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Cleveland Browns: 7-Round 2019 mock draft, Vol. 5

By Peter Smith

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 15: Running back Duke Johnson #29 of the Cleveland Browns gives a stiff arm to free safety Justin Simmons #31 of the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on December 15, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 15: Running back Duke Johnson #29 of the Cleveland Browns gives a stiff arm to free safety Justin Simmons #31 of the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on December 15, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – OCTOBER 29: Greg Gaines #99 of the Washington Huskies waits for a play to start against the Utah Utes at an NCAA football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on October 29, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) Local Caption ***Greg Gaines
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – OCTOBER 29: Greg Gaines #99 of the Washington Huskies waits for a play to start against the Utah Utes at an NCAA football game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on October 29, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) Local Caption ***Greg Gaines /

Round 6: Greg Gaines, DT, Washington – 6-1, 312 pounds

  • 25 solo tackles (4.7 percent), 6.5 tackles for loss (10.1 percent), 3.5 sacks (14.5 percent) in 2018.

40-Yard Dash: 5.16s
Broad Jump: 109″
Vertical Jump: 31″
3-cone: DNP
Shuttle: DNP
Bench: 30 reps

Whether it’s free agency or the draft, one of the goals of the offseason is to do everything to maximize Larry Ogunjobi, which largely means giving him rest. Greg Gaines is someone that has shown the ability to do that and of the testing he did, he has terrific explosion and more speed than anticipated.

Gaines is a powerful clogger that can collapse the pocket and offers a little pass rush too. And he was a big reason the aforementioned Ben Burr-Kirven had such a big season, keeping him clean and allowing him to operate.

Gaines is not someone who has shown much in terms of working down the field laterally, but that is hopefully something he can improve. Ultimately, the goal is for him to be able to give Ogunjobi some rest and ideally take some run downs off of his plate, so he can do more rushing the passer.

If he can continue moving the line of scrimmage into the backfield in the NFL, it will be great for a player like Joe Schobert, shrinking the space he’s got to cover to play the run and making it easier for him to play downhill, attacking the ball carrier. It could also help create blitz lanes. Between an exhausted Ogunjobi and little next to him, Schobert’s run defense took a hit this past year and hopefully addressing that problem will have him more in line with what he did in 2017 when that was his strength.

Best Option Not Taken: T.J. Edwards, LB Wisconsin

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