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OldColdDawg #1636306 06/30/19 02:44 PM
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No UDFA is a "definite" to make the team before training camp even starts.

He appears to be off to a good start.


Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
YTownBrownsFan #1636322 06/30/19 03:24 PM
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OK, let me restate it in another way.

I predict that Hassell will make the team on the basis of his special teams' ability. I further prognosticate that after doing so, he will have an opportunity to earn reps at the strong safety position.

Thanks for the opportunity to say the same thing twice. thumbsup

guard dawg #1636382 07/01/19 08:21 AM
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good speed, good angles and looks like he loves to hit!


Defense wins championships. Watson play your butt off!
Go Browns!
CHRIST HAS RISEN!

GM Strong! & Stay safe everyone!
guard dawg #1636383 07/01/19 08:22 AM
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Originally Posted By: guard dawg
Pete Smith of Browns Maven sent me this JT Hasell link. JT Hassell will definitely make the roster on special teams. After that, he'll get a shot as a strong safety if not this year next year. But special teams, man, Hassell is a beast. Speed, range, tackling in space, excellent breakdown to make tackles, physical, relentless, wow. Watch and see with your own eyes!


Thanks for sharing this! I agree with everything you said. For his size, man he can move.


[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]
OldColdDawg #1636933 07/03/19 12:21 PM
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D.J. Montgomery hasn't received much attention, but he has a shot to make the Cleveland Browns

https://footballmaven.io/browns/browns-m...AEeue5jJWgw5ew/

A number of undrafted rookies have received attention so far in OTAs and minicamp for the Cleveland Brown. One that hasn't is D.J. Montgomery, who played at a smaller school, but does have a solid prospect profile and could end pushing for a roster spot.

When it comes to the Cleveland Browns wide receiver position, any talk of who's making the team starts at their fifth option behind Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Antonio Callaway and Rashard Higgins. One name that hasn't received a ton of attention thus far is undrafted rookie D.J. Montgomery out of Austin Peay.

Dorian Baker is local. Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi has an incredible story. Ishmael Hyman has made a few great catches and caught some attention. Montgomery gets lost in the mix a little bit.

But here's what Montgomery does offer. He had incredible production for Austin Peay, a smaller program that didn't do a ton of passing. He also tested remarkably well at 6'1.5" 201lbs. His agility in particular stands out, putting up a 6.69 3-cone, which is indicative of his hip flexibility and his overall balance.

Given the fact he played at a smaller college program, it might take him a little longer to find his groove, but if he's able to do that, the 22-year old rookie could make a big push for a roster spot. His combination of size and speed is intriguing.

Montgomery bears a number of similarities to Damian Ratley, last year's 6th round pick out of Texas A&M. They have similar measurables. They both were employed as deep threats in their respective offenses, taking advantage of their deep speed.

D.J. Mongtomery
Height: 6'1 1/2"
Weight: 201 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 4.43s
Broad Jump: 127″
Vertical Jump: 37.5″
3-cone: 6.69s
Shuttle: 4.36s
Bench: 7 reps

Damian Ratley
Height: 6'1 3/4"
Weight: 196 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 4.39s
Broad Jump: 123″
Vertical Jump: 38″
3-cone: 6.92s
Shuttle: 4.23s
Bench: 12 reps

The fact Montgomery is so similar in terms of being a size, strength, speed prospect does make it more difficult to make the team, because the Browns have several and all of them have more NFL experience than Montgomery does.

The key for Montgomery and really any receiver trying to make the roster will be proving themselves on special teams as much as actually being a receiver. The fifth and sixth receivers, if they keep that many, will be gunners on punts and on kickoff coverage, so they need guys who can make an impact.

The Browns have a lot of interesting competition for those final receiver spots, but keep an eye out for D.J. Montgomery


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OldColdDawg #1636934 07/03/19 12:22 PM
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Wyatt Ray is a polished pass rusher competing for a spot in deep group

https://footballmaven.io/browns/browns-m...Hka-tMYQQscnaQ/

Former Boston College pass rusher Wyatt Ray was the one undrafted pass rusher the Cleveland Browns signed to compete for a spot. He offers a polished pass rusher, but has limited upside.

