Josh Dooley
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Michael Hall Jr. drafted by hometown team, has chance to excel as a pro in Cleveland
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
As Cincinnati Bengals fan, my team taking a “Michigan Man” over Hall became a bitter pill to swallow during (NFL) draft weekend.
“With the 49th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Michael Hall Jr., defensive lineman from THE Ohio State University...” is what I wanted to hear when my favorite NFL team addressed their interior defensive line in the second round of this year’s draft. Instead, the Bengals chose Kris Jenkins Jr., formerly of Michigan. And while Jenkins Jr. is a fine, fine player – as well as an NFL legacy – I would be lying if I said that the selection of a “Michigan Man” over Hall (Jr. implied from here on out) did not sting quite a bit.
You see, Hall provides what Cincinnati is and has been missing: A quick, twitchy athlete (4.76 40-yard dash) along the interior of their defensive line, who also possesses an innate ability to get after the quarterback. Granted, Hall’s 2023 counting stats might not scream “ferocious pass rusher”, but there were plenty of flashes and examples of the former Buckeye at least creating pressure in opponents’ backfields. And college production is not necessarily the best indicator of NFL success, anyway. This is why the best NFL front offices also take into account potential and ceiling, both of which are very high for Hall.
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
So again, my Bengals ended up with Jenkins. And hopefully, he develops into a four-time Pro Bowler like his dad. He (Jr.) certainly boasts plenty of talent, and his NFL pedigree is something that, in theory, should give him some sort of inherent advantage over most other rookies/players. But I really believe that Hall will become a household name in Cleveland... If he is not already.
For those not familiar, Hall grew up in Streetsboro, a suburb of Cleveland, making his selection by the Browns a precursor to an eventual homecoming. He will now return to “The Land” as a football-playing prodigal son. He will play for his hometown team; a team that needs an interior pass rusher. Things could not have worked out any better, for the player or team!
But feel-good stories don’t mean squat out on the field. If Hall stinks, he will likely be referred to as a bust and hear boos from at least a portion of the Browns’ fanbase. However, I do not expect that (either) to be the case.
Because what Hall lacks in size (6-foot-2ish, 290 after a few cheat meals) he makes up for with strength and athleticism. He has violent hands and a nasty spin move, utilizing both and then all of the above in place of sheer mass. Had he weighed 305 or 310 at the NFL Combine, he likely would have been in the conversation with Byron Murphy as the top defensive tackle available. As it turns/turned out, Hall was drafted as DT4 but has the potential to match or exceed the production of all those DTs taken before him. How so? Allow me to explain...
For starters, Hall’s skillset is a perfect theoretical fit in Cleveland. With prototypical, space-eating 0-tech Dalvin Tomlinson swallowing up snaps at one DT spot, there is room for a complementary interior player next to him. Shelby Harris was supposed to be that guy for the Browns, however, he is about to turn 33 years old and was ineffective as a pass rusher last season. The team also signed Quinton Jefferson to help at DT, but he is coming off a double groin rupture (I just squirmed in my chair) and has spent the majority of his career at DE.
So not only does Hall complement Tomlinson and fill a need in Cleveland, but he will also (presumably) line up next to some guy named Myles Garrett from time to time... Not. Too. Shabby.
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Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
An(y) interior pass rusher who lines up next to Garrett is acquiring and doing so with the ultimate cheat code. The latter is on a shortlist of best defenders in the league and deals with consistent/frequent double teams from opponents, leaving his DT brethren to go 1-on-1 most of the time. This is an area where Hall excels. His size is an issue when taking on multiple 300-pounders, but when it’s 1v1, the former Buckeye can rely on his first step and overall quickness to blow past guys.
Now, I can’t and/or shouldn’t end this piece without acknowledging that Hall is far from a surefire Hall of Famer. He is undersized, produced just 45 total tackles and 6 sacks in Columbus, and was drafted outside the top 50 for a reason. Buuuut, I just can’t shake the feeling that Hall is going to torture not only my Bengals but most other teams throughout his NFL career. I believe that he is going to be more productive as a professional than he was in college, which is not unheard of by any means. Heck, it’s not unheard of for a Buckeye to do so. Compare the college and pro stats of Terry McLaurin, Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper, and others. Some players hit late or find their way into the right system(s) and then take off.
