When the Cleveland Browns traded back up into the first round, questions abounded. Who was the front office trying to target with the 29th overall pick? After trading down from 12th to 25th, many thought that the Browns had made their last pick. However, this proved incorrect as Cleveland selected David Njoku 29th overall. As a tight end out of Miami (FL), Njoku is an athletic freak. At only 20 years old, he might be young. However, Njoku is almost ready to be a star in the NFL. If the Browns want to succeed in 2017, they should look to make him the focal point of the offense.
Cleveland Browns Offense Should Feature David Njoku
Athleticism
By far, the hardest thing to ignore about Njoku is his athleticism. In the first round, the Browns obviously wanted to make their team more explosive and athletic. And they hit a bullseye and a half with the Njoku pick. Standing at 6’4, 246, Njoku ran an incredible 4.64 40-yard dash. Additionally, he had a 37.5-inch vertical jump and a 133-inch broad jump. For his size, that’s incredible. If that doesn’t prove his athleticism, just watch him. David Njoku is an athletic freak, plain and simple.
Now, he still has a bit of development to do. Many scouts have noted that Njoku, “doesn’t even know how good he is yet,” and that’s a perfect description. Again, he’s only 20 years old. However, David Njoku’s potential is absolutely through the roof. While on the Hurricanes, he led the team in yards after the catch. For a tight end, that’s quite rare.
A Prime Target
Under the previous regime led by Ray Farmer, the Browns didn’t see wide receiver as a big need. Unfortunately for them, they failed to see the error of their ways. Wide receiver was one of, if not the biggest need on those Browns teams. But now, under the direction of Hue Jackson and Sashi Brown, the receiving corps is beginning to return to something of a respectable form. And with as inept a quarterback room as the Browns have, they need a few great receivers and tight ends. That’s where David Njoku comes in.
Right off the bat, Njoku’s catch radius is hard not to notice. Of course, that’s to be expected from such a big target. But again, this comes back to Njoku’s insane athleticism. So not only can he go up and get overthrown passes, but he can also contort his body to make a catch. For Cody Kessler, Brock Osweiler, and perhaps DeShone Kizer, this is a great sign. In the past, all of them have had inconsistencies with their accuracy. Really, just look at the difference in Osweiler from his time in Denver to last year in Houston. It’s like night and day. So needless to say, any quarterback the Browns put on the field this year will be more than happy to have Njoku to bail them out.
Open Up the Offense
Often, a great running back can open up a team’s offense, and that makes a lot of sense. In basketball, how do you open up the three-point shot? By driving inside and hitting your layups and mid-range shots. In football, you run it down the defense’s throat in order to open the passing game. However, there is another way to get your passing game to succeed. Let’s call it the “Calvin Johnson Effect.”
The Calvin Johnson Effect, or CJE, is a simple two-step process. First of all, your team must possess a large, athletic receiver. See here: David Njoku. Next, just keep throwing to that receiver. If all goes well, that receiver should see a slight decline in their numbers. This is a good thing for your team, logically. You see, the other team’s defense is spending so much attention on that one receiver, that the other receivers are left wide open. Therefore, your team’s offense can get going more easily through other players. For the other team, this is a vicious cycle. For the Browns with Njoku, it could mean a lot of free points.
Conclusion
In short, David Njoku is too athletic not to be featured in the Browns offense. For the Browns quarterback room, he could be something of a savior. A big-bodied receiver (who can also block) with an amazing catch radius. Additionally, his athleticism cannot be overstated. As the focal point of the Browns offense in 2017, he could make that entire machine go. Everything about Njoku screams “unending potential.” At such a young age, David Njoku has shown how good he already is. There’s no telling how good he could be.
