Michael Hall Jr. could be perfect fit for Browns’ defense

BEREA, Ohio — With no first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft and no selections in the top 50, the Cleveland Browns were unlikely to get a blue-chip prospect.

But among the team’s six picks, the Browns’ first selection was a player they believe has an invaluable skill set, one that could allow him to make an impact as a rookie.

The Browns selected Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. with the No. 54 overall pick, and though he was the seventh defensive tackle selected in the second round, Cleveland got a player it views is a perfect fit for its scheme.

“With Mike, he’s really tailor-made for our attack front,” general manager Andrew Berry said. “He’s explosive, he’s quite quick. He can rush the passer. He’s long, and he plays, really with a very high motor. He’s really the quintessential 3-technique in our defense. And for us, pass-rushers will always come at a premium, especially those that can affect the pocket from inside, and we think that’s something that Mike will be able to do along our front. So, we’re really excited to kind of keep him home, so to speak, and think his skill set and passion really matches perfectly for our organization.”

Hall, an Ohio native, recorded six sacks during three seasons at Ohio State. His 4.5 sacks in 2022 were tied for the team lead.

“I would just say my explosiveness and my get off, just having my toolbox,” Hall said to describe pass-rush skills. “Just learning that from Larry Johnson, my position coach at Ohio State. He developed me great into a player, just understanding different moves that I was already good at. It’s just working off that and just having a good foundation, and he was able to build off that.”

Though Hall’s sack total dropped in his junior season, the Browns saw an impact past those raw figures. Hall had the second-highest pressure percentage among FBS players with at least 100 pass rushes from the 1-technique — shading over the center — since 2021, according to ESPN’s Stats & Information Group. The Browns’ hope is that on a deep defensive front led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett and three-time Pro Bowler Za’Darius Smith, Hall can win 1-on-1 matchups inside.

In the last two offseasons, several defensive tackles who can rush the passer have received lucrative deals. Berry said scouting players who can do so is one of the hardest things to find. So, the Browns view Hall’s ability as a commodity.

“He was really one of the more disruptive forces in college football, specifically in pass rush,” Berry said.

Hall laughed off a scouting report questioning his size — 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds — and ability to hold up in the trenches. At Ohio State, his teammates gave him the nickname “Baby Aaron Donald,” a nod to his standing as a smaller but dominant lineman. Hall won’t be expected to routinely take on double teams, but Berry downplayed concerns about Hall’s stature.

“It’s not a space-eating position for us,” Berry said. “We want guys who can move. And so our prototype for the position is going to look a little bit different than other schemes in the league.”

The Browns particularly opted to take a position that was already stocked with options over a position with less depth, such as wide receiver, or even trade back to accumulate more picks. With the run on defensive tackles, the team saw it as one of the last opportunities to get a player with a rare ability.

This offseason, Cleveland re-signed Smith, Maurice Hurst II and Shelby Harris. The team also signed veteran Quinton Jefferson to join the defensive front. Their experience won’t force the team to play Hall early. Many of the team’s defensive lineman, though, are over the age of 30. That’s why the Browns see the selection of Hall as a long-term investment, especially since he won’t turn 21 until June. But given the value placed on interior pass rush and Hall’s youth, Cleveland landed a prospect who could contribute early with a ceiling they believe won’t be reached for several years.

“We’ll always want to be strong up front,” Berry said. “We want to make sure that our defensive front, it’s a lot like the (Cleveland) Guardians have a reliever day, where you’re throwing five or six pitchers for one to two innings apiece. That’s really how our defensive line rotation, that’s what it’s predicated upon, is guys throwing fastballs and then you’re really exchanging them out, almost like hockey shifts.”