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May 28, 2020The Cleveland Browns kicked off Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft with one selection in the fourth round. With this pick, the Browns selected tight end Harrison Bryant of Florida Atlantic. Bryant had 65 receptions for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games last season as a senior, earning him unanimous All-American honors, first-team All-CUSA and the John Mackey Award, which is given to the best tight end in college football. In his final three seasons in college, he had at least 30 catches, 400 yards receiving and four touchdowns. So, what should we expect from the Browns’ newest tight end? In today’s film room, we examine the strengths and weaknesses of Bryant’s game. Let’s take a look.
2020 Browns’ NFL Draft Film Room Series: OT Jedrick Wills, S Grant Delpit, IDL Jordan Elliott, and LB Jacob Phillips
Strengths
Route Running
Bryant was lined out wide quite often at Florida Atlantic, leading to a strong receiving skill set. With this experience, he became a really talented route runner. He shows good route disguise, showcasing slight body movements to fake defenders off of his intended route. He runs crisp routes for a tight end. His route running is good enough to help him gain separation from his coverage man. He also shows good awareness as a route runner to find the open spot in the zone coverage. Here are some examples of his strong route running.
In the first play versus Ohio State, Bryant is being covered in off-man coverage by the corner. Bryant runs a slant-and-go route. He sells the slant so well that he has the corner break on that route, allowing the tight end to cut upfield behind the corner. The corner is left retreating and having to spin around quickly to try and recover. The route earned Bryant a nice separation. In the second play against Ohio State, Bryant is once again covered by a corner in off-man coverage. Bryant begins the route by faking like he is going to go out and block for a screen pass, but after a few seconds, he makes a quick cut inside on a slant. His fake caused the corner to come closer to the line and was left flat-footed by a quick move inside. Bryant then sits in the open zone to catch the ball. In the final play versus North Texas, Bryant is in the left H-back spot. He comes across the line and looks to be in a blocking situation. This draws the box defenders to crash the line. Once he sees that, Bryant sprints upfield wide open past the defenders, catching the pass and taking all the way to the endzone.
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Blocking
Bryant is an able and very willing blocker. He will put everything into blocking and shows the toughness to stick with a block throughout the play. He shows a solid form in blocking sets. He is at his best when blocking in space and on the move, picking up defenders and setting a nice form block on the defender. Bryant was utilized in many different situations as a blocker. Here are examples of his blocking ability.
In the first play against Ohio State, Bryant is in a pass-blocking situation on the left end versus the edge rusher. Bryant takes on the defender and showcases good arm extension to keep the rusher off his body. He is able to move his feet with the rusher and win the blocking battle. In the second play versus Ohio State, Bryant is again in a pass-blocking situation, this time on the right H-back spot versus the edge rusher. He takes on the rusher and extends a jab into the rusher’s chest. He is able to keep his hands on the edge rusher throughout the rep. Bryant is able to shuffle his feet quick enough to loop the rusher above and out of the pocket with no pressure allowed. In the final play against UAB, Bryant is on the right end of the line and to the inside of the H-back. The play call is a receiver reverse around the right edge. Bryant is almost like a lead blocker for this play and he is able to move around the edge and seal a block inside to spring the runner around the edge.
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Versatility
Bryant was utilized in a variety of ways and spots on the field. He lined up out wide, in the slot, at the end of the line, and in the h-back spot. He was asked to be both a receiver and a blocker with success in both areas. He is moved around the field throughout the game. He showed the ability to be a receiver out of a standup stance out wide, out of hand in the dirt in-line position and out of a H-back stance. He also blocked from all of these stances. He can hurt a defense as a receiver in the short to intermediate routes and downfield. Here is an example of his versatility from one game.
This clip is from one game versus UAB and it shows off Bryant’s versatility. The play starts with him lined up in the right slot as a receiver running a short slant route. He then moves to an in-line tight end spot with the tight end going out for a deep inside route. The next play has him in the left H-back spot in a situation where he is called to slip out to the right flat as a pass target. Following that play, he is lined up in the slot on the right side and he is called to help block for this play. In the next play, Bryant is in the slot and runs a streak route. And in the final play, he is a motioning player who is called to come across the line to seal block on the left edge.
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Ball Skills
Bryant has strong ball skills as a receiver. He shows solid high-pointing of the ball in catch situations. He is a hands catcher, extending his arms to bring in passes. He also shows strong hands to make catches in contested situations. He also tracks the ball well as a receiver. Here are examples of his strong ball skills.
In the first play against Ohio State, Bryant runs a streak route down the right slot. The pass is underthrown, so he has to go up and over the defender who was trailing him on his route. Bryant high points the pass and has the strong hands to keep as he falls to the ground and the defender tries to knock the pass away. In the second play versus UAB, Bryant is running a corner route from the right slot. He makes the cut to the corner at the top of his route, but as he heads to the sideline, he has to head further back in the endzone to track the ball. He is able to track pass and catch it over his shoulders for a touchdown. In the final play against UAB, Bryant runs an inside route from his right slot position. As he breaks inside, he is able to find the open spot in the defense and make the catch. But, he has to bring it in as a defender comes in to lay a heavy hit on him. Bryant keeps ahold of the ball through the hit.
Weaknesses
Drops
Even though Bryant has strong ball skills, he has suffered from drops. According to Pro Football Focus, Bryant had eight drops last season. Much of the drop problem stems from a lack of concentration in securing the catch. He shows strong hands, but he can lose concentration to complete the catch. He gets too caught up with what is going to happen after the catch. Here are examples of his drop problems.
In the first play versus Ohio State, Bryant runs a slant route from his spot out wide alongside the right sideline. The pass is thrown to him, hitting his hands, although just a tad ahead of him. The tight end is not able to catch it even though this was a catchable pass that hits his hands. In the second play against Ohio State, Bryant runs another slant route, this time from the left slot. This drop is all based on concentration. The pass is accurately thrown, but the tight end sees a closing defender in the middle of the field about to hit him. He loses track of his first job and drops the pass before he is even hit. In the final play against UAB, Bryant drops the pass because he thinks of running before securing the pass. He is already moving upfield as the pas hits his hands, leading to another concentration drop.
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Strength/Power
Strength and power are not a part of Bryant’s game. He will not overpower anyone and can be moved by stronger defenders. His lack of strength hurts him most as a blocker. He will not be a blocker who is asked to be an extra lineman on jumbo sets where the line needs to make room for the run game. He does not create holes and displaces defenders due to his slighter strength. Here are examples of his lack of strength.
In the first play versus North Texas, Bryant is in blocking for the run play from his left H-back spot. He takes on the edge defender and is unable to gain any push on him. The defender is able to control Bryant and to get free when the runner comes toward him, bringing the runner down. In the second play against North Texas, Bryant is on the right end of the line and tasked to block the right edge defender who is in a standup position. It is zone run play to the right. Bryant takes on the defender and tries to stand strong as he flows toward the right. But, the defender overpowers the tight end and pushes him into the backfield, blocking off the edge from the runner to get around. Bryant’s lack of strength hurts that play from being successful. And in the final play versus Ohio State, Bryant is in the right H-back position for this zone run to the right. He first tries to help block the defensive end on the play by laying a jab on the rusher to stun him and help his fellow blocker out. But, the jab goes unnoticed by the defender as he continues to roll to the right. Bryant then goes to the second level to take on a linebacker. He tries to seal the linebacker off inside, but the linebacker is able to push him outside at first contact, all but breaking any sort of seal Bryant could provide for the play.