Nelson Agholor: Browns Draft Profile

The Cleveland Browns season is over. We will spend a good amount of time reviewing the season but we will spend even more time preparing for the off-season. Browns 2015 NFL Draft seems ready to be a very interesting one for the team. With 10 picks, including two in the first round, the Browns are ready to make noise again for the second year in a row.

Instead the 2014 started off strong and ended with a thud. Last year the Browns draft included a big trade down and the drafting of Johnny Manziel. While the first round hasn’t panned out yet, the rest of the draft seems to be great. It is likely that GM Ray Farmer and Head Coach Mike Pettine see a greater need for more veteran talent on a very young roster and we expect them to be aggressive in seeking to bring in that talent during Browns free agency.

After free agency we wouldn’t be surprised if the Browns tried to trade their picks to move up, to get another veteran or went with best player available instead of drafting for need. Farmer did this last year when he drafted Joel Bitonio, Terrance West, Christian Kirksey and others instead of drafting a wide receiver. We could see that again.

In preparation for such we will be taking a look at certain players that we think the Browns could target. Keep in mind we are not saying that these are players they are targeting, although some rumors may start to leak of the Browns having interest in them, instead these are players that we think the Browns could or should have interest in. Our profile will try to include as much information as possible to prepare you for the NFL Draft.

Name

Nelson Agholor

Position

Wide Receiver

Height/Weight (Combine)

6’0″, 198 lbs

School

USC Trojans

Stats (link)

2014 – 13 games; 101 Receptions, 1313 yards, 12 Touchdowns

2014 NFL Draft Comparison

Marqise Lee– 39th overall (Jacksonville Jaguars) – Lee entered the 2014 NFL Draft as an all around offensive talent that lacked the big frame that many of the 1st Round receivers possessed. What Lee lacks in height he made up for in his speed and agility. Lee possessed the explosive straight-line speed that makes pressing him a risk, and his vision, elusiveness and acceleration make him a terror after the catch, whether as a receiver or returner.

2015 NFL Draft Range

Mid 2nd Round – High 3rd Round – The 2015 NFL Draft doesn’t have the great depth at the wide receiver position that the 2014 class had, but what the draft class does have is a select group of about 6 prospects with first round talent, and a second tier of receivers with good all around talent. Agholor is in that second tier, and like former Trojan Marqise Lee, Agholor has a lean, athletic frame, with good lateral agility and great acceleration. Agholor is an athletic pass catcher with sharp route running and the body control to make fluid adjustments on the ball. Agholor generally catches the ball cleanly with his hands and secures it quickly.

Fit with the Browns

Miles Austin is one of the four leading receivers on the Browns roster from this past season and is the only one who stands above 5’10”. The Browns’ clearly sound like they have moved on from the Josh Gordon experiment and the aging 30-year old veteran is not getting any younger. At 6’0″, Agholor is another wide receiver prospect that could step-in and stretch the field for the Browns’ offense. The Browns’ offense desperately missed the deep ball last season and had to rely heavily on the slot receivers to stretch the defense. Agholor has decent size, strength, and great quickness to get separation and make contested catches. Agholor is another wide receiver prospect that many national pundits, and scouts question his size, and many have already set his ceiling as a “just” slot receiver.

"“Right off the bat, his draft value has a ceiling because he’s a slot receiver. At least that is how I see it. I don’t think he has the speed to get open outside. He’s a good value in the middle rounds, though, because of his return=game potential.” — NFC South scout"

Let’s take an minute and remember that many pundits get it wrong, and set a player ceiling before they have even touched the field. Agholor looked great at the combine before his day was ended early due to a finger dislocation, and his numbers were very close to the same put up by Odell Beckham Jr. Many national pundits had OBJ pegged as “just” a slot receiver who could come in and help the Giants offensive opposite Victor Cruz. Agholor in my opinion is not on OBJ’s level but has many of the same qualities that OBJ possesses.

Route Running & Agility – Agholor may have a lean, athletic frame that needs to add mass, but what he lacks in mass he makes up for in his route running and agility. Agholor is a two-step receiver who can accelerate and get to full speed in a hurry, his initial quickness allows him to create enough space, and makes him an ideal target on deep passing routes. Agholor showcased his speed and agility several times in USC’s system on underneath routes that allowed him to shift around after the catch and get up field. Agholor is a good route runner who possesses a solid double move release, which allows him to plant and fake while still maintaining his assigned route and getting up field.

Pass Catching Ability – Agholor is a balanced player that possesses good body control and sure hands needed to catch the ball away from his frame. Although Agholor doesn’t possess the ideal frame, he does displays the toughness to make catches in traffic and can hold onto the ball through contact. Agholor’s has a decent catch radius; he shows the ability to catch the ball at the high point and also makes catches away from his body.

Special Teams – Agholor’s athletic abilities are on full display in the special teams department, Agholor is fluid and shifty enough to make guys miss and his ability to stop and start without losing a step in key in his success as a punt returner. Special teams seems to be were he would make the most impact early in his career, and it shows on tape. He has excellent vision and easily can accelerate and find the open running lane.

Browns Player Selection Could Impact

The Browns do not have the kind of depth where there is a specific player that would be impacted by Agholor’s selection. Travis Benjamin would me the only player that comes to mind that could be cut to make way for any drafted wide receiver but that would be true no matter what the Browns do in the NFL Draft. Benjamin is a smaller slot receiver that has been the primary special teams player, mainly punt return duties. Benjamin suffered a torn ACL injury back during the 2013 season, and it looked like it affected his confidence during the 2014 season as a special teams player. The Browns eventually went away from Benjamin later in the 2014 season due to his confidence issues and only averaged 8.5 yards per return. Agholor is a return specialist who could step-in immediately and make an impact on punt returns that the Browns missed most of the 2014 Season.

How Selection Could Be Impacted By Free Agency

N/A – The Browns’ have lost in the court of public opinion for not upgrading the wide receiver position in the NFL draft last season. The Browns look like they have identified the need for solid veteran leadership across the board and went out and got two veteran receivers in Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline. The Browns’ have addressed key needs along the defensive line, and wide receivers with veterans in free agency, but now depth and the need for another outside pass rusher have moved up the list. If my prediction is right the Browns will look early for pass rushing and run stopping players, which might not be sexy but winning on defense is just as important as offense. If the Browns go that route they may look at the second tier of wide receiver talent to address the need for another pass catcher.

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Priority

Medium – The Browns can’t continue to thrust QB’s into the starting role without building a great supporting cast. Success in the NFL comes from having the pieces in place to make life easier on the QB position. If the Browns’ want the QB position to flourish then they need to address the supporting cast starting with getting a quality starting wide receiver. The Browns already have acquire veterans Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline, but drafting some young talent that can learn from the veterans would be ideal.

What do you think about targeting Nelson Agholor in the 2015 NFL Draft?

Next: Full Browns NFL Draft Profiles List

The video clips were provided courtesy of DraftBreakdown.com

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