What the Browns are getting in their 7th-round DE

The Cleveland Browns did not have a first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft and despite many fans clamoring for them to trade back in to snag a star, Cleveland made the decision to create no chaos on the first day.

On the second day, Browns fans grew even angrier, because the franchise elected to trade back from their first draft selection, but once they did make a selection they made some noise.

We already covered what the Browns are getting in Martin Emerson, Alex Wright, David Bell, Perrion Winfrey, Cade York, Jerome Ford, and Michael Woods II now we move on to their next selection. With the 223rd selection in the NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected Isaiah Thomas, defensive end from Oklahoma.

Now let’s see what he can do:

Strengths

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Name: Isaiah Thomas

Position: Defensive End

School: Oklahoma

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 266 pounds

Isaiah Thomas was a bit of a late bloomer for Oklahoma as he took a redshirt his first season on campus and then was rather deep on the depth chart the next two seasons, but in 2020 Thomas exploded on the scene and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors. Thomas finished his career off strong again earning second-team All-Big 12 honors and earning a Senior Bowl invite.

Thomas has a rather large frame, which should allow him to put on enough positive weight to bring some much-needed versatility to the defensive line. Thomas has the ideal strength and potential size to play either on the interior or the exterior. In addition to playing with solid strength, Thomas also has extremely active hands.

Weaknesses

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Isaiah Thomas lacks the bend of the top-tier pass rushers in the league and I’m not sure that he can develop that trait. There are streaks of nothingness from Thomas’ tape and that was very evident when Oklahoma tried to utilize him on the interior. Thomas rarely wins the leverage battle as he explodes straight up at the snap.

Potential Fit

I liked the Browns snagging Thomas in the seventh round. If Thomas can improve his effort, he can play a role on this roster for a long time. I think most projected Thomas to a 3-4 scheme, but I do think he has a role with Cleveland and although he may never develop into a starter should be a regular contributor.