Grading the Cleveland Browns 2020 draft class at the mid-year point

BEREA, OHIO - AUGUST 29: Linebacker Jacob Phillips #50 of the Cleveland Browns works out during training camp at the Browns training facility on August 29, 2020 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
BEREA, OHIO - AUGUST 29: Linebacker Jacob Phillips #50 of the Cleveland Browns works out during training camp at the Browns training facility on August 29, 2020 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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BEREA, OH – JUNE 14: Grant Delpit #22 of the Cleveland Browns intercepts a pass intended for Amari Cooper #2 during the Cleveland Browns mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 14, 2022 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
BEREA, OH – JUNE 14: Grant Delpit #22 of the Cleveland Browns intercepts a pass intended for Amari Cooper #2 during the Cleveland Browns mandatory minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on June 14, 2022 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) /

S Grant Delpit (44th Overall)

Grant Delpit had a built-in excuse for his poor play after suffering an Achilles tendon tear as a rookie. He was out for an entire year and only came back in 2021. If he was terrible out of the gate, I don’t think people would be too surprised, after all, that’s often a career-ending or altering injury.

Yet, he came back in 2021, and while he wasn’t a star, he was fine. He posted a 63.3 rating on PFF for his overall defensive play while posting a 64.5 score for his coverage. He wasn’t great against the run but he was a solid guy to blitz.

It wasn’t a good season, but considering what he came off of, and what he showed in comparatively limited action, there was potential there. Yet, he’s completely fallen off in 2022. He’s now just posting a 55.0 grade on PFF, and a 47.8 grade for coverage. He’s fallen off, and there is no built-in excuse this time.

Made even worse, the only “good” game he had so far in 2022 was against Atlanta, and Marcus Mariota. Mariota threw just 19 times in the game and barely at all in the second half, with the Falcons rushing the ball 35 times. So Delpit’s loan good game isn’t even a “good game”. It was just a game where he wasn’t challenged.

Now you have to factor in as well the fact that he and Denzel Ward are at each other’s throats, and you can see that Delpit earned his grade.

Grade: D-