Joe Lefeged - SS
College: Rutgers
Height: 6-0 Weight:210
Projection: 4th to 6th round
Joe Lefeged (pronounced Lef-edge) is a good-sized, strong safety prospect who has distinguished himself in the Big East playing for Rutgers. He is a play maker that has a nose for the ball and always seems to be where the action is on the field. In 2010 he put himself on the map by causing two fumbles, blocking two punts and intercepting a pass all in the same game against FIU. Lefeged is also a stand-out special teams player averaging 24.9 yards per kick return as a senior.
Browns Gold
Lefeged had an excellent combine especially in the 40 yard dash in which he eclipsed all of the other safeties and gave the corners a run for the best time. He plays well against the run by clogging up running lanes and avoiding blockers. He is a physical player and a hard-hitter in the mold of T. J. Ward which should strike some fear into Browns opponents. He started at safety for 3 years and played in 49 consecutive games so his durability is exceptional.
Fools Gold
Lefeged's weakness is in pass coverage outside the box or in zone situations. He does not work well in space and can play out of control and take himself away from the action. Lefeged did not make a lot of interceptions logging only two in spite of seeing a lot of playtime throughout his 4-year college career. He can sometimes demonstrate poor form tackling either by not wrapping up or letting himself get too high.
If there is one thing that Lefeged has it is physical ability. He is a great leaper and has exceptional speed for a man of his size and build. He has a body and frame well suited to football and has not had a serious injury in 4 years of collegiate play. The Browns current roster lists only one strong safety, Sabby Piscitelli, a 4th year player released last year from Tampa Bay. Lefeged would be a great situational player and could make an immediate impact on special teams.