Top 3 Cleveland Browns Linebacker Prospects in the NFL Draft

1. Joe Bachie Jr., ILB, Michigan State

Oh, the skillset of Joe Bachie Jr., who would be a first-round pick (second round at worst) if not for his positive drug test for a banned performance-enhancing substance. Now NFL Mock Drafts have Bachie slated to be somewhere in the fifth or sixth round. His troubles are a potentially massive win for the Cleveland Browns.

Imagine if I told you there was a Big Ten linebacker from Berea High School who had two straight seasons of one hundred plus tackles and would’ve had a third if his season wasn’t cut short by five games. As a bonus, you can get him with a minimal late-round draft pick cap hit. That’s the situation with Joe Bachie. In only eight games in his senior season, Bachie amassed 71 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four passes defended, and one interception.

He was Division 1 first-team All-Ohio in high school on the offensive side of the ball in his senior year. He joined Michigan State and removed his redshirt halfway into his freshman year in 2016 to play linebacker on a defense decimated by injury.

While he only recorded 12 tackles in those final six games, he earned the starting job for his sophomore season. Bachie was named Team MVP that season after notching 100 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions). In his junior year he was named a captain and led MSU with 102 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles).

What is exciting about Bachie at the next level is his instincts. When you watch any Michigan State film, wherever the ball is you will see number 35. He is by far the best true linebacker in the draft in pass coverage, which is astounding since he is so good at shooting the gaps in the run game.

He rarely gets caught out in pass coverage and often is able to read the quarterback and step into passing lanes, which assures that even if he can’t make a play his line and defensive backs have a greater chance of making one.

While the PED test is a red flag, Joe Bachie has been a team captain and had zero other off the field issues. That’s an issue in the past and can be easily forgotten if you trust the player, which many seem to. Expect Bachie to come off the board before the Browns pick in round six, so this means they’ll either have to move up or take a major risk and pick him in the fourth round.

As the team has more pressing needs, the Browns would have to let go of a couple of late-round picks to move into the late fifth round and get a guy who will start game one for the Browns if drafted.