Cleveland Browns: 2019 7-Round mock draft, Vol. 4

Round 7 (via JAX): Greg Gaines, DT, Washington – 6-1.125, 307 lbs. (Senior Bowl)

• 25 solo tackles (4.7 percent), 6.5 tackles for loss (10.1 percent), 3.5 sacks (14.5 percent)

One of the biggest failures for the organization last year was addressing nose tackle. After the team traded Danny Shelton and a fifth round pick for a third round pick with the New England Patriots, they then released Jamie Meder when they claimed Carl Davis off of waivers. Davis played 31 snaps all year. The result was Larry Ogunjobi being run into the ground.

Maybe new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi see something in Davis that Gregg WIlliams and his defensive line coach Clyde Simmons didn’t. Regardless, the Browns must find a way to reduce the workload of Ogunjobi and in a perfect world, because Ogunjobi is a good pass rusher, reduce the amount they need Ogunjobi to play the run, freeing him up to get after the quarterback.

Enter Greg Gaines, a bear of a man, who was a great run defender at Washington this past year. His production isn’t great, isn’t bad, but for a guy they need to come in and clog up running lanes, he might be exactly what they need. And Washington has been a pretty good program at producing these big bodied run stoppers with Danny Shelton and Vita Vea, but Gaines would be going at a far better value for the job.

Gaines is quick off the ball with a decent first step and gets up the field quickly, taking opposing blockers with him. He flashes the ability to collapse the pocket and will occasionally pressure the quarterback.

When focused on stopping the run, Gaines is a good stacking defensive tackle that can change the line of scrimmage. Very stout at the point, he can take on double teams without giving up ground. Gaines does a great job at executing his assignment, protects players behind him and enables them to make plays. As an example and not coincidentally, Ben Burr-Kiven had an outstanding season. The hope is that Gaines would help Joe Schobert get back to being the impact run defender he was in 2017 as opposed to 2018 where he was often hung out to dry.

Again, in this scenario, he’s going six rounds later, but one notable difference between a guy like Gaines and someone like Shelton is their ability to work down the line of scrimmage. Gaines is dominant when teams run at him or between the tackles. He’s not chasing anything down or really even looks able to plug a cut back lane. Maybe he can improve in that area, but for the most part, a team knows what it’s getting in Gaines, which could be valuable for the Browns.

Some Other Interesting Possibilities Foregone: Armon Watts, DT, Arkansas; Dax Raymond, TE, Utah State; Gary Jennings, WR, West Virginia