Cleveland Browns Draft Profile: Virginia Safety Juan Thornhill
The Cleveland Browns have the opportunity to give themselves a knock-out safety tandem. With Damarious Randall on one side of the field, the Browns need a strong presence across from him. They could find it in Virginia’s Juan Thornhill.
The Cleveland Browns have a need in the secondary before they can really learn to fly on defense. Denzel Ward is a fine cornerback, and Damarious Randall was a breath of fresh air at the free safety position last season. Jabrill Peppers has been shipped off to New York in exchange for Odell Beckham Jr. The Browns need a plug and play strong safety and an upgrade over Morgan Burnett. Virginia’s Juan Thornhill could be their guy.
Strengths
First and foremost, Thornhill is an athletic freak and perhaps the most athletic safety in this class. The 6-0, 205-pound Virginia native can jump out of the gym with an 11-foot-9 broad jump, and has fantastic, 4.42 speed. Perhaps Thornhill’s most impressive trait is just how easy he makes the safety position look.
Thornhill’s smooth movements make his game tape look more like fine art than football, and his 36 starts give scouts plenty of tape to look at. A former high school quarterback, Thornhill has the instincts to know where he needs to be, but he doesn’t use those instincts as a crutch. Thornhill is patient on his reads and will rarely get fooled. His flashiest game in 2018 came against Miami, where he posted two interceptions and six tackles.
Weaknesses
Thornhill’s patience can be a double-edged sword, as he can be just a bit late on some plays. Although his size is admirable, and he can lay the big hit with toughness and confidence, his build leaves a bit to be desired. He’s a bit lanky, and could use an NFL weight program before he hits the field.
Overall
Overall, Thornhill is a polished prospect, but he does have a couple areas to improve in. His instincts and tackling acumen bring two much-needed attributes to the Browns secondary, as they’ve struggled to tackle in recent seasons.
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His size and ability to shift to corner and linebacker make him a versatile fit for Steve Wilks. Polish up just where he’s tackling and put a bit of weight on, and he could be a fantastic find for Cleveland on day two.