Are you ready for the CelebriCavs?
October 11, 2016Kevin Durant is glad Warriors blew 3-1 lead
October 12, 2016Activate Rookie Report! Rookie Report! Rookie Report. Rookie Report.1
A wide receiver can change the offense. (check, check)
Receptions can extend drives. (check, check)
They come in sizes from big to small. (rookie report)
And the Browns tried to draft them all. (rookie report, rookie report)
They help in the red zone. (check, check, check)
But if they drop one, then you will groan.
Go Receiver. Go Receiver. Go Receiver.
Rookie Report, Rookie Report. (rookie report)
Weβre done with our intro, commentariat at the ready.
Here’s the full report!
The Cleveland Browns season is more based on the development of young players than the win-loss record. The Browns drafted 14 players in the 2016 NFL Draft and have another five players classified as rookies on their active roster, so analysis of youth can begin with these 19 players.
Initial intrigue
Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor, Round 1, Pick 15
Cody Kessler, QB, USC, Round 3, Pick 93
Emmanuel Ogbah, DE/OLB, Oklahoma State, Round 2, Pick 32
Derrick Kindred, FS, TCU, Round 4, Pick 129
Ricardo Louis, WR, Auburn, Round 4, Pick 114
Coleman lived up to the hype of being the first drafted wide receiver in his class. While he only has played two games before suffering a broken hand (the injury of choice for the Browns rookies this year), he flashed quite a bit in those two games. His 173 reception yards is third on the team, and his two receiving touchdowns still lead the team (again, despite only playing in two of the team’s five games). Louis has been far less impressive, but he has earned the place of contributing to the team’s passing game ahead of fellow rookies Jordan Payton and Rashard Higgins since Coleman went down with his injury.
Kessler has been adequate with the potential to build upon it though he left the game with bruised ribs against the New England Patriots. He has come as advertised in that Kessler is not one to stretch the field with a bunch of deep throws, but his short and mid-range accuracy allows for the receivers to catch them in stride and make YAC. An ability to read complex NFL defenses and set up the plays ahead of the snap will determine if he is capable of making further advancements.
Ogbah certainly has a high motor. He is quick to recognize run plays to the outside as well as screen plays. His aggressiveness can get him into trouble (he lost Martellus Bennett on a play Sunday looking into the backfield), but he is one of the rookies who has earned his place as a starter. Kindred has also gotten a ton of playing time in the early portion of the year. He has helped immensely in supporting the run defense, but his over-aggressiveness also gets him into trouble as he’s been beaten or out of position several times.
Waiting to see something
Carl Nassib, DE/OLB, Penn State, Round 3, Pick 65
Joe Schobert, OLB, Wisconsin, Round 4, Pick 99
Seth Devalve, TE, Princeton, Round 4, Pick 138
Spencer Drango, OG, Baylor, Round 5, Pick 168
Shon Coleman, OT, Auburn, Round 3, Pick 76
Jordan Payton, WR, UCLA, Round 5, Pick 154
Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State, Round 5, Pick 172
Nassib returned against the New England Patriots from a broken hand and was one of the two Browns players to ever even lay a hand on Tom Brady during the game. Unfortunately, it was a quiet day overall for the rookie and he has lacked making an impact in his so far limited playing time after having an impressive Week 1 game against the Eagles. Schobert had carved out decent playing time early in the season, but a rookie receiving less snaps as the year unfolds is not a positive indicator.
The rest of the list is mostly players who have struggled to even see the field. Rashard Higgins was thought to have carved out a nice place for himself in the Browns limited receiving crew, but Hawkins and Louis continue to stay ahead of him in the rotation (he’s not supplanting Terrelle Pryor, obviously).
Impatiently waiting on…
Trey Caldwell, DB, LA-Monroe, Round 5, Pick 173
Scooby Wright, LB, Arizona, Round 7, Pick 250
Both of these players were cut, but remain on the 10-man practice squad. A shame as there was some legitimate intrigue in both players, but neither has yet been able to turn their college production into meaningful potential in the eyes of the Browns coaching staff. These undersized players were passed up by UDFAs and other young players the Browns took from cuts made by other teams.
