Evaluating the Cleveland Browns 2020 draft class after rookie season
By Grant Puskar
As the 2020-21 season wraps up, here’s a look at how the Cleveland Browns 2020 draft class faired in their rookie seasons.
As the Cleveland Browns season is officially over, it is pretty safe to say it was a success. To make the playoffs with a handful of new variables is very impressive.
They obviously came short of the ultimate goal, but the window for this team to compete is one that is wide open.
When it comes to evaluating players and how their seasons went, what better way to start by checking out how the Browns 2020 draft class faired in their rookie campaigns.
Donovan Peoples-Jones (6th round pick)
When the Browns drafted Donovan Peoples-Jones in the 6th round, they were both excited and a bit curious as to why he was still on the board so late in the draft. In terms of pre-draft scouting, Peoples-Jones was summed up to be a guy who had a ton of raw talent, but was misused in college at Michigan and needed the right system and coaching in the NFL to take off. While Peoples-Jones didn’t necessarily take off in his rookie season, he gave Browns fans something to look forward to in the future.
The wide receiver from Michigan racked up 14 receptions for 304 yards and 2 touchdowns in his rookie campaign. The Browns also used Peoples-Jones a lot on special teams, especially for punt returns. One of my favorite things out of DPJ this season was his downfield blocking. It seemed as if every time there was a big play on the ground, Peoples-Jones was in the frame driving his cornerback several yards.
Peoples-Jones did not see the field the first few weeks of the season, as the Browns wanted to be careful with him and ease him into his role. The more he saw the field, the more he produced. The two highlights from Peoples-Jones’ rookie season have to be the game-winning receiving catch against the Bengals, and the double move streak to burn the Titans in a very exciting win.
With a full off-season ahead of work and chemistry building with the Browns, Peoples-Jones will be one to keep an eye on entering next season for the Browns. A solid No. 3 or 4 receiver that can stretch the field vertically is valuable to almost any team in the league.