3 Tight End Prospects Browns Could Target on Day Three of NFL Draft
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Kevin Stefanski absolutely loves his tight ends. It's evident in almost every play design that he has. Even though the tight end doesn't necessarily get targeted on every play, this position group is vital to the success of the Browns' offensive game plan as a whole.
Whether it's blocking or going out for a pass, Stefanski's tight ends are bred to disguise and create mismatches. He lines them up all over the field. Harrison Bryant acted as more of a cushion or space blocker in 2022, frequently lining up offset in the backfield as an H-back type player as opposed to David Njoku's usual in-line role.
Regardless of where Coach Stefanski chooses to align his tight ends, one word can be used to describe each and every player that he uses: Versatile.
Let's take a look at three players in this year's draft that fit into the category of guys that might be on Cleveland's radar heading into day 3.
Cameron Latu, Alabama - 6'4", 248 Lbs.
Latu initially committed to Alabama as a hyper-athletic defensive end, but then ended up switching to tight end after his freshman season. He shows excellent twitch and short area quickness to create immediate separation on a lot of route combinations that Cleveland currently utilizes such as hitch/curl variations and stick concepts.
He also displays great situational awareness that's evident in his ability to constantly find blind spots in zone coverage. This allows him to create "cheap" yardage opportunities for the offense. One of his most sought after qualities is his ability to bail out the offense when plays break down by mirroring the quarterback downfield.
Alabama used Latu in various ways, such as lining him up in the slot and on the outside at "X" in the redzone. Though it does appear that he lacks long speed, he would be more than capable of being a reliable security blanket in the middle of the field for Deshaun Watson.
Brenton Strange, Penn State - 6' 3", 245 Lbs.
Strange is one of the more unique tight end prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft due to his overall athleticism. The former Penn State playmaker was also lined up everywhere due to his catch-and-run prowess and above average speed. PSU would often line him up in the slot and as a wing detached from the line of scrimmage to create constant problems for the defense.
Strange has soft hands and routinely makes contested catches, while being incredibly difficult to tackle. His overall size will be an immediate concern at the next level, but his potential as an athletic mismatch machine is too good to overlook.
Strange could work in as a rotational piece with Harrison Bryant as TE2 or be utilized in sub-packages for Cleveland. No matter how Stefanski would go about using him, he would definitely be a welcome addition to the tight end room.
Davis Allen, Clemson - 6' 6", 246 Lbs.
The first thing that stands out when watching film on Allen is his size. He towers over most of the defenders that try to cover him, which makes it easy for him to use his phenomenal length to his advantage. He routinely makes great catches away from his frame and knows how to use his body to shield defenders away from the ball at the catch point.
One of Clemson's go-to plays in the redzone consisted of Allen lining up either in the slot or in a "nasty" split and just running up the seam for a jump ball in the endzone. The Tigers attacked various defensive structures by lining him up out wide to create one-on-one matchups, or used pre-snap motion to force defenses to make adjustments that favored the tight end position. Teams often had to roll a safety down to cover him in order to respond to the motion, which allowed Allen to take advantage of a smaller defender.
Usually taller tight ends show some signs of stiffness in their hips when it comes to breaking down in short areas or re-direction, but Allen seems surprisingly flexible and fluid in this area. He also has huge hands according to his Senior Bowl measurements, which is evident on some of the tough catches that he makes look easy.
He would provide Cleveland with a rare athlete at 6'6" alongside a great overall skill set that could seemingly contribute early on in his career.
If Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski are looking to add a tight end in the later portion of this year's NFL Draft, these three guys seem to be the best fits for Cleveland's offensive scheme and tendencies.
