NFL offensive and defensive lines are filled with former high school basketball players and wrestlers. Who's No. Jedrick Wills signed a 4 year, $19,702,914 contract with the Cleveland Browns, including a $11,889,390 signing bonus, $19,702,914 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $4,925,729. As Baker Mayfield barked out signals and tried to get a read on how much pressure the defense might be sending, rookie left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. came out of his stance and started his backpedal. He bought into it and continued to grow in that aspect. Rotowire Oct 21, 2021. You are giving ground. Sponsored . "(Thomas) hit me up on Twitter and told me he had a talk with Andrew Berry," Wills said in his post-draft conference call on Zoom. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He helped Lafayette High School to the 6A state championship game in his senior and junior seasons. Wills paid for a new car for one woman in need, as well as rent for a family that lost its home in a fire and $50,000 of toys, gifts and cash to five families in the Cleveland area. The second injury report of the week has come out for the Cleveland Browns as they prepare for the Washington Commanders. 2022 Picks. She had no live TV experience. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Cleveland Browns selected OL Jedrick Wills Jr. at pick No. His mother, Sivi, was an excellent player at Eastern Kentucky University. However, he also took strides and took a step forward this season. As The Athletics NFL Draft guru Dane Brugler observed, both require quick feet, good lateral movement, solid body positioning and the ability to angle opponents away from the target. Wills also played basketball at Lafayette High School in Lexington, Kentucky, his hometown. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. So imagine his surprise when Cleveland coach Nick Skorich called to inform him they had chosen him to play tackle. Dieken was a wide receiver and tight end at the University of Illinois before the Browns selected him in the sixth round of the 1971 draft. Wills stopped playing prep basketball at Lafayette High during his sophomore year, but football scouts loved the footwork he had demonstrated on the court. Jed has obviously lost a share and he has won a share of his reps, but that experience of getting out against quality and premier pass rushers is invaluable. Round 1. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! But lets be realistic, that is just not going to happen in this day and age because of the tardiness of techniques (from) not having the offseason and things of that nature. Read here for other injury and news updates from around the league on Sunday. Dieken saw the charity events as a chance to hone his footwork and body positioning. Thats really what offensive tackle is, Shaw said. His father, Jedrick Wills Sr., is a girls basketball coach at Lafayette. which is not an easy transition for many linemen. Is J.K. Dobbins about to run wild in Baltimore? When a guy is rushing from the outside, you have to open your hips. Native of Lexington, Ky. and attended Lafayette High School. Lets start with this one: The lineman who holds the NFL record for consecutive starts (194 games) at tackle never played the position before arriving in Cleveland. 4. It was like, Youre playing football no matter what. Did a little bit of basketball, but once the (football scholarship) offers came it was like, Its kind of real now, the dream is coming true. Just tried to put all my effort into that.. Plus, other news Around the NFL is monitoring on Monday. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. If you drop your hips and stay underneath the way you do when youre guarding someone youre a helluva lot stronger.. WebJedrick Wills Jr. Jedrick Wills Jr. Dieken didnt just rely on his high school training. WebJedrick Wills Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com. There was no long lecture. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 10 Pick In 2020 NFL Draft, The Top 8 OL Prospects Of 2020 The Browns Could Draft (Complete Profiles), 7 Potential Browns' Draft Picks To Watch In The 2020 Senior Bowl. He also won a national championship with Alabama in 2017. NFL.com's Chase Goodbread previews four things to watch for in the prime-time matchup. Cleveland's new wide receiver meets with reporters after being picked 187th in 2020 NFL Draft, Cleveland's new center meets with reporters after being picked 160th in 2020 NFL Draft, Cleveland's new tight end meets with reporters after being picked 115th in 2020 NFL Draft, Cleveland's new linebacker meets with reporters after being picked 97th in 2020 NFL Draft, Cleveland selected S Grant Delpit in the 2nd round and DT Jordan Elliott and LB Jacob Phillips in the 3rd, Cleveland's new defensive tackle meets with reporters after being picked 88th in 2020 NFL Draft, Cleveland's new safety meets with reporters after being picked 44th in 2020 NFL Draft, Cleveland made the former Crimson Tide star the No. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Helped Chubb (1,067) and Kareem Hunt (841) become the only pair of teammates to each record 840-plus rushing yards in 2020, highlighted in a win against Houston on Nov. 15, when Chubb (126) and Hunt (104) became the first Browns to each record 100 yards rushing in the same game since 1966. Jedrick discusses his first two games in the NFL, the team rushing for 200 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals and what he expects from the Washington Football Team's defensive line. The Browns have never wavered on their commitment to making Wills their immediate starter at left tackle, a position Wills never played until football activities started in August. We're highlighting five things to know about Wills, who excelled on Alabama's offensive line. The Browns used to assemble an offseason basketball team to play in charity games throughout the state. Dieken, the longtime Browns radio analyst, enjoys getting to know his teams offensive linemen. 