Cleveland Browns: Five first-round targets in the 2021 NFL Draft
By Kyle Edmond
Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
Denzel Ward has been one of the best cornerbacks in the league when healthy and the Browns were under the impression he would be paired with Greedy Williams on the opposite side. Those plans looked great on paper, but injuries to Williams have kept him out all season.
Cleveland has other corners on the roster that have filled in well in Williams’ absence, but they still want to find a young player to pair with Ward for the future. What better place to look than where Ward came from and a school known for creating cornerback talent, Ohio State.
The shortened season in the Big Ten really hurt Shaun Wade‘s value for the 2021 NFL Draft going from what could have been a Top 10 pick, where Ohio State corners normally go, to a fringe first-round pick.
Regardless, there’s a pipeline of NFL cornerbacks that runs through Columbus, Ohio and Wade is the next in line. Over 30 career games at Ohio State thus far Wade has been able to snag six interceptions and tally 17 passes defended. Ward, who has been great in Cleveland, has just seven interceptions over 35 career NFL games, but his passes defended are much higher at 38.
Wade will have a big test against Clemson that will be telling of how his skills will translate to the NFL. If he’s on the board, then the Browns have to at least consider him.