As the NFL Draft winds down, teams usually start to make their “throw-away” picks. For instance, the Cincinnati Bengals selected a kicker in the fifth round. Sure, it wasn’t the Roberto Aguayo situation, but the Bengals told the league that “kickers are people too” with their pick. Additionally, the Browns took Arizona State’s Zane Gonzalez with one of their seventh-round picks. While “The In-Zane One” is deadly accurate, kickers don’t usually see a draft spot. Following that pick, Sashi Brown knew there was still some value remaining in this draft. With the 252nd overall pick, Cleveland stumbled upon NC State running back Matt Dayes. In the right situation, Dayes could be the ultimate draft day steal for the Dawg Pound.
Matt Dayes: The Ultimate Cleveland Browns Sleeper Pick
Physical Build
Let’s take a look at what Matt Dayes brings to the table physically. At 5’9″ and 205 pounds, one could say he’s a relatively compactly built running back. He isn’t as small or as light as Darren Sproles. Additionally, he isn’t a semi-truck on the football field like draft classmate Leonard Fournette. However, Dayes has still found his way as a hybrid of the two main running back archetypes. He isn’t overly fast or strong because he’s both. Say what you will about the downsides of being a jack of all trades, but in today’s NFL, teams need someone like that.
While Dayes lacks the size to run with true power, he isn’t exactly a three-down back. However, he might not need to be. With Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson being on the Browns roster, Dayes can fill in whenever he needs to. Additionally, Dayes has the skills to catch out of the backfield. With a speedy but durable back like him, Cody Kessler will love throwing screen passes in 2017.
Longevity
“Longevity” and “running back” usually don’t belong in the same sentence. As NFL fans know, running backs tend to fall off the face of the earth as soon as they hit 30. That being said, Matt Dayes is already 23. So, what gives? If the Browns know he might only have seven years left, why would they pick him? Well, the answer is simple.
Looking at Dayes’s resume, one must notice that the 2014 season is basically a blank slate. That’s because Dayes only started two games that year. Prior to that, he was a mostly streak-based receiver. Taking another look shows that Dayes has a very slight injury history. In 2015, during his breakout season, Dayes suffered a “turf toe” injury. Therefore, his only true full season at running back was last year. Matt Dayes might have the age of a 23-year-old, but the body of someone who’s about 21.
A Position of Need?
Truthfully, the Browns running back crew could lose its core this off-season. As of the time of writing, Isaiah Crowell still hasn’t re-signed with the Browns. Thankfully though, Duke Johnson is still a lock on the roster. However, if “The Crow” leaves, that leaves a hole at running back in Cleveland. Let’s follow the NFL’s “next man up” mentality.
For a moment, let’s presume that Crowell is leaving Cleveland. That means Duke Johnson will be seeing the field a lot more in Cleveland. Normally, he was their third-down back in 2015 and 2016. But now there’s a hole at that position. And right there is where Matt Dayes comes in really handy. Moving from third-down to three-down, Duke Johnson is going to need a backup (in the form of Dayes).
Conclusion
In the draft’s late rounds and during undrafted free agency, value is relatively hard to find. Okay, sure, Tom Brady and Kurt Warner fit the bill. But those two are the exceptions to the rule. Under the right circumstances, Dayes could be another exception. While he isn’t a real “stud” running back, he can be a football version of a pinch hitter. As a third-down back, Dayes isn’t expected to carry all of the load. If Hue Jackson uses him in the right situation, he could become a Dawg Pound fan favorite relatively soon.
