Cleveland Browns plan to draft punter-tight end hybrid with first-round pick

Another bold decision from the Cleveland Browns analytics-based front office

The Cleveland Browns are gearing up for a Super Bowl run in 2021, and what they decide to do with their first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft could be a major factor in whether they get the job done or not. As we all know, the front office, led by Andrew Berry and Paul DePodesta, is heavily into using analytics to select players. This means drafting athletic prospects who can provide versatility.

Enter Zach Davidson from Central Missouri. The 6-7, 245-pound tight end is a fantastic athlete, and hauled in 15 touchdowns in 2019. The Browns love their tight ends, and want to have as many on the roster as possible, as well as having receivers who do the same things as those tight ends in the passing game. Davidson would give Cleveland five tight ends who should be on the roster, and the team could easily take two or three more in the draft just to make sure they have enough depth, especially if David Njoku isn’t kept around long-term.

Davidson would bring size and athleticism that neither Austin Hooper nor Harrison Byrant can offer, and would give Baker Mayfield an explosive target down the seam. Davidson does need to continue to add mass in order to improve his in-line blocking, but he has the frame to do just that.

What makes Davidson even more attractive as a prospect, and the reason that he’ll be the pick at No.26, is the rare versatility he can provide. Not only can he line up as a receiver when needed, but he was a full-time punter in college, and is working on his long-snapping as well. This means that the Browns can use one draft pick to fill three roster spots, allowing them to cut both Jamie Gillan and Charley Hughlett, and use those open spots to probably add two more tight ends.

Analytics is all about maximizing value, and what could be more valuable than a tight end who also punts and long snaps? Two-way players in the NFL are a thing of the past, but Davidson could be the guy that restarts that practice.

Imagine him catching a touchdown pass on one drive, then long snapping the extra point, and then kicking off into the end zone for a touchback. On the next drive, the Browns offense goes three-and-out (because they didn’t target Davidson for whatever reason), and then he long snaps the ball to himself, and then coffin-corner punts it to the opponent’s one-yard line.

Davidson is the perfect combination of size, athleticism, and versatility, three things that this front office requires from a draft pick. He is the obvious choice at No.26, and no matter what the national draft pundits say about the selection, the Browns will still be the smartest guys in the room.

Oh, and if you believed any of this, you might want to check the date. Happy April Fool’s Day.