Harrison Bryant bucks the trend

Harrison BryantCOLUMBUS, OH - AUGUST 31: Harrison Bryant #40 of the Florida Atlantic Owls hauls in a 26-yard pass as Jahsen Wint #23 of the Ohio State Buckeyes defends in the third quarter at Ohio Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated Florida Atlantic 45-21. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Posted By: County Sports Network April 26, 2020

Harrison Bryant bucks the trend

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By STEVE KING

My heart sank into my stomach when I saw that the Browns used their first pick on Saturday afternoon’s third and final day of the NFL Draft, in the fourth round at No. 115 overall, to take tight end Harrison Bryant from Florida Atlantic.

Ugh!

Double-ugh!!

A tight end? A tight end?! You’ve got to be kidding me?

The Browns went into the day needing defensive help, first and foremost. Sure, they still have a few holes on offense, but they’ve got so many more holes on defense, which looks like a piece of swiss cheese in comparison. Plus they already threw a lot of money at Austin Hooper in free agency to sign the best tight end on the market. And did we forget that the Browns also have under-achieving, but-still-young, David Njoku, a first-round draft choice, in that tight end room?

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There are two-tight-end sets. Are the Browns looking to set some kind of record by having the wherewithal to use five- or six-tight-end sets?

Let’s be clear, too, that this is Harrison BRYANT, not Harrison Ford, in case the Browns thought, just for kicks, that they’d draft an iconic actor to entertain them during down time.

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And he’s from Florida ATLANTIC, not Florida State, Florida or Miami (Fla,). Did somebody in Berea miss that?

For that matter, did somebody in Berea miss all of this?

No, the people in Berea knew exactly what they were doing.

Why?

I don’t know what they’re going to say, and I really don’t care. That’s their business.

But I know why I would have drafted Bryant. It’s not because he had a lot of big games, but that he had one huge, off-the-charts game in catching six passes – yes, six, count ’em, six — against Ohio State.

That’s the same Ohio State team that is sending all kinds of defensive players to the NFL in the draft this year. The Buckeyes are no slouches.

So, yes, while Florida Atlantic, as a team, got squished like a bug in Columbus, Ford — er, Bryant — certainly didn’t.

We hear all the time about the accomplishments from these players at small schools. They did this against Rat River Community College, they did that against West-By-Northwest State Teachers College and they did this, that and the other against Pothole State. You have to put all that into its proper perspective. Being a big fish in a small pond isn’t going to cut it in the NFL.

But being a big fish in a big pond, which is what Bryant was against the Bucks, has a real chance to cut it in the league.

The Browns already have another guy who, as I’ve written any number of times, really caught my attention with what he did against all those five-star athletes from Ohio State in a game at Ohio Stadium.

His name is Baker Mayfield. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.

So, then, I’m OK with Harrison Bryant, and Harrison Ford, too, for that matter, but that’s another story for another time.

Can Harrison Bryant play defense?

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