly moving to a more matchup based game, Awuzie gives a team the ability to change up their defense quickly and easily. Put him anywhere and let him cover. The New England Patriots are a team that love to do this with their secondary and they love chameleons like Awuzie.
The Browns could seriously consider Awuzie with the 33rd pick of the draft and really open up the ways they play coverage and how much they can change the look of their defense based on what opponents try to do against them.
Mar 3, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ashland tight end Adam Shaheen speaks to the media during the 2017 combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
6. Adam Shaheen, TE – Ashland
Height: 6-6.5
Weight: 278 pounds
40-Yard Dash: 4.79s
Vertical: 32.5″
Broad Jump: 10'1
3-Cone: 7.09s
Shuttle: 4.38s
Bench: 24 reps
Shaheen had a lot of pressure on him because he was a junior from a DII school, so this was his best opportunity and in some ways only way to audition for the NFL in an apples to apples format. He crushed it. For someone his size, he moves remarkably well both in terms of raw speed and agility.
He was also effective in drills. Shaheen compares favorably to Rob Gronkowski, who was a little more explosive and had bigger hands. Shaheen is heavier and a little more agile than Gronkowski was when he came out of Arizona. Gronkowski also had back surgery when he left college whereas Shaheen appears to have a clean bill of health.
Shaheen has likely firmly placed himself in the second round conversation as a true Y tight end that can be an extension of the offensive line and be a threat as a pass catcher. He's going to have a learning curve given the difference in competition level but his upside is incredibly high.
The Browns may want to grab Shaheen with the 52nd pick if he lasts that long. If all goes as they hope, the Browns could have Shaheen playing inline from Ashland and have Seth DeValve playing in the slot from Princeton. Shaheen compares favorably to Gronkoswki as an athlete while DeValve's best comparison is none other than Aaron Hernandez as an athlete.
Jan 26, 2017; Mobile, AL, USA; North squad defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi of Charlotte (95) hits a tackling dummy during Senior Bowl practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports
5. Larry Ogunjobi, DT – Charlotte
Height: 6-2.625
Weight: 305 pounds
40-Yard Dash: 4.97s
Vertical: 32″
Broad Jump: 9'8″
3-Cone: 7.55s
Shuttle: 4.75s
Bench: 25 reps
In a somewhat thin defensive tackle class, Ogunjobi has a chance to be a gem. He's not a fully formed player yet, but the potential is intriguing. Looking at Ogunjobi, he's massive from the waist down and with that in mind, his testing results are not too surprising. Powerful legs, but enough agility that he's not one-dimensional as a player.
Ogunjobi is a 3-tech defensive tackle that has the ability to be a stout run defender, but has the athleticism to create problems in the backfield. He needs to get more confident when he has opportunities for sacks as he tends to get too excited with the opportunities he has.
In addition to athleticism, Ogunjobi is a player that should give teams confidence in meeting. He's extremely intelligent and focused on what he wants to do preparing like a professional as a collegiate. Teams may feel like it's a "when" as opposed to an "if" for him as an NFL player.
It's possible that Ogunjobi could end up going in the second round, but the Browns may want to pounce at him with the top pick of the third round and really beef up their young and talented defensive line.
Mar 5, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Boston College Eagles free safety John Johnson speaks to the media during the 2017 combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
4. John Johnson, S – Boston College
Height: 6-0.625
Weight: 208 pounds
40-Yard Dash: 4.61s
Vertical: 37″
Broad Jump: 9'11"
3-Cone: 6.72s
Shuttle: 4.18s
Bench: 14 reps
Last year around this time, Justin Simmons started turning heads with his workouts and teams went back to the tape and, ultimately, he was picked at the end of the third round by the Denver Broncos.
This year, Simmons' teammate John Johnson is doing the same thing. Johnson has good production over the past two seasons and what stands out about him on tape is the fact he will light up ball carriers. And he's not just throwing his body at them. He goes in chest up, wraps the ball carrier up and secures the tackle with a thud.
