Ranking and grading every ball carrier on the Cleveland Browns ahead of training camp

Ranking and Grading the ball carriers

Honorable Mention

I think Demetric Felton will be playing at receiver this year, but he’s still listed as a running back so we’ll include him as an Honorable Mention for right now. John Kelly is a solid hand but he’s not on the level of the three top dogs, and Jerome Fords will be given priority due to his rookie status. If he’s still around after camp, he’ll be on the practice squad.

5. Jerome Ford (R)

The Browns must like Jerome Ford as a prospect because they’re going to be carrying a fourth running back on their roster just to keep him from being picked up by someone else. Ford isn’t likely to get many, if any reps, so it’s hard to say he’ll improve his grade this year. Maybe next year if the Browns move on from the top guys right ahead of him on the depth chart but for sure not this year.

Grade: C-

4. Johnny Stanton

As a fullback in 2020 or 2021, I would have Johnny Stanton’s grade a bit higher, but I just don’t see the Browns using him that much, which is a shame, as Stanton is a playmaker ready to go. He can play three different positions on offense but Kevin Stefanski has proven time and time again that he isn’t that creative to utilize a guy like Stanton. Maybe Stanton would have a better season if he had a New Orleans-type offense to play in, one that adapts to players, but in Cleveland, he’ll play maybe 18% of the offensive seasonal reps; and that’s if Stefanski doesn’t abandon the position outright.

Grade: C+

3. D’Ernest Johnson

I think the Browns can get as much out of D’Ernest Johnson as they could from Kareem Hunt, the reason why Johnson is lower than Hunt is simply because Hunt has had a thousand-yard season to his name once before, while Johnson hasn’t. There’s an expectation that Hunt has that Johnson doesn’t have yet. The Browns could do fine with Johnson as the feature runner if it came to that.

Grade: B-

2. Kareem Hunt

I don’t think Kareem Hunt was ever a Top 10 running back, and the people who do are only basing it off of one year of production. It’s very likely that his big year was more a fluke than anything else. His running style is abrasive, which is good, but he stops his feet when he makes contact and rips his hips up and through to try and break tackles. It doesn’t work that often. He also is supposedly a great receiver out of the backfield but he’s not putting up the highlight real plays that would support that theory. We also saw Felton replace Hunt on a few occasions where Hunt would have been the more obvious choice.

Grade: B

1. Nick Chubb

I don’t like the “who’s the best” argument because more than likely there’s a handful of guys who are the best; or are at the elite level. I think there are a few guys in the NFL who, if healthy, are every bit of dangerous as Chubb. That said, I don’t think there’s anyone better.

Grade: A+