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Cleveland Browns: 2019 4-Round mock draft, projecting needs

By Peter Smith

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: A video board displays the text "ON THE CLOCK" for the Cleveland Browns during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: A video board displays the text "ON THE CLOCK" for the Cleveland Browns during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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CHESTNUT HILL, MA – NOVEMBER 11: Lukas Denis #21 leads the Boston College Eagles onto the field before the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Alumni Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
CHESTNUT HILL, MA – NOVEMBER 11: Lukas Denis #21 leads the Boston College Eagles onto the field before the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Alumni Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images) /

Round 2: Lukas Denis, FS – Boston College – 5-11, 185 lbs. (Listed)

  • 46 solo tackles (9.5 percent), 10 pass deflections (18.8 percent), 7 interceptions (38.8 percent) this past season.

Boston College has become a factory lately for defensive backs. They’ve produced a couple of nice safeties in Justin Simmons and John Johnson, and saw Isaac Yiadom drafted at corner this past year as part of a more effective tandems in the ACC. Lukas Denis was the best player in the BC secondary and it wasn’t particularly close, leading the team in pass breakups and interceptions.

One of the things Boston College does that has been very good for them is that most all of their defensive backs have been trained to play corner, nickel and safety, so they have a lot of experience in different spots and as a result, tend to know what everyone else is supposed to do on a given play, so they have a cohesive unit.

Denis is built like a corner, seems able to cover like a corner but is a ballhawking safety who makes a lot of tackles. He know how to play in space and patrol the middle of the field, punishing opponents who make mistakes in his area, but he’s been effective at man to man coverage in the slot as well, so he’s got versatility.

The Browns traded for Damarious Randall and picked up his fifth year option, but if he doesn’t deliver as they hope, they are going to need to keep looking at free safety for an answer at the back end of this defense.

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