Once again, the Cleveland Browns won’t be active early in the NFL Draft.
Barring a major turn of events, they won’t be on the clock until the second round.
That means they’ll have to do a lot of diligence on some high-upside and not-so-known prospects.
With that in mind, Tony Pauline reports that they’ve shown an interest in South Dakota State interior offensive lineman Mason McCormick (via Noah Schaefer on Twitter).
The #Browns have registered a lot of interest in South Dakota State interior offensive lineman Mason McCormick, according to @TonyPauline.
McCormick had a 85 PFF grade in both run blocking and pass blocking last season, along with a 9.96 Relative Athletic Score at the combine. pic.twitter.com/7hf2vwDXkc
— Noah Schaefer (@Brownscentral_) March 28, 2024
Standing at 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, he’s built like the prototypical NFL offensive guard.
He has the strength and raw power to be a force at the line of scrimmage, and he excelled as a run blocker during his time in college.
His ability to make an impact at the point of attack would be tailor-made for this team.
Despite his big frame, he has solid footwork and a set of moves that allow him to be efficient in tight spaces regardless of the blocking scheme.
He’s also a physical force against opposing pass rushers, although he could certainly improve in the passing game, as he struggled with inconsistency for most of his collegiate career.
The potential is most definitely there, and he should be available around the third or the fourth round of the upcoming edition of the NFL Draft.
He has a high football IQ, and his physical traits make it seem like he could be trusted to make an impact right away, even as a rotational piece, so it will definitely be interesting to see if the Browns wind up taking him.