The Cleveland Browns brought in a number of rookie free agent edge players and one they ended up keeping was Wyatt Ray out of Boston College.

He was a productive pass rusher on a talented Eagles defense this past year, but particularly his solo tackle market share wasn't where you prefer it to be. And really, if Ray is going to make it, it'd be as a situational pass rusher. Ray is coming from a program that has defensive coordinator in Paul Pasqualoni that has helped in developing a number of defensive players for the NFL. Harold Landry, Justin Simmons and John Johnson are recent examples.

It would not be a surprise if Ray enjoyed some early success in camp against other rookies simply because he's ahead of them in terms of his technique and polish. He may be able to keep a few of the younger offensive tackles guessing and make plays in the backfield as a result.

The issue for Ray is his athletic testing, which is eerily similar to former Browns defensive end Nate Orchard. Orchard had incredible production at the college level, but his athleticism simply wasn't enough to make it work in the NFL. He's just been too slow. Obviously, the Browns didn't invest a second round pick to get Ray, so if that's where he ends up, it's not the end of the world.

Nate Orchard
Height: 6-3
Weight: 250 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 4.8s
Broad Jump: 115″
Vertical Jump: 31.5″
3-cone: 7.28s
Shuttle: 4.43s
Bench: 29 reps

Wyatt Ray
Height: 6-3
Weight: 257 lbs
40-Yard Dash: 4.83s
Broad Jump: 118″
Vertical Jump: 34″
3-cone: 7.34s
Shuttle: 4.31s
Bench: 25 reps

In that sense, Ray seems like someone who could put up some numbers in preseason against lesser competition and get fans and media to believe in him to see the Browns go ahead and release him because they like the upside of other players on their roster. One example might well be Chad Thomas.

The other issue that drags down Ray is his number. 61. That's brutal for a pass rusher. Just wearing that number will make Ray look slower.

I think Ray could be an interesting player that gets attention early, could make some splash plays in preseason, but the Browns ultimately let go. He may well find his way to another team when rosters get cut down. In a different year, I think Ray could be someone that would make the Browns final 53, but they may simply have too many talented options to keep him.


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OldColdDawg #1637330 07/05/19 03:04 PM
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Jhavonte Dean #36, CB, rookie out of Miami, FL is my prediction to make the roster via UDFA route. Does football maven have a write up about him?

OldColdDawg #1637331 07/05/19 03:20 PM
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Unlikely arrival Jhavonte Dean aims to make most of latest uphill battle in fight to make Browns roster

Friday, May 17, 2019 02:56 PM


Nick Shook
STAFF WRITER
https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/unl...-battle-in-figh


On a chilly, overcast day in Berea, Jhavonte Dean was again living life on the edge.

Lined up at the familiar position of cornerback, Dean dropped back in coverage and was faced with a choice: break up a pass or go for the interception. He chose the riskier approach and ended up in the end zone, bringing the football along for the ride.

The pick-six was one of two for Dean on his first day as a tryout player at Browns rookie minicamp in early May. Now, he's a member of the 90-man roster, the latest development on his improbable path from Homestead, Florida, to the NFL.

Dean grew up in the Miami area, played pee-wee football with and against current Browns Sheldrick Redwine and Antonio Callaway, attended South Dade High School and earned a three-star status as a recruit in the class of 2015. That type of background would lead one to believe he might have enjoyed relative success in Division I football and rode a late-round NFL draft selection to his first NFL OTAs.

Wrong. Dean chose the University of Cincinnati in early 2015 but never made it to the field because his test scores didn't stack up. With the assistance of Cincinnati coaches, Dean landed at Blinn College, which happened to have one scholarship remaining (and was also once a stepping stone of Cam Newton). He spent the next two years of junior college ball upping his three-star rating to a four-star mark.

