Defensive prospects with ‘big-time juice’ what Browns seek at Combine

On Mar 1, 2023

The Browns contingent at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis will be looking for prospects that fit new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's system.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Browns’ contingent arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine having had nearly two months’ worth of meetings and discussions since the season ended.

In that span, the organization changed two coordinators, with Jim Schwartz replacing Joe Woods as defensive coordinator last month and Bubba Ventrone replacing Mike Priefer as special teams coordinator last week. The first of those two moves may have a bigger impact on exactly what the Browns are looking for this week in Indianapolis.

General manager Andrew Berry is scheduled to speak to the media in Indianapolis at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Coach Kevin Stefanski, meanwhile, is slated to speak at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday.

The Browns’ first pick in the draft, which is April 27-29, is in the second round, No. 42 overall. That’s one of eight picks they possess.

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NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who worked in the Browns college scouting department under Phil Savage in 2007-08, has a similar belief to many about what the move should be at No. 42. The only difference between what he thinks and what many Browns fans may think is where on the defensive line the right player may reside.

“Schwartzy likes to get outside and let those guys rock and roll and really get off the ball,” Jeremiah said in a conference call last Friday. “So when you look at where the Browns are picking, second round, pick No. 42, if you are looking for edge rushers that have kind of big-time juice.”

Obviously, the Browns already have an All-Pro edge rusher in Myles Garrett coming off the right side of their defensive line. However, the other side is essentially just Alex Wright, who was going through the draft process himself just a year ago after a career at UAB.

That makes edge rusher still a priority for the Browns, even though much of the attention from at least outside of the building has been placed on the defensive tackle spot. That position had, to be kind, a difficult season as a group last season.

Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald IV’s name has been out there as a possibility for the Browns with their first pick. It started with a strong Senior Bowl week in January, but Jeremiah, for one, believes he’s perfect for Schwartz’s scheme.

“He is a little bit undersized at 241 pounds,” Jeremiah said. “We’ll see what he weighs there. He can really get off the ball. He can win with spin moves. He can win just turning the corner, but burst and bend is his calling card.”

Jeremiah also pointed out another edge rusher from the Big 12 as a possibility. That is Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah.

One thing that stands out about Anudike-Uzomah is his ability to create turnovers, with eight forced fumbles in the last two season. Jeremiah believes there’s even more room to grow with him due to how he was played in the Kansas State defense.

“He can get off the ball and win with his hands,” Jeremiah said. “He had to play a lot inside the tackle in kind of a (interior lineman) there on the inside shoulder of the tackle, so he didn’t get as much runway consistently. When you widened him out and gave him a runway, he was pretty dominant.”