CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NFL world descends on Indianapolis next week for the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. Personnel executives, coaches and scouts will get to meet with players and watch them work out as part of the first big step of the NFL draft process. It also represents the turn of the page to 2020, as the new league year is just weeks away.
Here are 5 players to watch at the combine for Browns fans -- 4 players who could end up in Cleveland and one really fascinating player who could play a big role in Cleveland’s division for a long time.
Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
Isaiah Simmons could be an option for the Browns at No. 10. (AP Photo, Mike Stewart)AP
I’m endlessly fascinated by the idea of Simmons sitting at No. 10 and the Browns deciding between taking a longterm answer at tackle or going with Simmons, who appears to represent they next wave of NFL defenders.
NFL.com’s scouting report compares Simmons to Colts linebacker Darius Leonard.
“Ascending hybrid talent with rare length, speed and versatility to create mismatches for the offense, depending upon alignment,” Lance Zierlein writes. “He has a bachelor’s at three positions (slot corner, safety, linebacker) but could earn a master’s degree in complex workload with a more focused and defined job description than ‘jack-of-all-trades.’”
Mekhi Becton, OL, Louisville
Mekhi Becton (73) might be an option at tackle for the Browns. (AP Photo, Timothy D. Easley)AP
Mel Kiper Jr. sent Becton to the Browns in his most recent mock draft.
“The 6-7, 370-pound Becton can be an immediate starter on Baker Mayfield's blind side,” Kiper writes, “and he'll be a beast in the running game in front of Nick Chubb.”
Joshua Jones, OL, Houston
Houston's Josh Jones could be another tackle option. (AP Photo, Butch Dill)AP
Jones was the choice for the Browns by Todd McShay in his mock draft earlier this month.
“I hadn't seen enough of Jones before he dominated the trenches all week at the Senior Bowl,” McShay wrote, “but he is a 6-foot-7 behemoth with tons of athleticism.”
Zierlein writes Jones “needs plenty of work with his pass sets and footwork, but most of his issues appear to be coachable. He's a good fit for a move-oriented rushing attack and has the traits and talent to become a future starter if he continues to develop with coaching.”
Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton
Adam Trautman is considered one of the top tight ends in this class. (AP Photo, Butch Dill)AP
The Browns need a tight end. They probably need more than one, so even if they sign one in free agency, they could still draft one. Trautman is one of the top tight ends in this draft, but first-round tight ends aren’t common enough to rule one of the good ones still sitting there in the second round.
Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Browns fans might see a lot of Joe Burrow in the future. (AP Photo, Gerald Herbert, File)AP
Not for the Browns, of course, but Burrow is fascinating for so many reasons. Does he want to go to Cincinnati? Is he truly the type of quarterback who can change a franchise? If he is, it matters to the Browns who share a division with their in-state rival and would face Burrow twice a year.
It’s always more fun to watch the quarterbacks when you’re not covering a team looking for one. We’ve seen quarterbacks steal the show combine week. Will Burrow, the Ohio native, do it this year?
More Browns coverage
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