Cleveland Browns: Grading the 2020 NFL Draft class, pick-by-pick analysis

Draft Grade: B

I wasn’t in love with this pick when it was made by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but the more I think about it, it grows on me more and more. For this pick, I am putting full trust in head coach Kevin Stefanski to find the best way to utilize the talents of Harrison Bryant.

Although he’s listed as a tight end, Harrison Bryant spent most of his time split out into the slot, detached from the line at Florida Atlantic. As a senior, Bryant racked up 1,004 receiving yards on 65 catches, including seven touchdowns, earning him the John Mackey Award as the best tight end in the nation.

Obviously, spending so much time split out wide, Bryant isn’t an overly effective in-line blocker. However, he is willing and relatively capable as a blocker on the end of the line, and especially out in space. The Cleveland Browns brought in Austin Hooper in free agent who can be the true two-way number one tight end when it comes to blocking and receiving, leaving Bryant to play a different hybrid role.

I’m not quite sure what this selection means for the future of former first-round pick David Njoku, but assuming he is still in the fold, Bryant can be a bit of a TE3/WR3, slot hybrid player. Well… maybe fourth wide receiver given a later pick, but nonetheless, Bryant should be a weapon out of the slot, just like he was at Florida Atlantic.

There were some better options out there at the tight end position, in my opinion, both as a true in-line end as well as a slot weapon. But Harrison Bryant is a solid player with the potential to fill both down the road and should be utilized creatively by tight end-loving Kevin Stefanski.