5 defensive possibilities for Browns in 2023 NFL Draft
By Randy Gurzi
Browns draft possibility No. 3: JL Skinner, S, Boise State
Another area that needs to be addressed for Cleveland in the offseason is the safety position. They’ve seen some great progress in the final few weeks from third-year pro Grant Delpit, who had two interceptions in their win over Washington.
While Delpit has excelled as of late, Ronnie Harrison has become a non-factor. On Sunday, he was behind D’Anthony Bell — a 26-year-old undrafted rookie. He’s a free agent and isn’t likely to return.
There are also questions about the future of John Johnson III. He’s in the second year of a three-year deal but the Browns could save $9.75 million if they designate him a post-June 1 cut this summer.
No matter what they decided to do with Johnson, they need more players who can play deep coverage which is a specialty for Boise State prospect JL Skinner.
JL Skinner ices it for Boise State w/ his 2nd INT of the day!pic.twitter.com/NjngOjdWoC
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) November 20, 2022
Skinner is listed at 6-foot-4 and 218-pounds and has the speed to get from one sideline to the other in a hurry. He was solid to start his career but had a breakout performance as a senior.
In 2022, he had 65 tackles, four sacks, and five pass defenses. Cleveland needs a centerfielder such as Skinner who can protect the cornerbacks and hopefully prevent the big play touchdowns we saw in the opening month of the year.