3 Key Cleveland Browns rookies to watch at training camp

1. Greedy Williams, Cornerback

Cleveland traded their first-round pick to the New York Giants in their blockbuster trade for wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. That was well worth the price but after watching them make five picks in the first round during the 2017 and 2018 draft, it felt weird to have to wait until day two for them to be on the board.

Sitting at No. 49 overall, the Browns were linked to several cornerbacks as it was widely accepted as their biggest need. Once one of the best at this position began to fall within their range, John Dorsey picked up the phone and called his good friend Chris Ballard with the Indianapolis Colts. For a mere fifth-round pick, they moved up three spots and took LSU cornerback Greedy Williams.

A solid coverage corner, Williams saw his stock suffer for two reasons. One was his struggles with tackling and the other was a reported low score on the Wonderlic. Even with those two issues, this was an absolute steal as heading into the draft, landing a player such as Williams seemed like an incredible long shot.

Now, they have a chance to form one of the best cornerback duos in the AFC as Williams will be lining up opposite the No. 4 overall pick from 2018, Denzel Ward. Taken out of Ohio State last year, “The Warden” was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie after registering 53 tackles, 11 pass defenses, and three interceptions.

Williams has a shot to be a starter in Week 1 provided he can prove himself worthy during camp and the preseason. Small clips from offseason workouts teased fans but seeing their top pick in more meaningful action will provide a much better idea of what kind of player he will be during his first season in the league.