The Cleveland Browns lost their number one wide receiver in free agency. Find out why Juju Smith-Schuster should be the guy to fill the void.
The Cleveland Browns need to get better at wide receiver. Having spent four draft picks on the wide receiver position in the 2016 draft, is it feasible to spend another pick on a wide receiver?
The wide receiver room received a blow when Terrelle Pryor left via free agency. In his place the Browns signed former Los Angeles Rams receiver Kenny Britt.
Britt joins a wide receiver room that includes 2016 first round pick Corey Coleman. Coleman began the year showing promise. However, a freak injury at practice led to missing several weeks of valuable game experience.
When he did return, he looked very much the part of a rookie learning to play professional football. His NFL.com draft profile projected Coleman as having a “good chance to be a NFL starter.”
Also in the room is Rashard Higgins. Drafted in the fifth round by the Browns, Higgins was the most pro-ready of all the wide receivers drafted in 2016. He was an excellent route runner in college with great hands. Yet he lacks breakaway speed which will limit him to roles in the slot.
Last season Higgins showed no signs of becoming an NFL starter anytime soon. The Browns are hoping he can take a leap from year one to year two. His NFL.com profile projected him as a backup who may work himself into a starter.
The Browns drafted Ricardo Louis in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Louis was the top performer for wide receivers is the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump and broad jump. He is everything an analytic-minded person would like in a receiver.
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However, he is still learning to play wide receiver at the NFL level. His NFL.com profile projected him as a backup who could work his way into being a starter.
Jordan Payton was drafted in the fifth round in 2016. Payton’s year started late as he missed most of OTA’s and mini-camp due to UCLA’s quarter system. When he did arrive, he was behind and never caught up to the rest of the team.
Late in the season, Payton was suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. His suspension ended after the final game of the season. Payton is player who needs to show improvement in camp or he is in danger of losing his roster spot. His NFL.com profile projected him as a special teams player and developmental project.
Although this is not an exhaustive list, the point is the Browns need talent at wide receiver and less bodies occupying roster spots.
The Browns should look to University of Southern California’s JuJu Smith-Schuster to help fill out the wide receiver group.
John “Juju” Smith-Schuster was a standout wide receiver for the USC Trojans last season. A three-year starter, Smith-Schuster earned conference honors in every year he played. He was limited last season with a back injury. Like Coleman, his NFL.com draft profile projects him as a starter in the NFL.
Strengths: Juju Smith-Schuster is a big bodied receiver who uses his physical abilities to his advantage. At 6-foot-1, and 215 pounds, Smith-Schuster can use his body to block out defenders.
Per his NFL.com profile written by Lance Zierlein, he wins contested balls. He plays to his size and plays with good strength on the field. He has excellent body control. Most importantly, he is an excellent blocker in the run game. Run blocking is often overlooked in receivers but can be the difference between a small gain and a big play.
Weaknesses: As a professional, Smith-Schuster will need to work on gaining separation in his routes. He needs to learn to get open by running precise routes.
Part of the issue for Smith-Schuster is the lack of elite speed. His 4.54 40-yard dash was faster than he looks in game speed. Corners do not play him as a deep threat which forces the route running issue at the professional level.
His NFL comparison is Anquan Boldin. Both use their size and strength to play a physical game. Smith-Schuster could be a high-end possession or a number two receiver in the NFL.
The Browns have a stable of backup wide receivers. As it currently stands, only Coleman and Britt have shown that they have the talent and skill to start in the NFL. The obvious lack of good depth at the wide receiver position must be addressed.
Britt is a big bodied wide receiver who has proven he can play. But he is not a long-term answer for the Browns. The Browns need to seriously look at a big bodied receiver to take his place.
Juju Smith-Schuster is the big bodied receiver to complement Corey Coleman. Coleman is the prototypical number one wide receiver with breakaway speed and a competitive attitude. Smith-Schuster is the big bodied receiver with great hands, a competitive attitude that matches Coleman but who lacks number one receiver speed. Yet, together they can be a formidable challenge to any defense.
Their skill sets will complement each other’s. As the number one option, Coleman will stretch the field, extend the coverage and be the centerpiece of the offense.
As the number two option, Smith-Schuster will be the big bodied, excellent hands receiver who can successfully run the routes underneath the coverage that Coleman extends. They can each work to help the other be successful.
A bonus would be to reunite Smith-Schuster with his former college and current Browns quarterback Cody Kessler. While playing with Kessler, Smith-Schuster was an All-Pac 12 wide receiver and second team AP All-American honors.
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Juju Smith-Schuster should be available for the Browns with their second, second-round pick. He would be a great addition for a team needing receivers with starting potential. His ability to complement Corey Coleman makes him the logical fit.