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7 DE prospects to watch at the NFL Combine

Edge rusher is one of the positions the Browns could explore with the first of four total picks in the first three rounds

With the NFL Combine less than a week away, we're taking a look at prospects from some of the most intriguing positions from the lens of the Browns, who are set to pick 13th overall in the 2022 draft.

We startedwith WRs on Wednesday and are shifting to defensive end, where the Browns might be intrigued to add another young, promising prospect to team up with two-time All-Pro Myles Garrett.

Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State

No player seemed to elevate their stock more at the Senior Bowl than Johnson, who garnered plenty of attention in Mobile by winning battles against some of the top offensive line prospects. He led the ACC with 12 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss and is widely regarded as one of the top 5 edge rushers in the draft class. Another strong showing at the Combine would make him even more of an intriguing prospect.

David Ojabo, Michigan

Ojabo is considered a promising prospect with Pro Bowl potential that might need some time to develop in the NFL. He only played one full season in Ann Arbor, but it was a good one with 11 sacks, 12 tackles for a loss and five forced fumbles.

Travon Walker, Georgia

Walker hasn't initially been listed as a player in the same stratosphere as Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux, two top edge rushing prospects likely to fall within the top five picks, but some draft analysts believe his ceiling could be just as high. Count The Athletic's Dane Brugler as one of them — he ranked Walker as the sixth-best prospect on his Top 100 Draft Board and said Walker could be one of the best NFL defenders from the draft class.

George Karlaftis, Purdue

Karlaftis was mocked to the Browns in Daniel Jeremiah's most recent mock draft. He posted 14 sacks across three seasons at Purdue, which feels low for a player projected with first-round value, but draft analysts believe he has the tools to grow into a steady NFL player.

Logan Hall, Houston

Hall is massive at 6-foot-6 and 278 pounds — Myles Garrett is 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds, for reference — and jumped up draft boards for 2022 after recording six sacks last season. He actually played defensive tackle at Houston, but some analysts believe his skills could work best on the edge in the NFL. Perhaps his Combine numbers will sway him more toward one position than the other.

Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati

Sanders was another player who performed well at the Senior Bowl but is widely projected to be drafted on Day 2. He had 13.5 sacks across four seasons at Cincinnati and could elevate his odds of a Round 1 or 2 selection with a good showing in Indianapolis.

Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State

Ebiketie was mocked to the Browns as a second-round pick by NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter. He had his best college season last year as a senior for the Nittany Lions and tallied 9.5 sacks while recording at least one tackle for a loss in 11 of 12 games.

Check out the best photos from the 2021 season by the Browns photo team

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