That attracted attention from some heavy hitters of the NCAA, namely, Nick Saban. Dean received an offer from Alabama and committed in late July 2016, seemingly authoring a great comeback story for himself from the uncertainty of student-athlete life in Brenham, Texas, to the roaring crowds of Bryant-Denny Stadium. A sharp turn awaited him, though.

"I used to tell my teammates, 'man, if I get a Miami offer, I might go,'" Dean recalled Thursday. "Miami kind of came late but they came strong and when they came, they stayed talking to me, they stayed communicating with me and then the coaches came to the school for a little visit and they were just talking to me and everything just made sense to me to go play back home, make it easy for my family to come to the games. It was very beneficial for me."

Dean ended up decommitting from Alabama and signing to attend Miami, where he appeared in 25 games over his final two seasons of eligibility. He tied for the team lead with three interceptions during his senior season -- a campaign in which he said he opened up and formed bonds with teammates -- hired an agent and received a sobering evaluation: undrafted free agent hopeful at best.

Again, he was on an uphill path with little chance for success.


"I just felt like I just needed an opportunity," Dean said. "I kind of understood my situation, I knew I wasn't a high-profile player. I knew what I could do at the time. Up until the draft I'm just staying patient, staying humble, praying, and then when the draft was over, I got a call from the Browns and the next day I was told I got a tryout. Rookie minicamp.

"My teammates, my parents, I told them I'm not leaving Cleveland without signing. So I just put everything on the line, everything I have and it's starting to pay off now."

Dean found himself in a familiar situation. He'd gone to Blinn with the sole goal of earning a Division I scholarship, as many JUCO players hope to receive. He lived that dream at Miami, but was now headed north to the same state in which he was once supposed to reside as an undergrad with nothing more than a chance to perform for a few days with the hopes he might grab the eye of a talent evaluator.


That reality -- that he was back in Ohio, this time as a professional -- didn't land on him until Thursday. He hasn't had much time to consider it.

"I didn't know what to expect," Dean said of his rookie minicamp experience. "My first day on the field, I was kind of nervous. I'm with an NFL team. People thought I'd never make it. The odds are against me. I was nervous, had to learn a new playbook, meet new players, build a bond with my new teammates. The first day, I was nervous, but after I started making plays I was like 'I can do this.'"

Dean shined in the minicamp, making plays on the ball and showing a natural ability to cover closely. He had no indication, though, that the Browns wanted to sign him until he walked off the field after the final minicamp practice. He and Miami teammate Trayone Gray were two of just three tryout players signed to the 90-man roster. Their addition also brought the Browns' total of Hurricanes to eight.


You know my love will Not Fade Away.........


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GratefulDawg #1637472 07/07/19 08:25 AM
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We seem to be finding these Low Risk High reward type of guys. Is this a history of John Dorsey in finding these guys. I mean we use to get these heralded UDFA's like Ben Gay and stuff but never before some real good talent is it the status of this day and age or is it John Dorsey. I think its amazing the guys they bring in Undrafted.
jmho


Defense wins championships. Watson play your butt off!
Go Browns!
CHRIST HAS RISEN!

GM Strong! & Stay safe everyone!
eotab #1637482 07/07/19 09:36 AM
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I can't remember which rookie UDFA made the team last year. Can you spark my memory please.

As far as this year, I'll wait to see them in a padded practice, and maybe even a preseason game before I make up my mind. All of our draft picks may not make the team this year. Who knows about UDFA?


Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
YTownBrownsFan #1637521 07/07/19 02:13 PM
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Undrafted rookies on the Cleveland Browns 2018 roster per Pro Football Reference;

Desmond Harrison
Greg Joseph
Derrick Willies
Devaroe Lawrence
Jeremiah McKinnon
Tavierre Thomas

I don't recall anything about McKinnon and Thomas, probably spent time on the practice squad. Harrison, Joseph, Willies and Lawrence all had regular season playing time.


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