Dawg Pound Daily
FanSided

Cleveland Browns select LB Joe Schobert

By Jack Kopanski

Sep 5, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Joe Schobert (58) celebrates his first quarter sack with T.J. Edwards (53) against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 5, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Joe Schobert (58) celebrates his first quarter sack with T.J. Edwards (53) against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Cleveland Browns open the third day of the draft by selecting Wisconsin linebacker Joe Schobert.

With the first pick of the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected Joe Schobert, an outside linebacker from Wisconsin.

Schobert was an All-American for Wisconsin last season, and was the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in 2015. His road to this point was not an easy one, as he failed to earn an FBS scholarship out of high school, and walked on to Wisconsin after beginning his college career at North Dakota.

An outside linebacker for the Badgers, Schobert is expected to move to inside linebacker in a 3-4 defensive alignment.

“Pretty much everybody has asked me what I like to play, what they see me as,” Schobert told The Wisconsin State Journal. Various teams have different answers. Some like inside, some like outside, some a little bit of both. I think I can do any of them, and that’s what I tell them.”

For the third time in this draft, Cleveland has addressed their front seven, as Schobert joins Oklahoma State’s Emmaneul Ogbah and Penn State’s Carl Nassib. After finishing near dead last in run defense last season, it is clear that is a top priority to address for the new Cleveland “brain trust.”

Schobert has been identified by some as a deep sleeper pick, and according to his NFL.com draft profile, Schobert was:

"Very productive over his two years as a starter forcing six fumbles, recovering three, defending 10 passes and adding an interception as well. Slippery in his movements using good hip and upper body turn. Can get skinny and slide through gaps and around corners. Excellent with his hands helping him compensate for lack of play strength. Discards tight ends fairly quickly. Sees through blockers and into backfield maintaining sight on the ball. Can trim edge as rusher with shoulder dip. Assignment-­oriented in coverage making sure to redirect tight ends and receivers before dropping into space. Adequate man cover skills. Plays with plus balance and is rarely on the ground. Quality special teams cover man."

One aspect he will likely have to overcome is his small size for the position. According to Pro Football Focus, Schobert is:

"Undersized to play on the edge. Lacks length or weight that teams require to play that position. Could get swallowed up by NFL tackles. Questionable whether he has the strength to set the edge against NFL tackles. Rarely takes blocks into the backfield and was seldom effective with a bull rush. A good number of his pressures came unblocked off of stunts or against backs and tight ends. Failed to finish far too many tackles."

Cleveland had the next pick (No. 100 overall) before trading it to the Oakland Raiders. Their next pick will now come at N0. 114.

Home/Browns Draft