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Dec 4, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Cleveland Browns safety John Johnson III (43) reacts towards the crowd after a play during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Wills suffered a broken foot his sophomore year and decided to focus on football after recovering, but scouts have raved about Wills' footwork, which NFL Network's Lance Zierlein poignantly described in Wills' draft report. The Browns are dealing with COVID-19 issues ahead of Saturday's game against the Raiders. Genetically, he has some gifts that some people just dont have. Watch the best blocking plays from Cleveland Browns rookie offensive tackle Jedrick Wills. 2020 Senior Bowl: Who Are The Cleveland Browns Watching? It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. According to The Draft Network, Wills father, Jedrick Wills Sr., is an assistant womens basketball coach at Lafayette High School, and his mother, Sivi Wills, was a top womens basketball player at Eastern Kentucky. 54 (Vernon) and No. (AP Photo/Kirk Irwin). So light on his feet for a big man. Pro Bowlers from Doug Dieken to Orlando Pace to Thomas have taken advantage of it during their long careers. Subscribe to the Browns Nation newsletter here! A buffalo that was ambushed by a crocodile in South Africa desperately backpedaled with the reptile clamped on to its nose. Rose Van Cutsem, whose daughter Grace was a bridesmaid at William and Kate's wedding, has backed an apparent plea by therapist Julia Samuel for Prince Harry Mark Humphrey/Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. Helped the Browns record four games with at least 200 rushing yards, their most in a season since 1978. If you told me he had played left tackle in college, I wouldnt have questioned it. Can Wills, a right tackle in college, make the switch to the left side? It forces you to open your hips when you were guarding someone, he said. Now, he is not going to be proficient at everything, but I want him to have good exposure and a good understanding of the things that are going to be facing him.. The real evaluations are just around the corner. 73. In 12 days, Wills will make his first NFL start. On draft night, Thomas made it known he would volunteer his time to help Wills in his conversion. The Browns have selected Jedrick Wills Jr. in the 2020 NFL Draft. Market data provided by Factset. He did it in practice and in the games. Sponsored . The goal was to create a well-rounded, highly conditioned athlete. Once you get too high, they can just steamroll you. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. There are countless football-specific drills and workout routines to help prepare young tackles for the challenges of facing edge rushers such as Shaq Barrett, Chandler Jones and T.J. Watt. Previously, Zac covered the Browns for Fox Sports Ohio and worked for Pro Football Talk. Each guy had different moves so it was challenging.. While the two men, separated by 15 years in age, probably wont be testing each others post moves think of Joes poor knees they are bound by a love of basketball. Wills spent two months rehabilitating the injured ankle. Joe Burrow leads the field and an undrafted sensation cracks the top 10 in Daniel Jeremiah's ranking of the 25 best rookies through Week 4 of the 2020 season. All rights reserved. Marc Ross examines which first-round picks from the 2020 NFL Draft should have their fifth-year options picked up. Every practice matters; Wills and the Browns have admitted as much. He was First Team All-State as a junior and a senior while attending Lafayette High School in Lexington, Ky. Wills chose to attend Alabama over Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee and Notre Dame. All rights reserved. The coach said few athletes have embraced his philosophy more than Wills. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. My philosophy was you tried to walk (the edge rusher) back to the quarterback. Paved the way for the Browns to finish 2020 third in the NFL in rush yards (2,374) and fifth in yards per carry (4.80 avg.). In other words, dont give him a quick angle to get around you. 2020 first round pick Jedrick Wills is poised for a big second season in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns after working through his rookie season under challenging circumstances. Eric Shaw has spent 19 years coaching prep football in the shadow of a college basketball superpower. He is also the host of the "A to Z" podcast alongside Andre Knott. Hes eager for an opportunity to meet Wills. Information about your device and internet connection, like your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Yahoo websites and apps. Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry and more praise selection of Alabama OT Jedrick Wills Jr. on social media, Browns select Alabama OT Jedrick Wills Jr. with No. Hes relentless.. Wills garnered first-team SEC honors and was named AP second-team All-American after his junior season. Wills was a top high school prospect who committed to Alabama. Sports leagues float outside-the-box ideas to resume operations amid COVID-19. Charlie Neibergall/Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. Web2020 Donruss Optic Jedrick Wills RC Cleveland Browns #119 Rookie . Which newbies must deliver for their respective teams to succeed in 2020? College Alabama Crimson Tide. The Browns conducted a scoop-and-score drill during Saturdays practice, with coaches rolling footballs to simulate fumbles and every player picking up the ball and advancing it. Though Wills has only moved from the left tackle spot for his reps with the field goal team, the Browns have intentionally mixed in a number of defenders across from Wills to give the rookie different looks. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Myles Garrett was flipped to Wills side for one play late in the first-team drill, but Wills blocked down and sought out a linebacker as the Browns faked a run to the right before throwing a quick screen pass back to the left. Any offensive tackle who grew up playing roundball knows the answer. Jedrick Wills Jr. (born May 17, 1999) is an American football offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama and was drafted by the Browns in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft . Wills grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and attended Lafayette High School. He was rated as a five-star recruit before he played a snap with the Crimson Tide. 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