Can Austin Watkins And Ronnie Hickman Overcome The Odds
Photo Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
With new rules in the NFL this year, roster cuts aren’t stair-stepped throughout the preseason. While that doesn’t mean teams won’t make a few cuts each week, the team doesn’t have to be down to 53 until August 29.
Without those staggered cuts, a few young guys will get a couple of extra weeks to put up film in the preseason to earn their spot.
those extra weeks will likely mean the most to the undrafted free agents. The guys that have more to prove than anyone. Every extra opportunity to catch a coaches, I is another chance to make their NFL dreams come true.
While it is unlikely for a team to find a diamond in the undrafted, rough like Arian Foster, Adam Thelen, or Wes Welker it’s not unreasonable to believe you could find contributors. Football is one between the margins and every improvement to any spot on your roster matters, even if it’s the last guy contributing on special teams.
Two Browns have already had a strong training camp and had a few moments of jumping off the film in Friday’s preseason game.
Austin Watkins Jr.
The former UAB standout started his career as an undrafted free agent in 2021 with the San Francisco 49ers. After two seasons in the Bay area, Watkins signed with the Browns in late July and has really jumped off the screen at times.
The preseason game last week was no different. While getting reps with the second- and third-string offense, Watkins tallied six receptions on eight targets for 71 yards. That stat line was better than any positional player for either team.
So, what is it about Watkins that is making him stand out? Well to this point, it’s been about everything. The organization loves his speed and size at 6’3” inches, 210 lbs., but he also has elite quickness that he utilizes in the break of his route tree.
Watkins has the size to go up and catch a 50/50 ball. He has the athleticism to get separation on a long crossing route. To top it off, he’s also shown that he has extremely strong hands and just finds a way to come down with the ball.
Austin Watkins Jr. putting on a show 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NC8Vd7Mv3c
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 6, 2023
There are likely five locks on this roster at wide receiver in Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, and David Bell. It’s tough to tell how many they’ll keep, but Watkins may make things interesting with how well he continues to perform in camp and on the field.
Ronnie Hickman Jr.
Perhaps one of the biggest busts in Ohio State history was Ronnie Hickman in 2022. After flashes of brilliance in 2021 — admittedly on a bad defense— everyone expected Hickman to absolutely explode at the bullet (rover) position.
I’m not saying that Hickman completely laid in egg, but after jumping off the film in 2021, he went relatively unnoticed for much of his final year in Columbus.
Because I had seen Hickman’s potential at Ohio State, I was thrilled when the Cleveland Browns signed him the evening after the final day of the draft. Even though he didn’t have a stellar final year in college, his “tweener” size is what really turned teams away.
After watching him last Friday, Hickman has trimmed down a bit to 209 lbs. and flew around at safety, grabbing two nice interceptions to go along with five tackles. Yes, he was playing against second- and third-string players, but he still looked like a solid NFL player.
Former Ohio State Buckeye Ronnie Hickman with his SECOND interception on the night for the #Browns.
pic.twitter.com/g2GzbFjLt4— The Scarlet and Gray Podcast (@TheSG_Podcast) August 12, 2023
Currently, the Browns have Grant Delpit, Juan Thornhill, and Rodney McLeod who will al certainly make the roster. Most expect D’Anthony Bell to be the fourth safety, but if Hickman can show he can play special teams, I think he can be the fifth safety on this roster in 2023.
When it comes to drafting players, it’s not as much about hitting in the first three rounds that makes or breaks you as a general manager, but it’s more about finding those guys on days two and three who can bring production. I believe Watkins and Hickman both deserve to make this roster and will get a chance to have some production in 2023.
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