The Browns' defense has been their saving grace this season, and the reasons have been obvious. Through Week 11, the Browns have the league's top-ranked unit against the pass and 14th-best against the run. They've allowed the second-fewest yards of any team in the entire league. That is worthy of praise for guys like Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Ronnie Hickman, Mason Graham, and Carson Schwesinger, who have been the heart and soul of this team through a turbulent season.
One of the defense's biggest contributors earned his way to an unlikely spot that not many people predicted coming out of training camp. Myles Harden was a seventh-round draft choice out of the University of South Dakota of the FCS in 2024. He showed enough in his rookie training camp to stick on the active roster, contributing on special teams before earning a modest number of defensive snaps (53) late in the season.
The first significant development was an injury to projected starter Martin Emerson Jr., who tore his Achilles in an early training camp session. This left a spot wide open for the taking, with the former starting nickel, Greg Newsome II, presumably gaining additional responsibilities on the boundary.
It appeared Harden would have to once again claim a spot. At times in August, the Browns' projected depth chart had him buried behind names like Cameron Mitchell, Tony Brown II, Nik Needham, and Chigozie Anusiem. Yet his performance in training camp was enough for him to survive cutdown day, while all those players either moved on or were reshuffled to the practice squad.
Myles Harden has outperformed his draft status, but there's work to be done to stick as a starter
It feels nitpicky to find a presumptive weak spot on an NFL defense that's playing as well as the Browns, as it is impossible to have a Pro Bowler at every spot. Nonetheless, one weakness for the defensive unit has been their nickel cornerback, who happens to be Myles Harden. So far this season, Pro Football Focus rates the second-year man 78th out of 108 qualifiers.
The takeaway here is that, by becoming a regular contributor on defense, Myles Harden has already far exceeded the expectations of a seventh-round draft pick. While his grade suggests there's more to be desired, it also indicates that he is not completely out of his depth on an NFL field. It was a fair question to have for any player coming from the lower levels of college football.
With a 2-8 record, it is beyond unlikely that the Browns will be contending for the postseason. The rest of the season doesn't have to be for naught, though. It is the perfect time for players like Myles Harden and other youngsters to find their footing and start to make headway toward roles next season.
Harden has already been a successful seventh-round draft pick. Many of his roundmates have already seen their stints in the NFL come to an end, at least on the active roster for their respective franchises. To become more than just a successful seventh-rounder and become a franchise cornerstone, a little more is needed.