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5 bold predictions for Cleveland Browns 2020 NFL Draft class

By Randy Gurzi

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 13: Grant Delpit #7 of the LSU Tigers celebrates a defensive stop against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff National Championship held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 13: Grant Delpit #7 of the LSU Tigers celebrates a defensive stop against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff National Championship held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /
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TUSCALOOSA, AL – NOVEMBER 09: Jacob Phillips #6 of the LSU Tigers reacts during the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 9, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

2. Jacob Phillips leads the team in tackles

For whatever reason, Jacob Phillips wasn’t feeling the love before the draft. He was seen as a decent linebacker but wasn’t called a sure starter. In fact, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said he was a “backup talent” despite being a “reliable option.”

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"“Phillips is a reliable option but lacks the alpha field demeanor and explosive athleticism teams look for. He has backup talent and should step into a special teams role quickly. Early tape was better than later tape as the competition level increased. He does an adequate job of handling his assignments but won’t make that many plays outside of the scheme.” — Zierlein, NFL.com"

Even with that assessment, the LSU linebacker did nothing but find the ball carrier. He was credited with 113 tackles during his 2019 junior campaign, which was more than the 85 from his more heralded teammate Patrick Queen. This isn’t to say Phillips is the better prospect than Queen, because he isn’t, but it does show that he can hold his own even when there’s elite talent around him.

As for his NFL team, there won’t be a lot of big names around him. Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki figure to be the main competition for snaps for Phillips as he’s likely to be a better option than B.J. Goodson from day one.

In the end, that could bode well for the rookie as this bold prediction is that he not only takes the spot vacated by Joe Schobert but also becomes the leader in tackles for the Browns in the same way Schobert was. It might sound crazy now, but before long Phillips is going to prove to be the most complete option on the team and it helps that he plays a position that’s able to rack up tackle numbers in bunches.

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