Special notice
Dominique Alexander, LB, Oklahoma
Briean Boddy-Calhoun, DB, Minnesota
Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
Tyrone Holmes, DE, Montana
Tracy Howard, DB, Miami
Hogan made some news by being activated this week as he attempts to become the sixth quarterback the Browns have used in six weeks. Boddy-Calhoun is the standout in this group though as he has proven himself to be a useful cornerback and might have positioned himself into a starting role. He is currently battling Jamar Taylor for that distinction opposite Joe Haden. Tyrone Holmes excited some fans with the pressure that caused Ryan Tannehill into throwing an interception for a touchdown, but he has been heard from little outside that one play.
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19 Comments
Nassib will be fine. The guys playing with a broken hand and is still the only one who can create pressure without a blitz scheme. Ogbah is the one who needs to show something.
Schobert will be fine as well. 4 weeks in and he is starting.
I’m still not sure if stashing Coleman and Drango on the bench is good because they are not ready, or bad because they are not ready.
http://i.makeagif.com/media/6-22-2015/XA7nK2.gif
YES!
Quite possibly. I gave Ogbah the top tier mostly as a nod to the run defense that has been the only thing the Browns have been good at (and he’s been a big part there – not surprising for the DE/OLB hybrid). Nassib was the next one for that list, I just want something more to go on than the one Eagles game. He was swallowed up besides that one QB pressure.
Schobert got more snaps in Week 5 against the Pats, but had been trending downward before the game. He’s been pretty dang invisible when he’s on the field too.
Agree on Coleman / Drango.
As with all rookies — it’s really early.
For the first time in years, YEARS…
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0002/091/MI0002091988.jpg?partner=allrovi.com
(Subject to change, of course. #TeamSnark)
Seeing as we get first dibs on every waiver wire player, I anticipate a fair amount of body turnover on the fringe players.
The acquisition of Jonathan Cooper is interesting. (2013, 7th overall pick… http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/jonathan-cooper?id=2539272 )
My boy loves the Octonauts. Props for the reference…now can you do that with Wild Kratts or Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood?!?!
What is it that Cleveland Fans are the first to say “I’d love to see that one guy that made that one great play in the 4th preseason game – he had real promise”
I am excited to see Nassib more. I love his hussle and push – good things happen.
Also approaching the midpoint of the season and need to start showing some improvement…
I think this is the next up based on my kiddos preferences
http://www.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Kate-and-Mim-Mim-post4.jpg
yes, improvement – and health π
hi MG … i think Nassib can be put in the “initial intrigue” group … though he’s missed some time , he’s shown enough for me.
and i know i’ve said before that Kessler , Louis & DeValve would be the picks to truly judge the HBT on … they took all 3 a little sooner than projected. i like Kessler & Louis is getting some playing time due to Coleman’s injury.
without checking , i’m guessing Louis is faster than Payton & Higgins … Payton & Higgins caught way more passes than Louis in college , mostly because of Auburn’s run-first approach … so Louis is a little more raw , but he has Josh Gordon-type size & speed.
Yeah, fair on Nassib. Like I said, I teetered on the line for that group. Was a bit disappointed this week not seeing more, but he also was playing with a club on his hand.
yes, Louis is the better athlete — Payton & Higgins the more polished WRs
now…might want to slow down on the Gordon comps as Louis is smaller, shorter, smaller hands — he did time slightly faster on 40, but Gordon ran a 4.52 in draft prep while nursing a strained quad (and we now know he is legit faster than that number)
Louis : 6’2″ – 215 lbs – 4.39 forty & nice muscle build … it’s close : Gordon is 6’3″ 225 lbs … every single player drafted has weaknesses … i like the raw talent & apparently Hue does too as he saw the field before Payton & Higgins.
yes, I do as well. Louis has been a positive surprise though he has yet to make a huge impact, the experience is good for him.
The lack of health has been the most frustrating thing for me. I was really excited to see all of these young guys and it seems like they keep dropping like flies week after week.
I’m going to need Blaze and the Monsters Machines for my son and Bubble Guppies for my daughter. They’ve worn a hole in the handful of episodes we recorded on our DVR.
man , i don’t remember him being the 7th overall pick … could be a good pick-up … and he might be playing sooner than he wants to.
Bubble Guppies is a good starting point, but my daughter is obsessed with the “newer” version of Strawberry Shortcake.
They come up with a “pop” song for many of their episodes and she’ll just repeat those over and over and over.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=356RCQ25GvY
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