Cleveland Browns: 15 Potential 2019 draft targets who won’t be at combine
By Peter Smith
There will be plenty of talent for the Cleveland Browns in and after the 2019 NFL Draft that didn’t get invited to this year’s scouting combine.
The NFL Scouting Combine is fast approaching and, while there will be a bevy of talented 2019 NFL Draft prospects for the Cleveland Browns, not everyone who can help a team will be there. Only so many players get invited to participate every year and there’s always a discussion about which players didn’t get in that deserved to go. The 15 listed here all have production that would suggest they can be a very good pro.
There have always been so-called snubs when it comes to the scouting combine, but the ever increasing number of underclassmen declaring is leaving more capable players on the outside looking in, which isn’t great for the players, but could be great for teams that have done their homework.
In some ways, the scouting combine represents a pre-approved list of draftable players. Everyone knows who’s going to be there. So when it comes to players that aren’t invited, some talented players could be a matter of simply digging around and finding them.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
None of this is to suggest that teams don’t know who these players are. And because it’s based on production and to this point, football hasn’t come up with a good way to measure offensive line play for statistical analysis, they are not included. This also doesn’t include what could be a significant field of smaller school prospects that really are out there to be discovered or were simply overlooked to my own failure.
The biggest takeaway in looking through and coming up with a list of players not included was the Mid-American Conference. The MAC has five of the 15 players listed here, which is unfortunate for a conference that has been able to produce a substantial number of fantastic NFL players. In addition, six players on this list are linebackers, which suggests there should be a good amount of value at that position in this class, which is something the Browns could use.
Without further ado, here are the prospects that could help NFL teams, but won’t be at the combine.
Olamide Zacchaeus, WR, Virginia
- 93 receptions for 1,058 yards (38.4 percent), 9 touchdowns in 2018
Zacchaeus is one of the most productive receivers in the country, has the ability to move around the formation and has been great against good competition. Short but dense, Zacchaeus looks like someone who could really open eyes in athletic testing and put together an outstanding profile.
Penny Hart, WR, Georgia State
- 74 receptions for 1,121 yards (34.5 percent), 8 touchdowns in 2017
Diminutive in stature like Zacchaeus, Hart might offer more raw speed. His production is great, albeit against the Sun Belt as opposed to the ACC, and he plays bigger than his size with his catch radius and willingness to attack the football. In that respect, he looks similar to a guy like Jamison Crowder.
Cortez Broughton, DL, Cincinnati
- 30 solo tackles (6.8 percent), 16.5 tackles for loss (20.1 percent), 5.5 sacks (17.7 percent) in 2018
Broughton posted elite production this season and was one of the best in the country in that respect. He also had a good week at the Shrine Game, but athletic testing has always been a question mark with Broughton in no small part because he fits into the frumpy looking body, great player mold.
If Broughton can put up good numbers, he represents a terrific value for the Browns on the defensive line. He played up and down the line at Cincinnati, but he stands out as a 3-tech option who might also be able to provide some quality snaps at the nose. Broughton flashes an explosive first step, power and quickness. The key for him is consistency.
Michael Dogbe, DL, Temple
- 36 solo tackles (5.6 percent), 12.5 tackles for loss (15.4 percent), 7 sacks (19.4 percent) in 2018
Dogbe is the first of two Temple defenders in this list and he is a player that coaches will love. Energy, effort and passion for the game, Dogbe is a guy who plays with a ton of motor and will make some plays simply because he doesn’t give up on plays. Undersized but showing impressive power, he might be a player that could put up good numbers at his pro day.
Dogbe could be a nice role player at the 3-tech. He needs to continue his development in terms of shedding blocks and effective pass rushing moves, but he has been great on run defense. He’ll have to prove it at a smaller size, but Dogbe is the type of player who will win you over with how he plays and if he develops, someone that could be a starter for a long time.
Ronheem Bingham, EDGE, Arkansas State
- 26 solo tackles (5.9 percent), 18.5 tackles for loss (18.5 percent), 9 sacks (25.7 percent) in 2018
Undersized and low to the ground, Bingham plays with speed and takes full advantage of his leverage. Bingham displays great balance and quickness, so he should do well in terms of agility testing. Whether he’s got initial burst or true long speed will be interesting.
Bingham looks the part of a pure pass rusher who might be able to help on special teams. He conceivably could be a situational linebacker option, but his calling card is making plays behind the line of scrimmage.
Joe Dineen, LB, Kansas
- 108 solo tackles (19.8 percent) in 2018
No one had a higher solo tackle market share than Dineen and he’s produced at that level for two seasons. Watching Kansas, it’s not always clear how much of an impact he actually has in part because of what he’s doing but also because he’s not getting much help.
