The Browns added depth to their defensive tackle room by drafting Ohio State's Tommy Togiai in the fourth round (132nd overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Here are five things to know about the newest addition to the D-Line.
1. Togiai comes to Cleveland after spending three seasons in Columbus. He was a one-year starter at Ohio State but saw action in 33 games across three seasons. He impressed in 2020 and recorded 23 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks in seven games en route to earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors.
2. Togiai, a native of Pocatello, Idaho, was heralded as one of the best high school recruits in the history of the state. He was the 2017 Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year, four-star recruit and No. 3 tackle prospect of the high school class. He received heavy interest from just about every school in the Pac-12 but ultimately settled with Ohio State and saw immediate action as a true freshman, recording 10 tackles and two tackles for a loss in 12 games.
3. The Togiai family is full of top-tier athletes. His father (Tala) was a professional rugby player in Samoa. His older brother, T.J., played defensive tackle at Carroll College in 2015 and Idaho State from 2016-20. His maternal grandfather played football and basketball at Ricks College. Tommy also weighed an astounding 12 pounds at birth and has brute strength — he benched 40 reps on the bench press at Ohio State's Pro Day.
4. Togiai becomes the fifth defensive tackle on the Browns' roster, joining Malik Jackson, Sheldon Day, Jordan Elliott and Andrew Billings. That position group figures to have plenty of competition during training camp, with Togiai and Elliott, who was drafted in the third round of the 2020 draft, as two young, promising prospects for the Browns' future.
5. The Browns believe Togiai has the potential to make an impact as a pass rusher, too. Director of Player Personnel Dan Saganey said Togiai immediately will be in position for reps as a rotational player for the interior. "We think there is upside there as a pass rusher for him as well," Saganey said. "He is a good, powerful, explosive and quick guy to add to the room. So again, you can never have enough defensive linemen and we are excited to get him in the mix and see what he can do competing with the rest of the crew here."
