One of the best matchups this week in college football is the matchup between Georgia and Clemson. There are four players in particular that Cleveland Browns fans should have their eyes on in this game.
Jacob Roach
College football season is here, teams are looking for glory, and players are attempting to raise their draft stock for the 2025 NFL draft. The Cleveland Browns brass are likely tuning into the Week One showdown between the number one-ranked Georgia Bulldogs and the 14th-ranked Clemson Tigers at noon on Saturday. Both teams will have several players selected in April, and the game is sure to be a great opening weekend matchup.
Under Kirby Smart, Georgia's defenses have consistently been among the best in football, and they'll be great again this year. But heading into the 2024 season, the Bulldogs also might have April's number one pick under center in senior quarterback Carson Beck, though the Browns likely won't be looking for a quarterback next year. In Georgia's backfield is an exciting running back prospect in Trevor Etienne, brother of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr., who will be fun to watch this fall.
Clemson is coming off a 9-4 season and is looking to return to the College Football Playoff with the new expanded field of 12 teams. A lot rides on the shoulders of Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik, who was inconsistent last year. Klubnik could lean on tight end Jake Briningstool, who the Browns should be watching closely, and consider pairing with David Njoku next season in Cleveland.
The Browns have questions about the future of their linebacker depth, and Clemson's Barrett Carter is the kind of great athlete they have shown to covet at the position. Georgia's defense could be one of the best in the nation again this year, and will likely have several players selected early in the 2024 NFL draft. But with all the talent that will be on the field Saturday, three players stick out more than the rest as potential targets for the Browns next April.
Jake Briningstool, TE, Clemson
The Browns are set at the top of their tight end room with David Njoku, but that room's future behind him is somewhat murky. The team elected not to draft a young player at the position this year but there are some nice options in the 2025 draft. Clemson's Jake Briningstool is a big athletic player who would make a ton of sense for Cleveland. In 2023, for the Tigers, Briningstool had 50 receptions for 498 yards and five touchdowns.
Briningstool, at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, creates mismatches with his size and athleticism. His size and long arms give him a large catch radius and make him an easy target for his quarterback, especially in the red zone. Briningstool excels in contested catch opportunities, and he plays with a brand of physicality that allows him to take on contact immediately after making a catch in traffic without dropping the ball.
A savvy route runner, Briningstool lacks elite explosiveness off the line of scrimmage, but his top speed is slightly above average. He is a good athlete for his size, but he isn't a freak-level athlete like David Njoku, and he lacks the twitch needed to be in that category. Briningstool struggles to consistently create extra yardage in the open field, though his physicality is enough to break arm tackles. Overall, he is more poised to be a high-volume possession-style pass catcher and red zone weapon.
Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia
Right now, the Cleveland Browns only have one running back under contract for 2025, Jerome Ford. Georgia running back Trevor Etienne, who transferred from Flordia, where he played for the first two years of college, is a player to watch this season. In 2023, Etienne rushed for 753 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry with eight touchdowns, adding 172 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.
Etienne is an explosive runner who quickly identifies rushing lanes and accelerates them for big gains. His vision is impressive, and he can change direction at the drop of a hat, leaving defenders grasping at the air to create big plays. Though he didn't get many opportunities as a pass catcher, he has the skill set to be effective and caught all 30 of his targets the past two seasons combined.
The biggest concern about Etienne is his size and the questions about whether he can ever be a workhorse player in the NFL. He is 5-foot-9 and a little over 200 pounds, and that might scare teams away in next April's draft. Etienne is a willing blocker but isn't very effective at his size and needs to add more strength to improve in that area of his game.
Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson
The Browns have shown they like athletic linebackers with great range, and that's precisely what you get from Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter. Last year for Clemson, Carter had 62 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, and an interception. Carter might be at his best as a blitzer or stand-up pass rusher, using his speed and athleticism to pressure opposing quarterbacks.
Carter is a plus athlete with great sideline-to-sideline speed and range, making him a solid run defender. He is also a reliable coverage player, especially when covering running backs out of the backfield. Carter has good instincts and a quick trigger once he recognizes the play in front of him, and he uses his explosive speed to blow plays up.
Though he can play the run well, he struggles to shed blocks when offensive linemen climb to the second level and get their hands on him. Carter also misses too many tackles for a guy who has the ability to get into the backfield quickly and create negative plays for the offense. Last year for the Tigers, Carter missed 17 tackles a year after missing ten tackles in 2022. If Carter can clean up some of his tackle issues and add strength, he could become a solid NFL linebacker.
