Cleveland Browns: 3 defensive rookies with breakout potential
By Kyle Edmond
Tommy Togiai, DT, Cleveland Browns
The defensive line in Cleveland was rather strong last season, but the team lost a lot of pieces in the middle of the line. Both Larry Ogunjobi and Sheldon Richardson are no longer on the team and while the Browns did bring in Malik Jackson and will get Andrew Billings back, the position might be the biggest question mark on the roster.
One player that has the potential to emerge from the masses is 2021 fourth round pick Tommy Togiai out of Ohio State. Listed on the roster at 6-foot-1, 300 pounds Togiai might actually be a bit undersized from what is typically viewed as a defensive tackle. However, what he might lack in height, he makes up for on the field.
With Ohio State, Togiai played in just 22 games, but he made the most of his time on the field. In total, he ended his career with 49 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and one forced fumble. While there isn’t one stat that jumps off the page, Togiai did a little bit of everything which will be key in a depth role and gaining more time on the field as the season progresses.
The defensive tackle position will have a lot of competition in Cleveland, including from undrafted free agent Marvin Wilson who just a year ago was considered a potential first round prospect. When the dust settles, Togiai could be one of the key pieces of the unit.