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The Cleveland Browns have built a team that many expect to contend for a playoff berth - and possibly more - in the 2019 NFL season.
Two cornerstone’s of that team have been selected to Pro Football Focus’ list of the 50 best players in the NFL.
Checking in at No. 35 is defensive end Myles Garrett, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Don’t sleep on Myles Garrett in Cleveland this season! He checks in at No. 35 in the #PFF50.https://t.co/ugXYsi3mrX pic.twitter.com/GRudkAe0tQ
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) June 10, 2019
No first- or second-year edge defender has a higher ceiling than Garrett right now. His two-year pass-rush grade (88.0) ranks eighth, and his 18.4% pass-rush win rate ranks seventh among the 56 NFL edge defenders with 600 or more pass-rush snaps since 2017.
Garrett’s rare size and athleticism made him a monster at the collegiate level. He earned 90.0-plus pass-rush grades in each of his three seasons at Texas A&M, logging 46 or more pressures every year, as well. The shackles are off for Garrett in Year 3 with Gregg Williams no longer keeping him from using all the tools in his toolbox as a pass-rusher, making it all the more likely he finishes higher on this list in 2020.
There are six edge rushers ranked higher than Garrett, ranging from J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans at No. 33 to Khalil Mack of the Chicago Bears at No. 8. But the 23-year-old Garrett is easily the youngest of the group, which means he should see a steady climb up future rankings if he stays healthy.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., acquired from the New York Giants via trade in March, is at No. 19 on the list.
OBJ comes in at No. 19 as the #PFF50 countdown rolls along!https://t.co/tXPvpbMKOJ pic.twitter.com/0Iia00Wu0N
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) June 12, 2019
Despite having to battle inconsistent play at the quarterback position throughout the entirety of his career, OBJ has still managed to take the league by storm since coming off the board at No. 12 overall in 2014. His five-year receiving grade (92.6) ranks sixth among the 47 wideouts with at least 2,000 routes run in the last five years. Only Julio Jones, Antonio Brown and DeAndre Hopkins rank ahead of the former LSU standout in receiving grade and yards per route run on the list.
Trading an aging Eli Manning for second-year Baker Mayfield in Cleveland, Beckham has a real shot at earning career-high marks across the board and jumping ahead some of the aforementioned wideouts in 2019.
Only three wide receivers are ranked higher than Beckham - Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints (No. 12), Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons (No. 10) and DeAndre Hopkins of the Houston Texans (No. 9).