There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the Cleveland Browns this offseason, from the quarterback battle to the Myles Garrett trade to the coaching search and so much more. Of all the conversations, one of the biggest ones was the rookie class that Andrew Berry put together during April’s NFL Draft.
It was widely regarded as one of the best in the entire NFL as they addressed needs at several positions and found serious value all throughout the draft. It was all talk and conversation up until Saturday. Saturday in Chicago was the first time that the NFL community got the opportunity to see this class on the field, and they did not disappoint.
Spencer Fano
The Browns’ first pick in the Draft was Spencer Fano. The tackle from Utah was one of the consensus top picks in the draft, and the Browns were able to acquire him after a trade down. Fano made his name at Utah by playing right tackle, and after being drafted, he was slated to flip over to the left side and become the future left tackle for the Browns. That’s not an easy task, but he is up to the task.
Fano more than held his own on Saturday against the Bears, and one of the things that he excels at is meeting the point of attack with power but on balance. He is so fundamental in his approach, and it leads to many wins up front. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good.
KC Concepcion
Just get the ball in this kid’s hands and watch him go to work. His first touch as a Cleveland Brown was a punt return that he returned back 31 yards to set up the Browns’ first scoring drive. He added several tough catches in traffic and ended his day with an end-around run for a touchdown. Buy all of the stock you possibly can on this young player.
Denzel Boston
Boston and Concepcion will be a great one-two punch in Cleveland for hopefully a very long time. While today was the Concepcion show, Boston was more than effective in his one touch of the ball. The Browns had it on third and six, and they went to their new big-bodied wide receiver. Boston ran a hitch route, and Deshaun Watson drove it on him for a first-down conversion that he turned up the field for more. Boston finished with just that one catch for 15 yards, but his presence was felt.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
McNeil-Warren got a good amount of snaps in the back end of the Browns defense on Saturday, but his impact was hardly felt. It wasn’t that he was out of place, but from a passing perspective, the Bears were conservative in the first quarter before hitting some big plays in the second. McNeil-Warren finished the game with four tackles on the day.
Austin Barber
Austin Barber had a tough day at right tackle for the Browns. He came in with the second group of linemen and was a direct result of two sacks up front, one of the critical ones coming on a fourth down. Not only did he struggle up front, but his day ended with an ankle injury that looked bad, but he was able to leave the field under his own power.
Justin Jefferson
Jefferson’s performance is going to need more evaluation to it as an off-ball linebacker can impact games in different ways. He finished the day with four tackles and just two solo stops. He will be a player to continue to keep your eyes on as the Browns build depth behind their two starting linebackers.
Cleveland’s rookie class has the potential to be incredible if they continue to stay the course. Saturday was a positive step in the right direction for the entire group, and they will need to continue to improve and evolve their games. They have the potential to be a cornerstone class for this franchise now and into the future.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns’ rookie class shines in first preseason game against the Bears
Reporting by Anthony Moeglin, Browns Wire / Browns Wire
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By Anthony Moeglin, Browns Wire | USA TODAY Network
