Rashard Higgins made some (bad?) history for the Browns
May 4, 20202020 Browns’ NFL Draft Film Room Series: OT Jedrick Wills
May 5, 2020Cleveland Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. hopes to be the guy that will replace former Browns great left tackle Joe Thomas for years to come. The rookie might have decided on No. 71, but he hopes to be just as great as No. 73. Thomas is not only a first-ballot Hall of Famer when the time comes, but the ironman also set the NFL’s snap streak with 10,363 consecutive snaps played, the most since the stat was recorded by the league in 1999.
When the Browns drafted Wills with the No. 10 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft less than two weeks ago, Thomas was ecstatic, not holding back his feelings. It was the first time since Thomas was selected by the Browns with the third-overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft that Cleveland used a top-10 selection on an offensive tackle.
“There will not be any sleeping for me tonight because I’m so excited by this pick,” Thomas said in a radio interview with the Cleveland Browns Radio Network. “When I watch him on film, there is nothing he can’t do. All these other guys who were the top tackles had big question marks, in my opinion. This guy? No question marks. Browns home run.”
Thomas watched film of the top-four offensive tackles in the draft, a class that included a loaded group at the position, especially at the top. He did his homework, which is the reason he loves that Wills will now be donning the orange and brown.
“There is nothing that when you watch him on tape makes you go, ‘Well, I don’t know. He’s going to have to get better at this,'” Thomas said. “Does this man move like an All-Pro in the NFL? Will the footwork skills, technique, quickness, balance, change of direction, and recovery skills that he possesses in his body be able to hold up to the Von Millers and JJ Watts? I went back, and there was only one guy that stood out. He just popped off your screen. The technique he was using. The dominance. The finish. The change in direction. The explosion that he had. The way he could bend his ankles, knees, and hips and create force and power. When guys tried to bull rush him, he was firm and stout.
“There was only one guy that looked like that, and that was Jedrick Wills.”
The biggest question mark surrounding Wills’ transition to the NFL is if he — a lifelong right tackle, including all of high school and college career — can make the switch to left tackle. Well, luckily for him, he one of the best left tackles in NFL history to lean on, not only for tips at how to be great but as a mentor as well. Wills is expected to be the left tackle of the future for Cleveland even though he has never played a single snap at the position. No pressure, rookie…right?
While Thomas might have played left tackle throughout his time at Wisconsin before being drafted by the Browns, he knows the types of film Wills can watch and practice routines he can continually learn from while learning the ins and outs of being a left tackle in the NFL. Not only will the rookie have Thomas’ help, but offensive line coach Bill Callahan has had his fair share of success throughout his time as an assistant coach in the NFL, including helping seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith make the move from the right to the left side of the line during his time with the Dallas Cowboys.
Wills will be expected to protect Baker Mayfield’s blindside from Day 1. Keep in mind, even though he was a right tackle at Alabama, he was protecting Tua Tagovailoa’s blindside as well since the Crimson Tide quarterback was left-handed. In 29 career starts, including starting each of his last 28 games with the Crimson Tide, the 6-foot-4, 312-pounder allowed just one sack. That’s really freaking impressive, to say the least.
With Thomas’ help, the Browns hope the transition for Wills will not only be easier but that maybe—just maybe—they have their left side of the offensive line locked up for the next decade. Thomas was able to do that. That’s the goal for the guy the future Hall of Famer is mentoring as well. Not only is Thomas confident that WIlls will be able to make the transition, but head coach Kevin Stefanski is as well. It’s the main reason they didn’t hesitate to take the Alabama offensive lineman with the No. 10 pick.
“We’re very confident Jedrick has that ability and it’s something he’ll work at,” Stefanski said in a Zoom call after the selection, according to cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
“It will not be ideal like getting your hands on him, but I’m really confident in Coach’s ability and in a setting and explaining what he wants to see. There are various ways and we are figuring them out and we are getting creative about how we are sending the guys video of different drills and different techniques that they can do.
“I believe we will be able to get that done. I am confident because I think Jedrick is already on the way to doing those things. Like I mentioned, he has been well-coached. He has been a left side stance before. I think it is just going to be muscle memory over and over. It is going to be a process of development, and I trust that we have the guys to get it done.”
While I’m big enough to be one, I’ve never been an offensive line so I don’t know the types of things that you have to learn and do at each position. But going from right tackle to left tackle would mean that everything will now be opposite for Wills. It’s certainly not impossible, but with so much experience on the right side, his muscles do things without him even thinking about it now. He will have to re-teach his muscles to now do the opposite and eventually, it will become muscle memory once again. Whether it be his feet, his arms, or anything else, all of it needs to be re-learned from the left side of the line now. That’s what practice is for. That’s what learning from a guy like Thomas is for. That’s what this offseason is for.
Wills is confident in himself. The fact that Thomas is confident as well, paired with the future first-ballot Hall of Famer wanting to help the rookie be the best left tackle he can possibly be, it should make the switch that much easier. At least Wills believes so.
“He kind of knew that I’d be going to that position right away,’’ Wills said. “So as soon as I can start at the position and send him some videos and get some pointers and help from his direction I feel I’ll be in good hands.’’
“He told me he really liked my game, and just now he gave me his number and was like, ‘Call me sometime if you ever need any pointers,’’’ he said. “He knew I was going to be playing left tackle, so if I ever needed pointers, tips or videos and things like that, he’d be there to help me out. …He’s a Hall of Fame player, so why not?
Ever since Thomas decided to hang up his cleats in 2017, the Browns have been in search of a legitimate left tackle. It has essentially been a carousel of players at the position, all of which never proved to be the guy. It’s tough to replace a future Hall of Famer, but the Browns and Wills alike are hoping that the former Alabama standout will be able to do just that. What better way to try to do so than learning from No. 73 himself. Wills will try to be the legitimate left tackle to replace Thomas and he will have his predecessor’s help in order to try and do so.
