Browns Defender Brutally Disrespected in Head-Scratching Rankings

This Cleveland Browns defender was just ridiculously disrespected in a new set of rankings.

Oct 2, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Detail view of Cleveland Browns helmet against the Washington Redskins during the second half at FedEx Field. Washington Redskins wins 31 - 20. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns boasted the top-ranked defense in the NFL just two years ago, so clearly, they have some pretty high-end players on that side of the football.

We all know about superstar defensive end Myles Garrett, and Denzel Ward is one of the best cornerbacks in football. But the Browns have had some wily, stout defenders at all three levels for quite some time now.

However, one Cleveland defender was recently wildly disrespected in a set of new rankings: safety Grant Delpit.

Zoltan Buday of Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top 32 safeties in football, and while Browns youngster Ronnie Hickman surprisingly came in at No. 24, Delpit didn't even make the list.

While Delpit is certainly not elite, this seems like a massive oversight. The 26-year-old racked up 111 tackles and a sack last season and has been a consistent presence in Cleveland's secondary since entering the league as a second-round pick back in 2020.

As a matter of fact, the Browns were so impressed with Delpit that they handed him a three-year, $36 million contract extension in December 2023.

Delpit's most productive campaign to date in Cleveland came in 2022, when he rattled off 105 tackles, four interceptions and 10 passes defended. He hasn't been quite as good since then, but completely omitting him from a top-32 list seems a bit extreme.

To be fair, the LSU product wasn't great in coverage last season, logging a 60.9 grade at Pro Football Focus, but he is almost surely one of the 32 best safeties in the NFL.

Read More Cleveland Browns Coverage