The Cleveland Browns have plenty of prospects to keep an eye on at the upcoming Senior Bowl. These five however, stand out about all the rest, for one reason or another.
There has been plenty of talk about the 2018 Senior Bowl, especially among fans of teams near the top of the 2018 NFL Draft. This class is, truthfully, one of the best in recent memory.
This year the rosters will be led by the coaching staffs of the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans coaching staff. Although the Cleveland Browns reportedly passed on the chance to coach in the Senior Bowl for a second consecutive year, they still have some prospects to watch.
Browns general manager John Dorsey has made it clear that this year’s NFL Draft is absolutely crucial for the organization. For the Browns and their fans, this game will be of utmost importance. For Browns fans everywhere, this game will also be just fun to watch.
As a game, the Reese’s Senior Bowl boasts 17 Pro Football Hall of Famers among its alumni. The game has featured four all-time quarterbacks in Brett Favre, Terry Bradshaw, Dan Marino and Joe Namath.
It is more than possible that this year’s game could add to the list of 15 Super Bowl winners the Senior Bowl has seen pass through its ranks. If the Browns pay very close attention, they might just snag a future Super Bowl winner in this year’s draft from watching this game.
Right now, it seems like a stretch for the Browns to win a game, let alone a Super Bowl. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of players in this game that can improve Cleveland’s roster. The following are the five that Dorsey and the Browns should be watching the most during practices and at the actual game on Jan. 27 in Mobile, Ala.
We begin with an Iowa State University product, wide receiver Allen Lazard. Above all else, Lazard is downright massive. Seniorbowl.com lists him at 6-foot-5 and 222 pounds. For a receiver, or any position outside of the offensive and defensive lines, that is nothing short of huge.
Across his four years with the Iowa State Cyclones, Lazard has put up some tremendous numbers. During his college career, he has caught 241 passes for 3,360 total yards. In his senior season alone, he pulled down 71 passes for 941 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Needless to say, Lazard is going to win the 50/50 balls nearly every time. The tallest cornerbacks in the league only measure to be about 6-foot-3, and that is, again, the highest end of the spectrum.
Over the course of his career with Iowa State, Lazard was on some frankly awful Cyclone teams. His freshman year, the team finished a miserable 2-10 and went 0-9 in Big XII conference play.
By the time he ended his time with the Cyclones, Lazard had helped to build Iowa State into a respectable 8-5 team. Not only that, but the team held a top-25 ranking for a while.
Clearly, Lazard has already been through the wringer in college, but he came out of it as a locker room leader. Perhaps he can do the same with the Cleveland Browns and help to bring about the winning culture that their locker room oh so desperately needs.
As a middle-round option, the Browns could get a steal. While Lazard does lack some getaway speed, his size and decent route-running for his size make up for it.
Lazard’s physical measurables are eye-popping, and he has the mentality and work ethic to win. He, along with Josh Gordon and a healthy Corey Coleman, could make for a fearsome receiver trio in years to come.
Moving on to number four, we see Western Michigan University’s prized offensive tackle, Chukwuma Okorafor. Once you get past the semi-difficult to pronounce name, you see the raw talent that Okorafor brings to the table.
Once again, the measurables. At a hulking 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, Okorafor is an absolute presence on the football field. Additionally, his athleticism will likely take him to the next level.
Of course, there is always a catch. According to draft analysis site WalterFootball.com, Okorafor is currently listed as the 15th-best offensive tackle in this year’s draft class. Right now, they project a team to select him in the middle round range. Why?
"“…he is a very soft offensive lineman, and they think he is going to get pushed around in the NFL.”"
Perhaps that is something that current Browns left tackle Joe Thomas can fix, however. As a player, Thomas has had a penchant for not allowing himself to be pushed around by defenders. In fact, he may be one of the strongest (as well as overall best) offensive tackles in the NFL.
When he finally got injured in week seven of 2017, Thomas quickly established himself as two things. First, a solid podcaster who likely has a future career in media. Secondly, and more importantly, he showed his mental prowess and became something of a de facto offensive line coach for the Browns.
Spencer Drango, who many were worried about when he filled in for Thomas, quickly learned under the former Ironman’s guidance. By the end of the season, Drango looked like a tackle who one might classify as “pretty good.”
Thomas is a Hall of Famer, there is no doubt about that. But he is also not getting any younger. Sooner or later, the Browns will need to find his permanent heir at the left tackle spot. With Thomas’ coaching, it is likely that Okorafor could be that heir.
2018’s draft class has earned the name “The Year of the Running Back” from many a draft analyst. With players like Penn State’s Saquon Barkley and LSU’s Derrius Guice making their way to the NFL this April, it is easy to see why.
