Under-the-Radar Defensive Tackle Prospect for Browns in NFL Draft

If the Cleveland Browns effectively address their defensive line before the NFL Draft, they could look for value to add more talent. One option that isn't getting much attention is Taron Vincent, a defensive tackle from Ohio State.

The Browns are in dire need of a complete overhaul in their defensive tackle room this offseason, especially now with Jim Schwartz in charge. They will most likely end up signing two players in free agency and at least one via the NFL draft with the possibility of two, depending on the value. 

If Cleveland is able to sign two above average defensive tackles before the draft, then they might decide to wait until the back half of the draft to select an interior defensive lineman. If this is the case then there's a player who stands out amongst the rest of the lower-tier defensive tackles, and would be an excellent fit for the Browns.

Taron Vincent, Ohio State - 6'1", 305 Lbs.

Vincent shows a lot of potential as a late round selection in this year's draft. He provides a lot of the things to the interior defensive line that Cleveland is currently lacking. 

For starters, he's an excellent run-stopper. Vincent shows good strength and anchoring ability at the point of attack, and also uses great hand usage to swipe the offensive lineman's hands and disengage from blockers. He's also very good in pursuit and recognizes where the football is early on in the play progression. This skill is what separates him from the other round 6 or 7 defensive tackles. 

Another advantage Vincent often has over the opponent is his quickness out of his stance. He's consistently the first defensive lineman to explode off the ball and make contact and this allows him to see where blockers are going right away. This gives him an edge when tailing offensive lineman when they pull because he's able to sneak in underneath the play side gap/down blocker and disrupt the play in the backfield.

Vincent is beloved by his coaches and teammates as well. He embraces his role on the defense and always put the team's success first, which is an underrated aspect of playing the position. 

His position coach Larry Johnson on his leadership and role on the defense:

“I think everybody respects Taron and what he does,” defensive line coach Larry Johnson said. “It's a team concept. That's what makes great defense − guys being unselfish, just doing their jobs.”

Ohio State's star linebacker Tommy Eichenberg also raved about Vincent's role on the Buckeye defense.

"That's the heart of our defense right there," Eichenberg said of Vincent. "If you're watching tape, he's taking on double-teams, sometimes triple-teams. He sacrifices and is the ultimate team player. I wouldn't get a tackle if it weren't for him. For anyone on defense, it really starts with Taron." 

It also appears that he might have been underutilized as a player at Ohio State based on the type of defense that they run. The Buckeyes ran a base 3-4 scheme that limited Vincent to being mostly a two-gapping nose tackle. This is the exact opposite way that he should've been used based on his skill set. He did occasionally line up at the 4i as well, which gave him a little more freedom, but still not his ideal alignment or play style. Taron Vincent is a gap-shooting 3-Technique that should be able to use his athleticism, motor, and technique to defeat blocks 1-on-1 rather than be focused on defeating double teams on a consistent basis.

The Browns would be a great fit for him because of the defensive style that is going to be implemented in 2023. The defensive tackles are going to have a lot more freedom and be able to just go out and play football without thinking about multiple gap assignments like previous seasons. They're going to be able to pin their ears back and get after the quarterback on a play-by-play basis. This is the perfect type of defense that an athletic, high-effort type of player like Taron Vincent should excel.

If Vincent is available in the 6th or 7th round, he'd be able to provide Cleveland with quality rotational snaps at the 3-Technique defensive tackle spot for the foreseeable future.