Yardbarker
x
Browns could bring NE Ohio native and early Senior Bowl standout back to the area
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK

Cleveland Browns have seemingly found solid contributors past the first and second rounds of the NFL Draft the past few seasons.

The next one just may be a player that actually comes from the area. While he played his college ball down in Columbus, Ohio State DT Mike Hall Jr. starred at Streetsboro High School, which is just a half hour from Cleveland.

Hall was a productive player for the Buckeyes that is currently showing what he can do at the Senior Bowl down in Mobile, Alabama.

Hall’s best season at Ohio State was as a sophomore when he recorded 7.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. As a sophomore, Hall burst into the NFL Draft bubble as a name to watch in 2024.

As a junior, Hall struggled a bit with consistency but was still a good interior player for a Buckeyes team that has multiple NFL-level guys in the middle of their defensive line.

Though he is undersized at 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, is a stout player that is strong within his frame. He is quick off his initial move and could be really fun to plug into Jim Schwartz’s system in Cleveland.

Maurice Hurst and Jordan Elliott are both set to be free agents for the Browns. They could opt to bring one of them back, but even if they do they should be drafting an interior player. After bringing in Siaki Ika last draft cycle, bringing in a 3-tech like Hall has to be on the table.

Hall is viewed as a player who is in the area of the third round right now in April’s draft by most. I believe that is a pretty fair spot for a player who has shown elite stretches of football at times in college, but has some consistency and size concerns.

All in all, Hall is a disruptive player who is feisty in the middle with a high motor. Cleveland addressed the defense heavily last year but they shouldn’t shy away from reaffirming that side of the football. 

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.