Cleveland Browns’ draft prospect scouting report: Rasheem Green

Using an early round pick on an EDGE during day two of the draft would benefit the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns have a hole at defensive end. Yes, Myles Garrett and Emmanuel Ogbah form a great starting duo, but after that, who is coming off the sidelines to spell them?

DE may not be the Browns’ biggest need, but it certainly needs to be addressed in next month’s draft.

Carl Nassib is usually the first player to rotate in on the defensive line. He is in his third season out of Penn State, drafted 65th overall by the Browns in 2016. His 6’7″ 275lbs frame allows him to play both ends and as a three-technique defensive tackle.

Nassib has made only 5.5 sacks throughout his two years in the NFL. While he is very good at getting in the QB’s throwing lane and batting the ball down (as evidenced by his nine passes defended), the most noteworthy thing he has done during his time in Cleveland was lining up offsides on Garrett’s pick-six.

The other rotational end the Browns have is Nate Orchard. He was the 51st pick in 2015 after a prolific season at Utah when he led the FBS in sacks with 18.5. Unfortunately, he has failed to make an impact during his first three seasons, as he only has three sacks in his career.

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The Browns made one addition to their line through free agency, signing former Cincinnati Bengal Chris Smith. He has 7.5 sacks in his four-year career and should provide some more pass rush. He played about 20% of the Bengals’ total pass rushing snaps and finished with three sacks.

The Browns are hoping that with more playing time, he will improve even more. Even with the addition of Smith, the Browns need to draft at least one EDGE this year.

Taking NC State’s Bradley Chubb with the fourth pick is probably too rich, and bigger needs can be filled at 33 and 35. That leaves the 64th pick as the perfect spot to draft a pass rusher, and, if he’s still available, USC’s Rasheem Green could be the perfect fit.

Green had 10 sacks last year for the Trojans, up from six in 2016. Green is 6’5″ 275lbs and will not turn 21 until mid-May. This is both a good and a bad thing.

Good because Green has plenty of time to grow, learn, develop, and improve. Bad because his functional core strength is not where it needs to be at this point because of his youth.

Stronger offensive linemen will be able to bully him if they get their hands on his chest first. At least for now. If Green can add weight and strength, he will be hard to stop.

His quickness and burst are very good, and his athleticism allows him to put speed moves on both tackles and guards. His size allows him to play both 4-3 DT and DE.

With that in mind, Green is already a better player than Nassib. Green has the potential to become a perennial pro-bowler, especially if he’s playing opposite an elite end such as Garrett.

Green needs a lot of work, but he could become a huge piece of the Browns’ defense. As one anonymous AFC regional scout said via NFL.com:

"“I wanted him to go back to school because he probably would have been a top-10 pick next year. He’s not strong enough to handle NFL guys yet so this year may be a redshirt year for him. He’s got some serious juice though. He’s going to be a dude when it all comes together.”"

The Browns can afford to give him the time he needs to develop. The problem is, because of his immense talent, he may not last to pick 64.

The Browns may need to package some of their late-round picks or even a pick in 2019 to move up for him. If they have to do that, it will be worth the investment.

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The drafting of Green or any defensive end would make Nassib and Orchard expendable, as the Browns will likely keep only four ends. Green would be a significant upgrade over both players and should be a top target for Cleveland in April.

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