Browns Draft: DraftTek has near perfect 2021 mock draft for Cleveland
By Chad Porto
ILB. Ohio State. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player. 53. Tuf Borland. 257
Getting Chazz Surratt in the third to help bolster this weak linebacking corp was a great get. There are many who think Ohio State’s Stuf Borland is going to go in the fourth or fifth round. There are some who don’t have them on their boards. So if he’s still here in the seventh round, score!
Like with the sixth-round pick, Naquan Jones, there no longer is a “need” for any position nine picks in. This draft was well executed. Like with the last pick, we’ll defer to the saying yes, there is a need here, even though every position has been adequately taken care of by now.
As far as fit goes, Borland fits well in the middle of a conventional 4-3 defense, so maybe he doesn’t fit Joe Wood’s scheme perfectly. He’d possibly get reps when the team runs three linebackers, which is rare but does happen. Mostly he’d be a special teams guy. That said he does have 4.7 40-yard speed, which is adequate and despite tearing his Achilles, has mostly returned to form.
So he could be a great scheme fit, potentially.
As far as taken too high, no, it’s the end of the draft. You could literally draft a goat who kicks and people would be like “that’s a good value find by Cleveland”.
Lastly, any intangibles, and yes, Borland has them. Granted, he’s not an uber athlete, but he’s good enough to get by. No, what Borland has going for him is his ability to lead a team, and call defensive plays. Borland is seen by many as the defenses’ quarterback during his time at Ohio State. So even if he only gets to be a special teams player, then the Browns will have a guy who can be a captain of the under-appreciated unit.