Cleveland Browns: 7-Round 2019 NFL mock draft, Vol. 6
By Peter Smith
Round 3: Darnell Savage, S, Maryland – 5-10.75, 198 pounds
- 45 solo tackles (8.3 percent), 8 pass deflections (23.5 percent), 3 interceptions (30 percent) in 2017.
Age: 21 (July 30, 1997)
40-Yard Dash: 4.36s
Broad Jump: 126″
Vertical Jump: 39.5″
3-cone: 7.03s
Shuttle: 4.14s
Bench: 11 reps
Darnell Savage is a terrific prospect that just doesn’t have elite hip flexibility or height. In everything else, he’s effectively a corner in the middle of the field who is extremely aggressive coming up as a tackler, which should be ideal for the Browns.
The sheer amount of talent at safety in this class and how the NFL can be irrational when it comes to how they value the position in a given year. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Browns felt they needed to move up from 80 to ensure they get their man and really address the two biggest issues on defense at this point, really improving the secondary.
Savage was exposed to quite a bit at Maryland, did a little bit of everything. He’s a player that has been left on an island in coverage. For example, he was left to cover the slot against Parris Campbell against Ohio State, handling himself well. Savage is aggressive, willing to come down hill and make tackles in the open field or behind the line of scrimmage with power.
He’s also played in the box as a linebacker, willing to knife into the backfield and blow up plays. Savage can show like he’s playing in the box or blitzing and back out and cover down the field.
For the Browns, who have an offense that should put up a ton of points, stopping the pass should be at a premium. The signing of Morgan Burnett should be as a role player rather than a true starter. Burnett operating as a slot defender while Damarious Randall plays the deep middle and a player like Savage acts as an extra corner in the middle of the field, able to cover slot receivers and hopefully tight ends. Instead of free safety and strong safety, it’s more akin to zone safety and man safety.
With a defensive line that can get a lot of pressure, they can play Joe Schobert as the only true linebacker on the field, allowing some combination of Ward, Layne, Terrence Mitchell, T.J. Carrie, Eric Murray and Burnett to play coverage. Savage is a coverage based safety that is willing and able to help out supporting the run and can make some impact tackles. Making him more of a role player at least to start should make it easier for him to transition and contribute as a rookie, then adding to his responsibilities as he gets more comfortable and effective.