Five undrafted Dorsey players who will make the Browns roster
Nothing is for sure, and the NFL is the league where anything can happen and usually does. Any player with a uniform number is a threat to make the team and take the job away from any given player. Nevertheless, I will go out on a limb and suggest five players from John Dorsey‘s group of undrafted rookies and reclaimed veterans who are very likely to make the team and perhaps even excel.
1. Jamie Gillan, Punter
Jamie Gillan, the Scottish Hammer, is the first-string punter and can also place kick if necessary, plus the former rugby star likes violent collisions and is eager to make plays in punt coverage. It’s possible that the Browns may start using some special plays now that he is a second-year player.
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For example, he can drop-kick an on-sides kick with either foot, and of course he can also execute the rugby-style punt, which is a great way to launch a fake punt. Gillan is a stud. He will develop to become the best punter the Browns have ever had, and you heard it here first.
2. Stephen Carlson, Tight End
Stephen Carlson has a definite shot at either starting or being part of a rotation at tight end. Last year Demetrius Harris had the most snaps at tight end, followed by Ricky-Seals Jones, another Dorsey low-budget acquisition, who will probably be a backup in 2020 for Kansas City and Travis Kelce.
The Browns used two tight end sets frequently last year, and that pattern is expected to continue this year. By the end of last season, Carlson had overtaken David Njoku and Adarius Taylor, to become part of the rotation at tight end. Carlson wound up getting about 35 percent of the game snaps the second half of the season.
Although Andrew Berry is a fan of David Njoku, Carlson has a very good chance to become the second tight end alongside Austin Hooper, or at least be part of a tight-end-by-committee rotation.
3. J.T. Hassell, Safety
Safety J. T. Hassell played well on special teams and also received high marks from Pro Football Focus for his work at safety in very limited snaps last year. Hassell has been undervalued his entire athletic career because he only has a partial left hand. But he has all the athletic ability in the world. Judge him by how he plays, not his hand. The Browns cannot have too many defensive backs, and especially not if they are 4.3 guys who can hit. The Browns will find opportunities for him.
4. Willie Harvey, Linebacker
Linebacker Willie Harvey broke a collarbone early in the year and we did not see much of him. Of course, pre-season performances do not mean very much, but in 2019 he was a dominant player in the pre-season, destroying Indianapolis in a remarkable fourth quarter. If that is remotely indicative of his true talent level, they have to look at him as a starter or rotating linebacker. We also know he is a good special teams performer.
5. Dontrell Hilliard, Running Back
Dontrell Hilliard has been great at catching balls out of the backfield the past two years, but he didn’t have a good game versus Denver in game eight, and Kareem Hunt came on the next week and took over for him. Assuming there are no lingering effects from a knee injury last year, he is still the third running back on the depth chart.