So against my will, I will be rooting for Hall as a Cleveland Brown. I think he has a chance to be special. But hopefully not against my team.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
As Cincinnati Bengals fan, my team taking a “Michigan Man” over Hall became a bitter pill to swallow during (NFL) draft weekend.
“With the 49th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Michael Hall Jr., defensive lineman from THE Ohio State University...” is what I wanted to hear when my favorite NFL team addressed their interior defensive line in the second round of this year’s draft. Instead, the Bengals chose Kris Jenkins Jr., formerly of Michigan. And while Jenkins Jr. is a fine, fine player – as well as an NFL legacy – I would be lying if I said that the selection of a “Michigan Man” over Hall (Jr. implied from here on out) did not sting quite a bit.
You see, Hall provides what Cincinnati is and has been missing: A quick, twitchy athlete (4.76 40-yard dash) along the interior of their defensive line, who also possesses an innate ability to get after the quarterback. Granted, Hall’s 2023 counting stats might not scream “ferocious pass rusher”, but there were plenty of flashes and examples of the former Buckeye at least creating pressure in opponents’ backfields. And college production is not necessarily the best indicator of NFL success, anyway. This is why the best NFL front offices also take into account potential and ceiling, both of which are very high for Hall.
So again, my Bengals ended up with Jenkins. And hopefully, he develops into a four-time Pro Bowler like his dad. He (Jr.) certainly boasts plenty of talent, and his NFL pedigree is something that, in theory, should give him some sort of inherent advantage over most other rookies/players. But I really believe that Hall will become a household name in Cleveland... If he is not already.
For those not familiar, Hall grew up in Streetsboro, a suburb of Cleveland, making his selection by the Browns a precursor to an eventual homecoming. He will now return to “The Land” as a football-playing prodigal son. He will play for his hometown team; a team that needs an interior pass rusher. Things could not have worked out any better, for the player or team!
But feel-good stories don’t mean squat out on the field. If Hall stinks, he will likely be referred to as a bust and hear boos from at least a portion of the Browns’ fanbase. However, I do not expect that (either) to be the case.
Because what Hall lacks in size (6-foot-2ish, 290 after a few cheat meals) he makes up for with strength and athleticism. He has violent hands and a nasty spin move, utilizing both and then all of the above in place of sheer mass. Had he weighed 305 or 310 at the NFL Combine, he likely would have been in the conversation with Byron Murphy as the top defensive tackle available. As it turns/turned out, Hall was drafted as DT4 but has the potential to match or exceed the production of all those DTs taken before him. How so? Allow me to explain...
For starters, Hall’s skillset is a perfect theoretical fit in Cleveland. With prototypical, space-eating 0-tech Dalvin Tomlinson swallowing up snaps at one DT spot, there is room for a complementary interior player next to him. Shelby Harris was supposed to be that guy for the Browns, however, he is about to turn 33 years old and was ineffective as a pass rusher last season. The team also signed Quinton Jefferson to help at DT, but he is coming off a double groin rupture (I just squirmed in my chair) and has spent the majority of his career at DE.
So not only does Hall complement Tomlinson and fill a need in Cleveland, but he will also (presumably) line up next to some guy named Myles Garrett from time to time... Not. Too. Shabby.
An(y) interior pass rusher who lines up next to Garrett is acquiring and doing so with the ultimate cheat code. The latter is on a shortlist of best defenders in the league and deals with consistent/frequent double teams from opponents, leaving his DT brethren to go 1-on-1 most of the time. This is an area where Hall excels. His size is an issue when taking on multiple 300-pounders, but when it’s 1v1, the former Buckeye can rely on his first step and overall quickness to blow past guys.
Now, I can’t and/or shouldn’t end this piece without acknowledging that Hall is far from a surefire Hall of Famer. He is undersized, produced just 45 total tackles and 6 sacks in Columbus, and was drafted outside the top 50 for a reason. Buuuut, I just can’t shake the feeling that Hall is going to torture not only my Bengals but most other teams throughout his NFL career. I believe that he is going to be more productive as a professional than he was in college, which is not unheard of by any means. Heck, it’s not unheard of for a Buckeye to do so. Compare the college and pro stats of Terry McLaurin, Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper, and others. Some players hit late or find their way into the right system(s) and then take off.
So against my will, I will be rooting for Hall as a Cleveland Brown. I think he has a chance to be special. But hopefully not against my team.
Continue reading...