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Aside from the top two prospects, there is one other who the Browns should absolutely be paying attention to. San Diego State University’s bellcow running back, Rashaad Penny.
Unlike the first two prospects on this list, Penny is not the biggest of the bunch. Still at a respectable size for a running back, the former Aztec comes in at 5-foot-11 and weighing 220 pounds.
In every single statistical category, Penny qualifies for “absolute monster” status.
During his time in college, Penny collected 3,656 total yards on 488 carries (7.5 yards per carry). During his senior season alone, he rushed for a downright jaw-dropping 2,248 yards.
In addition to his frankly insane rushing numbers, Penny also stuffed the stat sheet catching out of the backfield. Over four years he caught 42 passes for 479 yards and six touchdowns.
And yet, Penny still sits as a day two draft prospect. Perhaps his game might not translate to the NFL quite as well as he hopes. He currently bases his game off of power running, which might not work at the next level due to his size and lack of true blazing speed.
However, Penny’s numbers really just speak for themselves. The Browns, in all honesty, cannot and should not pass on such an electrifying and stat-stuffing running back. If they choose not to select Barkley, Penny could be in orange and brown come day two of the draft.
In addition to being the “Year of the Running Back,” this draft’s quarterback class is … well, stacked, to say the least. The top two picks are nearly confirmed to be UCLA’s Josh Rosen and USC’s Sam Darnold, unless something totally earth-shattering happens.
But what about after that? Who will be the next quarterback to be drafted in 2018? Enter Oklahoma University’s incredible signal-caller (and the most polarizing prospect in this class), Baker Mayfield.
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So, what makes Mayfield so polarizing? In short, two things: first and foremost, his gameday attitude. Secondly, and more intriguing of the two, the system he plays in.
First, let’s talk about his gameday attitude and overall presence. Some NFL general managers will undoubtedly love it. Some, of course, lie on the opposite end of the spectrum, and will undoubtedly hate it.
Football analyst and mock drafter Matt Miller of bleacherreport.com uses the word “gamer” to describe Mayfield and how he handles his gamedays. With a constant chip on his shoulder, Mayfield can come off as brash and sometimes even rude on and off the field.
However, many believe that the massive chip on Mayfield’s shoulder has helped him to become the player he is today. Mayfield is confident beyond belief, and is almost certain to get his teammates hyped and ready for every single game.
Had it not been for his arrest last offseason and his small stature, Mayfield could be the top quarterback prospect in this class. However, those two things are why analysts have drawn comparisons between Mayfield and former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Speaking of comparisons of Mayfield and Manziel, let’s move on to the system Mayfield plays in. Big XII offenses, like those that Mayfield and Manziel both played in, are usually incredibly gimmicky. Offenses like that simply do not work at the next level.
There is something about Mayfield, however, that leads many to believe he can transcend that stigma. Mayfield is a gamer and a winner, and the Browns need both of those things. If he can clean up his act just a bit, he could be the quarterback the Dawg Pound has been longing for.
Without a doubt, the No. 1 player that the Cleveland Browns front office should be watching in the Reese’s Senior Bowl is Wyoming Cowboys quarterback Josh Allen.
For those of you that have not watched Allen at all this season, here is a list of his qualities, tell me if this sounds familiar:
Allen is 6-foot-5 and 233 pounds, solidly built with a rocket arm, can make every throw in the book, he’s not a statue but he’s willing to take hits, has a lightning fast release, and he can move around in and out of the pocket.
Where have we heard that before? The prototypical quarterback by National Football League standards.
Looking at him strictly from a physical perspective, it almost feels like the football gods went to the lab, and created Allen as the golden rule for what a quarterback should look like. However, when the football gods went to construct Allen’s football brain, something went haywire.
Allen’s decision making? Something is just a bit off in that department. Ball security? Not great either. Awareness in the pocket? Clutch ability as an athlete? Questionable, at best.
But maybe, just maybe, there is a glimmer of hope. Despite all this, many scouts are still high on Allen and what he can bring to the table. Perhaps all of the interceptions he throws are due to his bad supporting cast. Perhaps an NFL coach could rip all these negatives out of him.
In that case, Allen has the most to prove, and maybe the most to both gain and lose at this year’s Senior Bowl. He will, without question, have the strongest arm at the event. What matters now though, is if he can perform just as strongly as he throws.
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What if he performs well, and shows that all the mistakes were the fault of his teammates? Maybe he is the first to have his name called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell this April.
But what if his performance is not up to NFL expectations? Maybe he slips down draft boards everywhere. And that, my friends, is a very slippery slope to slide down.
The 2018 Senior Bowl will take place on Jan. 27 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. The game will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. and be televised by the NFL Network.