Cleveland Browns blow chance at Baldwin-Wallace University corner

The Cleveland Browns hesitated at offering hotshot defensive back Anthony Kendall from Baldwin-Wallace University a spot on the 90-man roster, so now he has been signed away by the Tennessee Titans.

Isn't it great that the Browns are so powerful that they don't need a cornerback with 4.44 speed? Yet, they are continuing to keep a roster spot for the social rehabilitation of bad boy defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey, who doesn't run a 4.44 40-yard dash and doesn't seem to have other redeeming virtues that were demonstrated on the field.

He does, however, have an alleged misdemeanor assault case looming over his head. The Browns liked Kendall, but apparently, they liked other prospects, including Winfrey, a little more.

Kendall had been seeking to make the Browns roster as a non-roster invitee this summer. If he succeeds, he will become the first player from Baldwin-Wallace University to play in the NFL since Ed Schenk played three games at tight end in 1987.

BWU is a Division III school, which normally does not send players to the NFL. However, it can happen on occasion. Tyreek Hill played in Division III before transferring; also Eagles linebacker Nicholas Morrow and Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz played in Division III. So, it is not very likely but never say never.

Kendall has some tools. NFL Draft Scout indicates he appeared at a Pro Day on March 20 in Toledo, and he also showed up at a Pro Day hosted by the Tampa Bay Bucs at AdventHealth Training Center last April 6.

His 3-cone drill time of 7.01 would have placed him fourth among drafted cornerbacks n this year's draft. He ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash in Toledo but followed that up with a blistering 4.44 second in Tampa. A problem with Pro Days is that the track surface can vary from place to place, but we are going to assume that using the faster time is probably appropriate since a Pro team was apparently involved in some way.

His 38.5-inch vertical jump would have tied him for 10th place among cornerbacks. His broad jump of 11-feet-1-inch would have ranked him eighth, and his 20-yard shuttle time of 4.35 seconds would have gotten him eighth place in the Combine Olympics. OK, so he has the measurables.

Can he play football?

He's a second-team Division III All-American, but really there is no way to know. The difference between NFL football and Division III is so wide, we might as well be talking about bringing over an Australian rugby player.

It's not impossible, but Kendall has never had to contend with a blue chip wide receiver, nor has he ever faced a rocket arm the likes of Josh Rosen, never mind Josh Allen. Nevertheless, there was potential there, and there was the possibility he could up his game with one to two years of training under professional supervision.

If he succeeds and makes the NFL, he will join a select list of only ten Baldwin-Wallace alums who made it to the NFL. Three actually became regulars, including defensive end George Young, who played eight seasons, starting with the original 1946 Browns and starting 44 games.

The odds are against him, but how badly does he want it? How badly does Winfrey want it? Which one was actually the bigger gamble? Andrew Berry has the one vote that counts, and his decision was to wave goodbye to Anthony Kendall.