Nevertheless, if Dineen can test well, he could really help himself and potentially become a nice value as a backup linebacker that might be able to do more.
Jordan Kunaszyk, LB, Cal
- 95 solo tackles (17.2 percent) in 2018
Kunaszyk racked up a ton of production in the Pac-12 for a Cal team that won on defense. He is a run and chase linebacker that is at his best when he’s kept clean and can run. Kunaszyk will also end up in coverage quite a bit and looks decent in that area as well.
Kunaszyk’s speed and agility will be interesting to see. At times, he looks pretty athletic in games, but it’s just a question of how fast. Especially in the role in which he seems to project to the NFL, a run and chase WILL, raw speed and quickness becomes far more critical.
Tre Watson, LB, Maryland
- 70 solo tackles (13.9 percent) in 2018
Watson is a physical presence at linebacker. He doesn’t give up ground and will drive ball carriers backward on contact.
The question with Watson is speed. He is great in the box, but that might be all he’s able to do at the next level. Watson can get to his drops and has shown the ability to make plays on the football, but on tape, he doesn’t look like someone that will ever be described as having sideline to sideline speed. That’s not the end of the world and there is definitely a market for what he does well. He just can’t be too slow.
Malik Fountain, LB Central Michigan
- 88 solo tackles (16.2 percent) in 2018
Fountain might be the purest run defender in this group. He just finds the way and makes plays on it going forward. For a league that is increasingly going more to finding ways to defend space and the pass, Fountain might be an attractive late pick to come in as a run stopping specialist as he tries to add more to his game. Even if that’s all he does, he has value to an NFL roster.
Khalil Hodge, LB Buffalo
- 66 solo tackles (13.1 percent) in 2017
Hodge has been a great linebacker for the Bulls for multiple seasons, doing a little bit of everything. Lined up in the middle, out in the slot, he has been a focal point of the defense. Stopping the run, playing in coverage or blitzing, Hodge just finds ways to make plays.
It was a surprise to see him weigh in at 255 pounds at the Shrine Game. If he weighs that much moving forward, he’s an extremely dense player, but if he can also test fast at that weight, he could fly up boards and could be a very good player in the NFL.
Brad Koenig, LB Miami (OH)
- 61 solo tackles (13.1 percent) in 2018
Koenig might be as unheralded a prospect as this list offers. He was productive and contributed in all of the areas as Hodge did, but without any of the attention. Koenig led the Redhawks in tackles for loss and interceptions while having the second most sacks on the team. In the event he were to test at a high level, he could be a real gem in this draft class and it’s not even clear he’ll be drafted.
Nate Brooks, CB North Texas
- 48 solo tackles (10.1) percent), 10 pass deflections (20.4 percent) in 2018
Brooks is a corner experienced in playing a lot of off coverage and he’s not afraid to throw his body around. Aggressive when he reads run or screen, he will fly down hill to try to make the play. Occasionally, he ends up out of control, taking himself out of opportunities, but he’s willing. Brooks can play also play the ball in the air.
The Browns with Steve Wilks as their defensive coordinator look like they will continue to play a substantial amount of Cover-3 and Brooks could fit that scheme nicely. Speed and particularly hip fluidity will be the focus for him with testing.
Ka’dar Hollman, CB Toledo
- 32 solo tackles (6.4 percent), 12 pass deflections (24 percent) in 2018
Hollman is a long corner with experience on the boundary and playing in the slot. He’s been tasked with playing a lot of tight man coverage and pro day will be a good test for his hips. If he’s effective, it will help immensely as he has the length and enough speed to run with opposing receivers.
Adarius Pickett, S UCLA
- 77 solo tackles (14.1 percent), 2 interceptions (18.1 percent) in 2018
Pickett was one of the lone bright spots in an awful, awful UCLA season. He just finds the ball and makes play. He brings toughness and plays bigger than his size would suggest.
Testing could open up some opportunities for a player like Pickett. He’s a strong safety and could make a team in that capacity, but a good day testing and he could potentially create opportunities to play the slot as well.
Delvon Randall, S Temple
- 62 solo tackles (9.7 percent), 4 interceptions (22.2 percent) in 2018
The other Temple Owl on this list, Randall, Dogbe and Rock Ya-Sin, who was invited to the combine, were part of an impressive defense. Randall was productive but he’s also got an intriguing size. At 208 pounds at the Shrine Game, it probably wouldn’t be much of a problem for Randall to add weight. He theoretically could be an option to play a spur type role in the NFL in addition to strong safety.
dark. Next. 2019 NFL Mock Draft: Jets have edge, Browns get defensive
Much will depend on what he’s able to do at his pro day, but he could have a few options in terms of position and role. Special teams to be sure, but safety and linebacker could be on the table.