Cleveland Browns 2018 NFL Draft Targets: Harold Landry, Boston College

The Cleveland Browns could opt to pick the purest pass rusher in the 2018 draft class by selecting Boston College’s Harold Landry.

Coming into the 2018 season, Landry was one of the most heralded prospects in the country. After a junior year where he amassed 22 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks and forced seven fumbles, it seemed as though Landry would enjoy another dominant season while finishing his degree before heading to the NFL.

Unfortunately, Landry was nicked up, particularly with an ankle injury and while his impact was noticeable, the stats weren’t.

Age, Measurables

Age: 21 years old (Born Jun. 5, 1996)

Height: 6-2.375
Weight: 252 lbs
40 Yard Dash: 4.64s
Broad Jump: 9’11”
Vertical: 36″
3-Cone: 6.88s
Shuttle: 4.19s
Bench: 24 reps

Landry’s explosion isn’t elite, but it’s sufficient for the position. Where he’s special is his flexibility, which is easily apparent on the field and about as good as you’re gonna be able to find anywhere. His raw speed is also good, so the combination of his speed and flexibility is what makes him so dangerous.

Production

94 solo tackles (6.4 percent), 46 tackles for loss (15.4 percent), 26.5 sacks (24.7 percent) and 10 forced fumbles over three seasons.

Landry missed five games with an ankle injury in his final season at Boston College. Despite that, his production is fantastic and similarly to Myles Garrett in his final season at Texas A&M, it’s largely a matter of running up the score.

General Traits

Landry has a fantastic first step, is quick off the line and his motor never stops. He’s a relentless, second and third effort player that can wear opponents out over the course of the game. His flexibility and natural bend is truly special. Landry can run the arc and it looks like he’s gonna hit the side of his knee on the ground he’s slow. His leverage is also something he can create with ease.

Last but certainly not least, Landry is just a very smart football player. He does his assignments, understands angles and does a lot of little things coaches love to see on tape like getting behind plays just in case a ball carrier were to somehow make it out.

Run Defense

Harold Landry is never going to be the stud guy that is a pure run clogger and changes where the line of scrimmage is, but he’s also not nearly as bad as some would have you believe. Landry’s gonna try to get into the backfield first and just beat the play before it has a chance to start and he’s been successful trying to make offensive linemen try to catch a quick, moving target.

Pass Rush

This is what the team that takes Landry wants him to do. Landry is an advanced pass rusher that can attack the quarterback position in a variety of ways. He’s mostly identified for being able to dip and rip around the edge, winning on raw speed and bend, which is certainly in his arsenal, but he has far more.

Landry will also sell an outside rush and go with a long arm rush at the offensive tackle, which can be really difficult to stop if he catches the tackle moving, giving him a speed to power option. Even if it is countered initially, Landry can make another move off of it. He’s a threat to rush inside and just beat the offensive line out of their stance and almost blow up the quarterback immediately.

Landry also has a slow play hesitation move he has. Either when he’s initially caught by the offensive lineman or just as a changeup, Landry will square up the offensive lineman with his eyes on the quarterback, then push-pull or use some other quick move to get off the block and attack the quarterback. Because he’s so quick and he doesn’t quit, he keeps offensive linemen constantly worried about what he’s going to do next.

Landry understands how to use his hands well, particularly in his placement, so he can maximize whatever power he has. He’s able to avoid some blocks with his hands and occasionally get out of a few where he’s engaged. And at times, Landry will make a play on just dogged effort. The fact he’s almost always moving, always attacking, always pressuring and that’s more difficult to counter than it seems.

And he usually has a plan. Little of what Landry feels like wasted motion or that it’s not leading to something. Quarterbacks know he’s coming, but aren’t sure how. And because Landry is so adept at attacking from both sides, it’s easy to maneuver him around to cause pressure.

Usage for the Browns

Landry would be a true edge rusher, brought in primarily for nickel situations where Myles Garrett would kick inside to the 3-tech defensive tackle and Landry would line up at left or more likely right end next to him. Landry would give them a pure speed edge element when Garrett isn’t out there or across from Garrett.

Landry can certainly rotate and play on running downs, but he’s not as well suited for it as guys like Garrett and Emmanuel Ogbah. Still, it’s going to happen when he’s on the field and it’s not the end of the world if it does. The larger goal is for Landry to generate a high sack total and cause some turnovers with the havoc he creates.

Next: NFL Mock Draft: Unexpected first-round picks post-FA

Draft Projection as it relates to the Browns

Harold Landry projects as a multiple Pro Bowl capable player and the Cleveland Browns could take him with the fourth pick in the draft and be entirely right in the move. Nevertheless, there is a real possibility the Browns could trade down, acquire extra assets and still come away with Landry, which would obviously the ideal scenario.

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