Cleveland Browns rookie minicamp: What to look for from Mike Hall Jr., Zak Zinter, others

The six players the Cleveland Browns drafted last month, as well as a group of undrafted free agents and tryout candidates, will gather this weekend for the team's three-day rookie minicamp.

The minicamp will be the rookies' first full-scale exposure to the NFL world. It will include both classroom and on-field work, but without a bunch of veterans there to take away from their opportunities to get as many reps as possible.

The focus will certainly start with the Browns' two day-two draft picks — second-round defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. out of Ohio State and third-round offensive guard Zak Zinter out of Michigan. Still, the other four draft picks — wide receiver Jamari Thrash, linebacker Nathaniel Watson, cornerback Myles Harden and defensive tackle Jowon Briggs — will also get their first chance to impress the coaching staff and potentially plant the seeds for them to eventually remain on the roster when the final cuts come in August.

So what are some things to watch as rookie minicamp arrives? Here are a few:

How do Michael Hall Jr. and Zak Zinter look on the field?

There are different reasons why it's going to be interesting to watch the Browns' first two picks work this weekend. One has to do with growth over the last month, and the other has to do with recovery.

The questions about Hall through the draft process, at least in terms of on-the-field issues, concerned his size. He was viewed by some as being undersized, even after adding nine pounds between the NFL combine and the Ohio State pro day, where he weighed in at 299 pounds on a 6-foot-2 frame.

"I think in this scheme, again, it's about getting off the line and rushing the passer," general manager Andrew Berry said the night the Browns selected Hall. "And we really stopped the run game with numbers. You know, I think when Jim got hired and we talked to you guys earlier, it's not a space eating position for us. We want guys who can move. And so our prototype for the position is going to look a little bit different than other schemes in the league.”

Zinter, meanwhile, is expected to be on the football field for the first extended time since breaking his leg in a Wolverines' win over Ohio State. He didn't participate in drills at either the combine or Michigan's pro day, but did provide a video of him working out on social media before the draft.

The leg, despite a broken tibia and fibula, has healed well, Zinter said at his introductory news conference last month.

"I want to get back on the field," Zinter said at the time. "I want to start producing and doing all that stuff again. And it really did bring the love back. I've been going on a great run, and to have it all taken away really hurt. So I'm excited to keep grinding and get back out on the field."

Who will be the undrafted free agent to impress the most?

The last couple of years, the Browns have found some diamonds in the rough among their undrafted free agent group. Two years ago, it was safety D'Anthony Bell who made the team out of training camp as a UDFA; last year, both linebacker Mohamoud Diabate and safety Ronnie Hickman did the same.

“So the way we look at it is any player that we add to the roster, they should have some clear strength, even if it’s very narrow," Berry said in his post-draft press conference on April 27. "You know, are they someone who is really fast or really strong or someone who can rush the [passer] or someone who’s really good in the run game?

"... So when we go to the undrafted free agent process, we’re looking for guys with strengths, and probably by definition, those guys are maybe a little bit more limited coming in, but it’s like, ‘Hey, does this guy have size? Can he run?’ Or if we have a certain profile at the position, we’re looking for the most important traits."

The Browns haven't confirmed their UDFA class yet. However, through various social media posts, this year's group is expected to include the following:

• South Carolina WR Ahmarean Brown

• Miami (Fla.) OL Javion Cohen

• Arizona State DB Christopher Edmonds

• South Dakota State CB DyShawn Gales

• Weber State LB Winston Reid

• BYU RB Aidan Robbins

• North Dakota State OT Jalen Sundell

• Rhode Island OT Lorenzo Thompson

• Wyoming TE Treyton Welch

If you were looking for a few players who could help at positions of need, the ones who jump to the top include Cohen and Sundell, who could be intriguing developmental pieces. Welch, meanwhile, could fill a potential need as a No. 2 or 3 tight end with Harrison Bryant having signed with the Las Vegas Raiders during free agency.

How do the new Browns assistant coaches look on the field?

This may be a more underrated aspect of the first two days of the rookie minicamp that will be open to the media. It's going to provide the first opportunity to see the new collection of assistant coaches in action.

The Browns completely overhauled their offensive staff, not just with offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, but also running backs coach Duce Staley, offensive line coach Andy Dickerson, assistant line coach Roy Istvan and tight ends coach Tommy Rees. They also brought in defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire from the Houston Texans.

Dorsey spoke in early February, but that's been about the extent of any exposure to the new coaches. Even then, it was just a conversation in the abstract after he had just arrived.

This weekend will provide a chance to not just see the new coaches in action, but also maybe get a glimpse at the skeleton of the new offensive system. It might not be a lot, but a glimpse is certainly a step forward heading into the OTAs, which will get underway in a week and a half.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns rookie minicamp: What to expect from 2024 draft picks' debut