Cleveland Browns: 5 NFL Draft prospects to replace Sheldon Richardson
By Sam Penix
3. Tommy Togiai, Ohio State
Much to fans’ chagrin, the Browns don’t draft many Ohio State players. Tommy Togiai should certainly be on the team’s radar in round three, as he’d present a quality value at that point. The concerns with Togiai are his lack of experience and projected role at the next level; he played fewer than 700 snaps in college, and it’s fair to question which spot he’ll play in the NFL.
He’s on the smaller side for a one-tech at 6-foot-1 and 296 pounds, but that’s where he lined up for the Buckeyes. He did test quite well in the agility drills and put up a 32-inch vertical, so perhaps he does have the athleticism to be a three-tech.
Three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss in 2020 isn’t great production, but it’s difficult to overstate the impact that Togiai had in the middle of that (admittedly less than great) Ohio State defense. Along with Haskell Garrett, Togiai formed an elite interior duo, and his presence was sorely missed in the College Football Championship, which he was forced to miss due to COVID-19.
Togiai would provide good depth in 2021 while getting a year to see how much weight he can pack on before determining his long-term fit.