The Browns give Mike Hall Jr. the chance to pursue NFL dreams in his backyard

Mike Hall Jr., a native of Streetsboro, Ohio, doesn’t have to travel far to launch his professional career. After leaving 216 to attend Ohio State University, Hall heard his name called in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.

Hall will become a professional in the city he grew up in, with a team and a plan that fits perfectly with what he does best: creating chaos.

Browns fans got the full Jim Schwartz experience in the 2023 season, when Cleveland was the number one defense in the league. Week after week, Schwartz let his defensive line play with very few rules other than football.

Cleveland’s defensive line is in a very unique position heading into 2024. It’s a veteran-laden group that has a handful of guys on one-year contracts, most notably Maurice Hurst and Shelby Harris. The group of interior linemen is completed by Dalvin Tomlinson, Siaki Ika and new addition Quinton Jefferson.

Hall joins that group with no pressure to perform right away, but the opportunity to have a major impact on the defense for years to come.

From a statistical standpoint, Hall doesn’t jump off the page. He finished 2023 with 24 total tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. From the defensive tackle position in the college game, statistics are difficult to come by. But what he does on tape stands out without a doubt. He rushes with a motor that is second to none, while complementing the run game with his 290-pound frame.

Hall fits perfectly into Cleveland’s defensive scheme and will have a chance to thrive under Jim Schwartz. Expect it to take a back seat in 2024 before bursting onto the scene in 2025. This appears to be a very good second-round pick for the Cleveland Browns.