Cleveland Browns: Five first-round targets in the 2021 NFL Draft

Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas

When we talk about positions that are solid on the surface but can lack depth at times for the Cleveland Browns the defensive end and edge rush are near the top of the list. Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon have shown to be one of the better duos off the edge in the league, however, the guys behind them on the depth chart can be a steep dip in production.

Since it isn’t necessarily a top need, the Browns don’t have to take an edge rusher in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. With that being said, they could make a big splash if the right player is available and their other needs are off the board.

One of the players that could warrant that type of consideration would be Joseph Ossai who can play off the edge as both a defensive end and a linebacker. Sacks aren’t really his forte with just 11.5 over 29 collegiate games, but his ability to make tackles for a loss while also being able to drop into coverage if needed would be valuable.

During the 2019 season, Ossai tallied 90 tackles over 13 games with 13.5 being tackles for loss as well as five sacks. He was also able to snag two interceptions as well as force a fumble. As for this season, Ossai has played in nine games, four fewer than last season, but has been able to increase his tackles for loss to 15.5 and sacks to 5.5 while forcing three fumbles.

Ossai seems like the ideal player to rotate off the edge to keep fresh legs. He can make a big play at any point and doesn’t need to be on the field every play for his impact to be felt.