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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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IOWA CITY, IOWA- NOVEMBER 23: Running back Devine Ozigbo #22 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers runs up the field in the second half against defensive end Anthony Nelson #98 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, on November 23, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- NOVEMBER 23: Running back Devine Ozigbo #22 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers runs up the field in the second half against defensive end Anthony Nelson #98 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, on November 23, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /

Round 5 (Via NE): Anthony Nelson, DT, Iowa – 6-7, 271 pounds

  • 23 solo tackles (5 percent), 13.5 tackles for loss (19 percent) , 9.5 sacks (27.1 percent) in 2018.

Age: 22 (Born March 4, 1997)

40-Yard Dash: 4.82s
Broad Jump: 118″
Vertical Jump: 35.5″
3-cone: 6.95s
Shuttle: 4.23s
Bench: 18 reps

Nelson is another player in the mold of adding length to the defensive line. He played base end for Iowa and, if he reminds people of Carl Nassib, it’s not without merit. Similar length, both had production in college, but the key difference is Nassib wasn’t as flexible. And perhaps if Wilks was with the Browns last year, they’d have kept Nassib, who went to the Tampa Bay Bucs where he recorded 6.5 sacks this past season.

Nelson’s flexibility is obvious on tape. He can get low, stick his foot in the ground and change direction and he can turn the corner off the edge. From a production standpoint, his solo tackles are a little low, but he makes a lot of plays in the backfield.

Watching Nelson play, the one thing he lacks is pop in his hands. If only he could jolt opponents more. Some of this seems to be because he wants to use his quickness so much, but he just needs to continue getting stronger. If his hands get heavier while maintaining his agility, he becomes a full service threat off the edge.

As a run defender, Nelson will set the edge and make sure things aren’t going around him, but he’s too often satisfied to just do that. He’s not driving the tackle into the backfield. So when he plays contain, he creates running lanes behind him. And in the event it is a pass, he’s made getting to the quarterback that much more difficult because he’s further away and the blocker is able to get into a comfortable pass set.

Nelson’s quickness and flexibility combined with his length makes him an attractive prospect. He can attack the quarterback, slant and stunt effectively while having the potential to develop into a really nice run defender. It gives the Browns even more length and gives them another way to change up their lineups between Nelson and a guy like Genard Avery coming in to attack the quarterback.

Best Option Not Taken: Max Scharping, OT Northern Illinois

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