4 late-round quarterbacks Browns can target as emergency options

This past season, the Cleveland Browns found themselves in an unenviable position as they started five different quarterbacks. With Deshaun Watson dealing with a shoulder injury, they turned to Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker, Joe Flacco, and then Jeff Driskel in the finale. Driskel was the only one not to lead the team to a win and while Flacco was 4-1 as the starter, they still were fortunate to find him off the street in November.

Looking ahead to 2024, Cleveland is banking on Watson’s return to health. They’re also still trying to get him to return to the form we saw during his days in Houston. While they work toward this, it would also be wise to add more depth to the position to keep from repeating the revolving door operation they had in 2023. With that being said, here are three late-round quarterbacks they can draft as emergency options.

4. Sam Hartman, Notre Dame

Originally a starter for Wake Forest, Sam Hartman had 134 touchdowns against 49 picks in four seasons. He completed just 59.1 percent of his attempts but still amassed more than 12,009 yards in his career with the Demon Deacons.

In 2023, he changed schools and became the starter for Notre Dame where he believed he would have a shot at getting into the NCAA playoffs. While there, he improved his completion percentage to 63.5 and had a 24-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

One of the more productive passers in NCAA history, Hartman has the accuracy to get the ball to his play-makers but doesn’t have a rocket arm. He still has the smarts to succeed, especially in a backup role early in his career making him well worth a flier on Day 3.

3. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

The younger brother of Tua Tagovailoa, Taulia Tagovailoa originally started at Alabama as the backup to his older brother and Mac Jones. He saw the field sparingly, going 9-of-12 for 100 yards with a touchdown. He ended up transferring after the season, switching to Maryland for the following four seasons.

He appeared in just four games in 2020 and then became a full-time starter from there. He finished his career in Maryland with 11,256 yards, 76 touchdowns, and just 36 picks. He added 13 touchdowns on the ground as well.

While he never showed the same promise as his brother, the younger Tagovailoa still displayed plenty of accuracy throughout his career. That was on display once again during the Shrine Bowl in February.

The biggest concern with him, however, will be his size. Tagovaioa is just 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds. That could hinder him as he tries to make it at the next level but he should still get an opportunity to try and develop with someone.

Cleveland might not seem like the ideal place since the cold weather tends to be navigated better by strong-armed quarterbacks but they might be willing to roll the dice since he could be around until late on Day 3. Taking a flier on someone with NFL bloodlines doesn't feel like the worst move for a team that wants to make sure they don't find themselves in a desperate situation looking for signal-callers again.

2. Devin Leary, Kentucky

A redshirt senior, Devin Leary spent five seasons at North Carolina State and had a breakout campaign in 2021. He started 12 games for the Wolfpack that year and threw for 3,433 yards with 35 touchdowns and just five interceptions. After leading his team to a 9-3 record, he was off to another hot start in 2022 as NC State was 5-1 behind his 11 touchdowns and four picks. But then, he suffered a pectoral injury that ended his season prematurely.

Leary ended up transferring after the completion of that season, heading to Kentucky where he would have some big shoes to fill. Will Levis had just left to go into the NFL and was selected in the second round of the draft by Tennessee. Leary wound up holding his own, even though the Wildcats went just 7-5 with him under center.

Against SEC defenses, he put up 2,440 yards but completed just 56.3 percent of his attempts. He did throw 23 touchdowns and just 10 picks but wasn’t the same explosive passer we saw in the ACC.

This year, several quarterbacks will be selected early that can develop into starters. That’s allowed someone such as Leary to fly under the radar, which could be a good thing. He would do well to land with a team that can bring him along slowly but still has the talent to be a decent option one day.

1. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina

There was a time when Spencer Rattler was expected to be a top pick in the NFL Draft. As a redshirt freshman, he took over as the quarterback at Oklahoma and put up an impressive campaign. Rattler had 3,031 yards passing with 28 touchdowns against just seven picks. He added another six touchdowns on the ground, making him one of the top signal-callers to watch in 2021.

With all eyes on him, Rattler struggled in his second season as a starter and had just 1,439 yards and 11 touchdowns. He wound up being benched and then transferred to South Carolina to work under Shane Beamer. He was hoping to revive his image but also had an up-and-down stretch with the Gamecocks. He had 6,212 yards with a respectable 37-to-20 touchdown-to-interception ratio with seven more scores on the ground. Still, he struggled with consistency and left plenty of plays on the field.

Now entering the 2024 NFL Draft, Rattler is likely to be around until Day 3. He has enough arm talent to get drafted but whoever lands him will need to be patient as they try and help him reach his potential. For Cleveland, he could be enticing due to his arm strength and ability to improvise. Perhaps they could see him as someone who could be a project player capable of competing with Dorian Thompson-Robinson down the road.

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