Cleveland Browns: 2019 7-Round mock draft, Vol. 1

Round 4: Max Scharping, OT, Northern Illinois – 6-6, 320 lbs. (Listed)

Max Scharping is huge and he carries the weight well. He’s got a pretty ideal frame for an offensive lineman, has great ballast and he’s been downright dominant in the MAC the past few seasons.

Scharping is not someone to rule out as a tackle, but he does seem more suited to guard. Perhaps a better stance and shifting his weight getting out of it would help, but he does seem relatively average in terms of his agility and footspeed. Some of that may simply be how tall he is and the size of his steps, but he doesn’t stand out when it comes to kicking out to pass protect.

And as good as Scharping is in pass protection, able to dominate opponents when he gets hands on, it doesn’t seem as though he’s always confident in his feet or where he’s stepping. It at least appears as though he’s searching for where to go and then making the most of it when he gets there rather than confidently stepping in pass protection.

Part of that is Scharping doesn’t look comfortable in space when he doesn’t have hands on. He wants to make contact with the defender, then he knows what to do with them, is confident in dealing with them. That comfort level isn’t there when he’s got a couple yards between he and the opposing pass rusher and he’s not sure what they want to do. Rarely, he will lunge to try to eliminate that space. Scharping has had some issues dealing with speed rushes on occasion.

Scharping shows good strength and power in the running game, able to drive opponents off the ball and showing the will to finish opponents. It does seem as though he needs to improve his lower body flexibility to utilize his hips better in utilizing power from his legs, but he doesn’t lunge and stays very balance as a run blocker. And when he goes from a double team to a scraping player or a next level block, his legs are so long and cover a ton of ground, so one lateral step and shifting his weight can allow him to get another block that can seal off an opponent and create a lane.

Scharping shouldn’t immediately be ruled out as a tackle, but the likelihood is he’s probably better suited to play guard at the next level. And he might not be the complete prototype steam rolling right guard, he is terrific in a phone booth and can move opponents off the ball.

The Browns not only need guard depth when Kevin Zeitler may be released from his contract after a year or few, if the Browns decide Joel Bitonio should be their left tackle, they need someone able to man left guard and Scharping might be able to take over there and protect Baker Mayfield. Scharping will be 22 at the time of the draft and is already in his second year of grad school as well.