3 Cleveland Browns tight ends targets in the 2022 NFL draft
By Jacob Roach
The Cleveland Browns have moved on from tight end Austin Hooper and are looking for a third tight end, let’s look at some options in the draft.
The 2022 NFL draft is just over a month away and teams are getting ready to finalize their board in preparation. The Cleveland Browns have made the decision to move on from Austin Hooper, a player that just never lived up to the contract he was given. Head coach Kevin Stefanski uses tight ends heavily in both the pass and run game.
After releasing Hooper the Browns have David Njoku and Harrison Bryant to fill the tight end 1 and 2 roles but likely will need to add another to fill out the roster.
Let’s take a look at three tight-end prospects that would be good scheme fits for the Browns in the 2022 NFL draft.
Cleveland Browns tight end target number 3- Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
Jalen Wydermyer is a prospect that comes with great size coming in at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds at the NFL combine. The Browns also have reportedly met with Wydermyer prior to his pro day according to a report from Aaron Wilson.
Wydermyer is an interesting prospect, he is an above-average blocker who has the size and strength to grow into a great blocker. Browns fans know that in order for a tight end to succeed in Stefanski’s system they have to be willing to block.
The young prospect just knows how to get open, especially in zone coverage, when faced with zone he has a knack for finding and settling into the holes in the zone. He doesn’t have blow you away speed but at his size, he is not an easy player to bring down. His ability to go up and make contested catches is one of the more appealing traits he has.
Wydermyer had bad athletic testing, because of this he may fall later into the draft similar to how Demetric Felton fell last year. But I wouldn’t place a ton into the testing because of how good his tape can be. He needs refinement as a route runner and a blocker but going into a situation where he is the third tight end, Wydermyer would fit in great in Cleveland.