Cleveland Browns: Comprehensive 2018 NFL Draft review

Denzel Ward, CB – Ohio State

Despite rampant speculation of trades or a likelihood to select Bradley Chubb out of North Carolina State, the Browns took the best pure cover corner in the draft out of their own backyard in Denzel Ward.

Born and raised in Macedonia, Ward played his high school football at Nordonia High School, finished his career in Columbus competing for a state championship before attending Ohio State for college and now goes back home for his NFL career.

Athletic Profile

Age: 21 years old (Born Apr. 28, 1997)

Height: 5-10.875
Weight: 183 lbs
40 Yard Dash: 4.32s
Broad Jump: 11’4″
Vertical: 39″
3-Cone: 6.75s
Bench: 16 reps

Anyone who has seen Ward knows just how fast he is. Incredibly fluid hips and ridiculous straight line speed, those are largely the trade marks to his game. His height is very good although his arm length of 31.5 inches is on the shorter side.

His weight is a concern and there are reasons to wonder if, when the season is in November and December, if Ward is going to weigh 175 pounds, being physically worn down. He’s got a very small frame and he’s always been incredibly lean. It may just be difficult for him to add weight. If he can continue to add muscle, it will certainly benefit him going forward, but he will probably always have that smallish looking build.

Production

Career Starts: 13

Solo Tackles: 30 (4.8 percent)
Pass Defections: 15 (24.1 percent)
Interceptions: 2 (15.3 percent)

Ward had to wait his turn behind fellow first round picks in Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley, so he only started one full season. He didn’t record a high enough solo tackle market share to reach anything other than a starter level player and tackling matters. However, he did get his hands on enough passes to qualify for All-Pro level pass deflections.

Combined with his athleticism, which is excellent, Ward seems to end up being on a Pro Bowl career projection. The hope is the tackling was largely due to a man scheme and he will improve that area of his game with more experience.

Game Tape

Ward has tremendous feet and hips which enable him to mirror opposing receivers remarkably well. He’s incredibly sticky in man coverage and has the body control to play close without getting called for pass interference. Ward has also shown the patience and stamina to stay in man coverage even when plays extend or break down, mindful to stay in coverage the entire way.

That’s also due to excellent eye discipline. When engaged in man coverage, Ward doesn’t get caught turning to look for the ball. He plays the man, which enables him to get in position correctly and attack the ball, potentially ripping it out late.

This also means that when he is in the hip pocket of the opponent, he turns his head late and may have trouble intercepting a lot of passes, but he does have great reflexes on finding the ball late and attempting to make the catch. However, when so few passes are completed against him, it’s an easy choice.

Most accustomed to playing tight man, Ward does do some press man, off coverage and in space in closed formations where his man is the tight end. He also has experience playing in the slot as well as the boundary.

Ward has shorter arms but he’s great at timing it so he can break up passes, extending his body to increase his reach. He’s got the speed to make up ground and close on opponents as well.

Ward is a physical football player. He’s more than willing to mix it up in press or fight blockers to try to make tackles in the running game. The issue is a matter of mass and while he’ll give all he has, that may not always be enough.

Fit, Usage and Projection with the Browns

Ward immediately becomes one of the team’s top boundary corners. Whether they intend to leave him on the boundary permanently could be an interesting question. In a lot of ways, it seems like Ward was picked to counter the existence of Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers, whom the Browns see twice per year. He could follow him around, wherever he lines up with the coverage adjusting around him.

With Gregg Williams, the Browns play a ton of Cover-1 and Cover-3. Cover-1 would just have the outside corners playing man with a free safety playing the deep middle of the field. Cover-3 would have three defenders dropping into zones taking away one deep third of the field each.

What makes this interesting for Ward is if the Browns want to run a lot of Cover-3, they could have Ward be a designated man defender. He lines up and plays tight man coverage and three defenders, likely the two safeties and the other corner, then drop into those zones.

In nickel situations, this could have Ward in the slot at times with the boundary corners and the free safety dropping into those deep thirds. The Browns would have what they believe is a tight man defender on every play while having an effective zone keeping plays in front of them and allowing them to ramp up pressure, which is obviously a Williams trademark.

Ward is at his best in tight man coverage. Whether they want him to press or not, potentially even letting him decide what he wants to do. Short of third and over ten yards, Ward should not be far away from the line of scrimmage. He’s specifically equipped to be able to play tight, turn and run with receivers.

Ward has the ability to be an excellent corner and potential Pro bowl player. At the very least, he should be an fine cover corner who might be somewhat limited in what he can do as a tackler. Nevertheless, the Browns should have one corner that can consistently compete with opposing receivers and uniquely equipped to deal with smaller, more agile receivers.