Grading the Cleveland Browns 2023 NFL Draft picks
By Chad Porto
Pick #126 – DE Isaiah McGuire
Isaiah McGuire was the Cleveland Browns’ first real attempt to add some depth to the defensive end spot. Tall for a defensive end, the 6’4, 268 lbs player out of Missouri with a great positional 40-time of 4.76. He has a solid wing span of 82”, while also possessing a vertical leap of 36.5” and a broad jump of 122”.
McGuire may not be the best at getting sacks, but it looks like he’s the perfect type of defensive end to knock down balls at the line of scrimmage.
He’s improved in the last three years while at Missouri, going from a 61.8 grade in seven games in 2020 to an 81.2 grade in 2022 while playing 12 games. He’s topped out at 8.5 sacks as a senior, and with his inconsistent play against lesser teams, it seems as though he could be a streaky player in the pros.
What worries me the most about McGuire is that while he does top out well with an 82.0 pas rush grade by PFF, he only has a 74.3 run defense grade. Since these are grades in totality across the season, it’s very easy to see that he probably had a few strong games which bolstered his score. If he were more consistent, the number would be higher.
Player Comparison: Isaiah Thomas
Grade: C+
Thoughts: The Browns got a carbon copy player with Isaiah McGuire, as he’s a near dead-ringer for another Isaiah on the team, Isaiah Thomas. Both Thomas and McGuire play defensive end, both have height, both weigh about the same and both possess the projected skill of swatting balls away. It feels like the team has really fallen in love with specific players, regardless of need.