Cleveland Browns Expected to Start Rookie CB Leon McFadden Week 1
By Josh Sanchez
The 2013 NFL Draft featured a number of intriguing cornerback prospects that were capable of contributing from day one and it looks like the Cleveland Browns were able to land one of those prospects. Third-round pick Leon McFadden out of San Diego State was a star in the Mountain West, but many expected him to develop in to a No. 3 corner in the NFL.
Cleveland apparently has different plans for the former Aztec.
According to ESPN Cleveland, the Browns are expected to start McFadden at the right cornerback position across from Joe Haden in Week 1 when they face off against the Miami Dolphins and their overpriced receiving corp.
McFadden will only need to beat out Buster Skrine for the No. 2 cornerback job in order to be placed in the starting lineup as a rookie.
The third-round select is very fluid in coverage and he has the natural speed to catch up with wide receivers, but he has undersized and has had troubles covering the bigger college receivers. This could prove to be a big problem in the NFL and he will certainly be a liability when it comes to tackling.
On a positive note, McFadden will never get out hustled and that tenacity allows him to jump routes and make the big plays. As a former wide receiver, McFadden has a better understanding of the route tree.
It looks like McFadden will be poised to take over the starting job opposite Haden, it will just be interesting to see how quickly he is able to adapt to the NFL game.