So Johnson, who has already shown to be a productive player with traits teams will like, also has good athleticism. His speed isn't top of the line, but it's more than adequate and he has excellent agility.
Johnson can provide depth at safety, but could also contribute in nickel. He actually started his career at Boston College as a corner before moving to safety. Johnson is another prospect that might be sitting there on day three of the draft providing great value for a team.
Oct 10, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; UCF Knights defensive back Shaquill Griffin (10) moves to tackle Connecticut Huskies running back Arkeel Newsome (22) during the second quarter of a football game at Bright House Networks Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
3. Shaquill Griffin, CB – Central Florida
Height: 5-11.75
Weight: 194 pounds
40-Yard Dash: 4.38s
Vertical: 38.5″
Broad Jump: 11′
3-Cone: 6.87s
Shuttle: 4.14s
Bench: 17 reps
Griffin is in the pile of talented corners in this class. Although he has been productive, part of the reason for that is he's inconsistent and will give up plays in that spot. The good news is, he's aggressive and will come down and attack the run.
Griffin also turned in a fantastic athletic profile at the combine, so he not only has the production that suggests he can be a great corner, he's also got the athleticism to do it. Griffin would give the Browns a terrific project at the cornerback position that can play the boundary, which is something they need.
In some ways, Griffin could be viewed similarly to Ricardo Louis was last year. Impressive athlete, made some big plays and had the requisite market share, but also needs a ton of work and coaching.
Going into the combine, Griffin was a Day 3 prospect and the sheer amount of depth at corner may keep him there. However, guys as big as Griffin and as fast as Griffin tend to go much higher. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if he went on Day 2, but he could be just the type of Day 3 project the Browns want to work with and develop behind players like Joe Haden.
Jan 21, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA;East Team defensive end Trey Hendrickson (99) rushes during the second half of the East-West Shrine Game at Tropicana Field. West Team defeated the East Team 10-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
2. Trey Hendrickson, DE – Florida Atlantic
Height: 6-3.875
Weight: 266 pounds
40-Yard Dash: 4.65s
Vertical: 33.5″
Broad Jump: 10'2″
3-Cone: 7.03s
Shuttle: 4.20s
Hendrickson is part of remarkably deep edge class that appears to fit what the Browns want in edge rushers. His build and athleticism is similar to Emmanuel Ogbah.
The other thing he has in common with Ogbah is his polish as a player. Hendrickson was productive in Conference USA as opposed to the Big 12 like Ogbah was, but both have tape that shows potential—but also someone in need of a lot of development and coaching.
The Browns have a ton of options when it comes to depth, but if they decide to move on from some players they didn't bring in or they just love Hendrickson and he's sitting there on Day 3, they may go ahead and grab him as a rotational player.
The added benefit with Hendrickson is he's been a good special teams player and he could make an impact there immediately. Ultimately, he is another athletic body that they can use to attack the quarterback and could become a better player with time.
Sep 26, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Ohio Bobcats safety Nathan Carpenter (35) and linebacker Blair Brown (33) tackle Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Rodney Smith (24) at the line of scrimmage in the first quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
1. Blair Brown, LB – Ohio
Height: 5-11.5
Weight: 238 pounds
40-Yard Dash: 4.65s
Vertical: 32″
Broad Jump: 10'4″
3-Cone: 6.92s
Shuttle: 4.18s
Coming into the combine, Brown was considered a fringe draftable prospect as an inside linebacker in a lot of places for a few reasons. He only had one productive season in Athens, he has almost no production in pass coverage and he lacks ideal length for the position.
At the combine, Brown performed better than anyone in the position group from an athletic standpoint. A few big names didn't compete (or were sent home), but Brown was extremely impressive in a vacuum.
It's possible that Brown's draft stock doesn't move all that much for all those reasons mentioned earlier, but this performance should send teams back to take another look at him to make sure they didn't miss anything.
If he does slip to the late rounds of the draft, he could be a nice value pick for the Browns. He'd be depth at MIKE with potential to be more and give them more athleticism to help on special teams.
