Pros and cons of Cleveland picking Ohio State football DT Mike Hall Jr. in NFL draft
Bill RabinowitzOhio State defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. was taken by the Cleveland Browns with in the second round (54th overall pick) of the NFL draft on Friday night.
Hall is a native of Streetsboro, which is about 30 miles from Cleveland.
Hall becomes the first Buckeye defensive player taken in this year's draft, and second overall behind wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who was the fourth pick by the Arizona Cardinals.
Hall was one of the few Ohio State underclassmen who decided to enter the NFL draft instead of returning for another college season.
He will rejoin several former Buckeye teammates on the Browns. Tackle Dawand Jones, center Luke Wypler and safety Ronnie Hickman were rookies last year. Cleveland also has former OSU cornerback Denzel Ward.
One of the biggest proponents for the Browns to take Hall pre-draft was Ward, another Northeast Ohio native. Hall was asked about playing with Ward, a Nordonia High School graduate, as well as for his hometown team.
"I mean, two Ohio guys growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, is just a great feeling," Hall said. "We know we're real familiar with the area and to stay here our whole career, I mean, from Pop Warner to high school, middle school to college, to Ohio State, and then still staying home at the top of the peak of the level. So it's just great."
What Mike Hall Jr. brings to Cleveland in 2024 draft
It's an unfair comparison because the recently retired Aaron Donald was a uniquely gifted player, but Hall has drawn comparisons to Donald because of his quickness off the snap. That helps offset the fact that Hall weighs only 290 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame. He's probably not an every-down player right away in the NFL, but as a situational player, he can be quite disruptive. He was a standout at the Senior Bowl.
One of the biggest question marks about Hall through the draft process surrounded his size.
"I think when you look at how we play the position and how we ask our guys to get off the ball and how athletic they need to be and how quick they need to be, that's what Michael is going to bring to the table," said Browns assistant general manager Catherine Raiche. "I mean, (defensive coordinator) Jim (Schwartz) got on the phone with him, gave him a quiz and he was ready to roll and he is about to be the engine of this defense and, I'm not going to use the words that they used, but let's just say mess things up in the front there. So I think that's what he's going to bring to the table."
Hall is right in the wheelhouse of Schwartz's scheme. That's something that has Hall intrigued.
"He knows exactly what he's talking about, and you just got to go out there," Hall said. "You've got to be physical, you've got to play hard, be the engine of the defense, and that's their whole philosophy. The D line is messing up everything else, and we got to be the anchor of the defense for sure. So I mean, the rush shape came natural. The tough coach, he's going to love on you a little bit for sure, but he's going to be on, he's going to bring the best out of you, and I appreciate that."
The question for Hall will be if he can crack the veteran-laden rotation the Browns have at defensive tackle.
“He's got to earn it," said Browns assistant general manager Glenn Cook. "Just like all our guys, we'd love if he did. Look, you can never, (Raiche) just said it, you can never have enough guys who can impact the quarterback, impact the passing game. So again, he's got to come in, obviously integrate himself into the way we do things, but we hope he does.
“But we try to position ourselves where we don't feel like we need to force him to do that. This is one of those things where hopefully he reaches his maturity and his peak in a few years. We're not necessarily worried about Day One. Does Michael Hall come in and play 80 snaps? He's got to earn it. So Day One is just coming in, being on time, being in the right place and then we'll see what it looks like in September.”
Mike Hall Jr.'s highlights, strengths, weaknesses
Hall's quickness off the snap is his calling card, but he's deceptively strong and uses his hands well as a pass-rusher and in the run game. His size is the biggest concern. How well can he hold up against NFL offensive linemen snap after snap? That's compounded by Hall's history of shoulder injuries. He missed significant time in his OSU career because of them, though he said they are now healthy.
Mike Hall Jr.'s stats at Ohio State
Hall was credited with 24 tackles last year, including two for losses and 1.5 sacks. In 2022, he tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks.
Mike Hall Jr.'s potential in the NFL
If used to maximize his strengths, Hall can be an effective role player early in his NFL career. As he develops, Hall should become a starter if he can remain healthy.
Hall became the father to Mike Hall III in September, something he acknowledged was a major reason for him to forgo his final two seasons of eligibility at Ohio State for the NFL. It's also been a life-changing event unlike anything else.
"It's been a greatest addition in my life for sure," Hall said. "Teaching me a lot of patience, just being a great role model for my son. I mean, it's just the best feeling for him to even be around this and witnessing this and he's in all the videos and just give him something good to look back on. Like, 'dang, my dad did something real positive.'"
Contributing: Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal