Cleveland Browns: 7-Round 2018 mock draft, Vol. 5
By Peter Smith
Round 5: Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon –- 6-0, 238 lbs. (Listed)
- 6,435 total yards (23.9 percent) and 64 total touchdowns (22.6 percent) in four seasons. 5,621 rushing yards (5.55 yards per carry), 79 receptions for 814 receiving yards, 64 total touchdowns.
Maybe the combine will enable him to remind people how good Royce Freeman is, but for the time being, he’s still sitting here to be had in round five. On production, Freeman is as good as anyone in this class at the running back position. If he tests well and his shoulder is healthy, he should be a top five back in this class. He’d be a great third back in any situation but it becomes even more attractive when the Browns have Ronald Jones in the mix, giving them a vastly different look between the two.
Freeman is an effective zone runner that knows how to utilize his power and run through tacklers while demonstrating more than enough quickness to make opponents miss. He is almost impossible to stop near the goal line and does a great job of picking up first downs in short yardage situations.
With that, Freeman’s got more than enough speed to rip off big runs and is an effective receiver, particularly in the screen game. He looks like a closer, where he can wear defenses out late in games, move the chains and run clock.
By no means is Jones a weak back, but it’s obviously a different deal trying to tackle someone that’s as lightning quick and fast as he is to then try and take down a 230+ pound back with fresh legs.
The Browns need to put themselves in a position where their offense can have the running game be a focal point. Being unprepared due to ineffectiveness or injury isn’t an excuse and attempted last year. This class is loaded and the Browns should scoop up two and really put a stamp on the ground game and maximize their offensive line.