Cleveland Browns: 5 Early standouts at training camp
5. Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki, LBs
We’re going to cheat a bit here to get things started by grouping the Browns pair of rookie linebackers together. Sione Takitaki was the first linebacker that Cleveland selected in April’s draft, selected in the third round. Two rounds later, Mack Wilson also fell into the Browns’ lap and they nabbed him, giving a linebacker corps depth that the group clearly needed entering the season.
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To this point, both players have really turned heads in training camp. As reported by Andrew Gribble of the team’s official website, Wilson has logged arguably the team’s most impressive defensive play of training camp, making an athletic interception off Drew Stanton and then recovering quickly to take it to the house.
While Wilson has certainly made more splash plays, reports out of camp say that Takitaki has been the more consistent contributor. He’s been getting consistent reps on defense and has looked the part of a player that, though he may not be ready to start, can provide immediate depth in the middle of the field on defense.
New defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has been complimentary of both players to this point, per 247 Sports. And while the man heading the defense has certainly noted that Takitaki and Wilson are imperfect players, he has praised the improvements both players have already made, in addition to the physicality of Takitaki and the athleticism in coverage that Wilson has displayed.
The Browns don’t need either of these rookie linebackers to start right out of the gate in their careers. However, they will need them to rotate in and to develop so they may be ready to start in 2020 and beyond. As of now, it appears either player is on track to do just that.