Cleveland Browns NFL Draft Profile: Logan Hall, DL Houston
The Cleveland Browns need help on the defensive line and Houston's Logan Hall could provide it.
As of today, the Browns defensive tackle room consists of Jordan Elliott, Tommy Togiai, and Taven Bryan, none of whom are considered starting-caliber at this point in their careers. The team also has only Myles Garrett and Chase Winovich on the edges, so adding bodies on the DL needs to be a priority.
There will likely be some more additions made in free agency, but the team will need to draft some rookies in April, preferably high. If Hall is still on the board at #44, he'd present a very intriguing option for Cleveland.
Hall stands 6-6 283 pounds with 32.75-inch arms. His arms are on the shorter side for the position, and he's also very light for an interior defender. At his height, leverage is always going to be of the utmost importance on a down-to-down basis and will dictate his effectiveness throughout a game. His athletic testing was excellent, especially his agility times.
Logan Hall Relative Athletic Score
When Hall is able to keep his pad level low, he's a force to be reckoned with. His first step is impressive and he possesses a tremendous amount of power in his frame. Collegiate guards just can't match his combination of explosiveness and strength, and it's common to see him putting players on their back and rag-dolling linemen. He consistently wreaks havoc in the backfield and his impact is felt throughout the game.
Hall totaled 47 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and six sacks for the Cougars in 2021. He lined up at nose, three-tech, and EDGE, though his weight eliminates 1T from the list of options for him in the NFL. Hall's inside-out versatility should make him an attractive chess piece to defensive coordinator Joe Woods, who loves to take advantage of all his options. Some teams may even see Hall as primarily an EDGE given his traits, but it's a safe bet that wherever he ends up, he'll see snaps both inside and out.
The Browns started Malik McDowell last season, and McDowell entered the league as a suped-up version of Hall with better physical tools and more on-field dominance but less polish. Hall isn't quite the athletic marvel that McDowell was as a prospect, but he's still great for his position. He has a better football IQ and increased awareness, as McDowell even last season typically just put his head down and tried to beat his man rather than defend his gap or play off a teammate.
Hall needs plenty of work from a technical standpoint, but he does have some flashes of powerful and violent hand usage, and if he can continue to refine that, he can be a force in the NFL.
Defensive tackles typically need a few seasons before they are able to make a real impact in the league, but Hall could be an exception thanks to his explosiveness and versatility. If he's available when Cleveland is on the clock for the first time, he'd be a really nice long-term addition to this defense.
