Cleveland Browns: 5 offensive lineman to target after the 1st round

Brian O’Neill, Pittsburgh, OT

While Brian O’Neill may not big a Big Ten offensive lineman, he played at a football school for team whose climate certainly matches that of Cleveland’s while at the University of Pittsburgh.

With EDGE rushers getting faster by the second, O’Neill would be an intriguing addition because of his athleticism. He played receiver in high school and was recruited to Pitt as a tight end.

O’Neill’s Senior Bowl left a lot to be desired, but the 6-foot-7, 305-pounder only allowed 13 pressures over the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.

He took headlines at the combine by posing a 4.82 40-yard dash, the fastest time recorded by a lineman prospect this year.

O’Neill is going to take some time to develop into a starter, but his athleticism can’t be overlooked.

The O-line is thought of the place for “Slobs,” and it’s true, you want guys who will get down and dirty in the trenches, but having a great athlete at tackle is paramount.

Just look at Joe Thomas, who probably didn’t get enough credit for his athleticism throughout his Hall-of-Fame career.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projects O’Neill to be selected in the second or third round. With all of the draft capital the Browns possess, it’d be great to see the team somehow come away with O’Neill in the third round.