6 low-key options for Cleveland Browns that are flying under the radar in the draft
By Randy Gurzi
Browns low-key option No. 4: Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
There's not a player in this class that did more for their draft stock than Zack Kuntz did during the NFL Scouting Combine. A former Penn State Nittany Lion, he transferred to Old Dominion in 2021 and was able to see much more playing time.
He had 692 yards and five touchdowns that season but was injured after just five games in 2022. Thankfully, he was able to get healthy in time to blow up every drill at the Combine.
Kuntz finished near the top of every single drill for tight ends and had an insane 40-inch vertical — remember, he's 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds. He also ran a 4.55 in the 40-yard dash, recorded 23 bench reps, and went 10-foot-8 on his broad jump.
Zack Kuntz became the tallest player to record a 40+ inch vertical since 2003
— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 4, 2023
Now he just ran a 4.61 at 6'7" | 255 LBS👀
pic.twitter.com/Wou2IvWXLi
As for his RAS (Relative Athletic Score), Kuntz came in at a perfect 10.0, making him the highest-rated tight end since 1987.
Zack Kuntz is a TE prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 10.00 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 1 out of 1104 TE from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/HNJ8A3Lhnt pic.twitter.com/Y1100oaVJ4
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 16, 2023
As impressive as all that is, he's more than just an athletic freak. Kuntz showed smooth route running skills and soft hands as well during the combine and stood out in one of the more stacked classes in recent memory.
The one question that remains is how he will do making the jump from the Sun Belt Conference. For Cleveland, this wouldn't be a huge issue since they can ease him in behind David Njoku and Jordan Akins. They can allow him to take his time and might have a superstar on their hands if they play it right.