INDIANAPOLIS — If the Browns are looking to bolster their defensive line in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft, it's a safe bet they've studied plenty of tape from Georgia last season.
The Bulldogs boast three of the top-ranked D-line prospects in the draft class — DT Jordan Davis, DT Devonte Wyatt and DE Travon Walker. The trio combined for 108 tackles and 10.5 sacks last season and were largely the reason why Georgia ranked second in the nation in run defense (2.56 yards per rush). Any NFL team with D-line needs will be taking a close look at the group, where each player could possibly be taken in the first round.
The Browns, who have just one defensive end starter (Myles Garrett) and no defensive tackle starters from 2021 who are under contract for next season, likely will be one of the interested teams.
"We called ourselves a 'no-name' defense," Davis said at the NFL Combine. "Although we had all the stars, it was really like nobody was above each other. We all played for each other."
The group didn't put anyone above each other, but Davis was considered the top dog by NFL talent evaluators. He's monstrous at 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds, which always made him one of the biggest players on the field and will likely continue to make him the biggest man at the NFL level.
His pass rush abilities aren't as high as other defensive tackles — he only recorded two sacks — but Davis was a run-stopping machine with 32 tackles and is projected to become one of the best run-stuffers in the NFL.
A player as huge as Davis can make impacts beyond recording tackles, too, since the attention of a player of that size often requires more than just one blocker. The Browns, of course, already have a player that draws double- and even triple-team attention in Garrett, so adding another big blocker like Davis would cause even more matchup issues for an opponent.
"Everybody knows I'm a run-stopper," Davis said. "You have to be selfless. You know you're not going to make every play, especially at that nose position, but if you can do anything to influence the play, that would be pretty good."
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Wyatt is in a similar realm as Davis and likely would have even more production and evidence of his skills on tape if it weren't for being on the same roster. His numbers, though, are still solid: 39 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
He's slightly smaller than Davis, but that doesn't mean he's not also freakishly large. Wyatt is 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, an above-average size that is larger than any DT on the Browns' roster, and could actually surpass Davis as one of the top DTs of the class before the draft begins, according to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah.
"His stats don't jump off the page, but that was more the result of all the talent around him on Georgia's defense," Jeremiah wrote. "Against the run, he keeps a low pad level and controls the point of attack. He has excellent range. Wyatt has tremendous upside and could emerge as the top interior lineman in this class."
Oh, and Wyatt has a big sense of humor, too. Here was his response when he was asked Friday what he'd write about himself if he was a draft analyst.
"If I was writing about myself, I'd be like, 'This guy's amazing! He's the best guy I've ever met!'" he said with a laugh. "If that was me, I'd definitely be like 'I love this guy. He's got a great personality. He can move. He's definitely going to be a great player in the NFL.' That's something I'd say about myself."
Walker provided the finishing touches to Georgia's devastating D-line on the edge, but he's capable of playing the interior, too, and even started his college career in kickoff coverage.
Why is that notable? Well, Walker was 285 pounds when he first arrived at Georgia in 2019. 285-pound players don't usually play special teams because they're heavier and not often fast enough to reach a returner and make a tackle.
Walker was an exception.
"That's how I got my jitters out," he said. "Just go down and hit somebody."
When actually playing defense, Walker used that speed and athleticism to amass 9.5 sacks across three seasons. He's not ranked in the same category of the top edge rushers of the draft as Aidan Hutchison or Kayvon Thibodeaux, likely two top-five picks, but he very well could off the board in the middle of the first round and could be an intriguing option for the Browns at pick No. 13.
Walker has studied Garrett, too, and would cherish a chance to learn and play with him in Cleveland.
"He's a big guy," Walker said. "His body type is just like me. He's a little taller. He's one of those guys, a hard-nosed worker and willing to get the job done."