Grading the Cleveland Browns draft class for 2022
By Chad Porto
Round 3, Pick 78 – DE Alex Wright (UAB)
The Browns got a defensive end that only had 11.5 career sacks. In Conference USA. He couldn’t even dominate the C-tier college football conference. Yet, the Cleveland Browns think he’s going to have the ability to get depth and produce pressure against the best the NFL has to offer? Even as a backup this isn’t a great look.
You can quote his PFF stats for their pressure rats and pass-rush win rates all you want, but that’s just talking about how close a player came to almost doing something. Wright is going to be a backup coming into the NFL and there’s a good reason why he wasn’t a higher pick. He is 6’7 and that’s not nothing, but the Browns sacrificed receivers and defensive tackles for a corner and an end.
I know he’s PFF’s C-USA Defensive Player of the year, but their offensive player of the year, Bailey Zappe is a career backup waiting to happen; in the XFL. So let’s not put too much stock into Chris Collinsworth’s pet project. It’s good for adding context to a performance, it’s not the only tool you should be using in your evaluation toolbag.
He’s an average athlete, with subpar numbers, against inferior competition. This is not looking like a good pick. Prove me wrong.
Grade: D+