Remember back in April when Cleveland Browns fans were concerned about the lack of first- and second-round draft picks?
If the team’s first preseason game is any indication, those worries can be put aside.
Rookies dominated the highlights of Cleveland’s 24-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Cornerback Martin Emerson made the play of the game, a contested pick-6 that gave Cleveland their first lead.
"I'll take that!" 😏
-MJ probably#CLEvsJAX | @MartyMargg1 pic.twitter.com/kNLKyCU9pE— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 13, 2022
And defensive end Isaiah Thomas added on 3 tackles for a loss, including 2 sacks.
David Bell ended a third-quarter Jacksonville drive by punching out a fumble recovery for Richard LeCounte.
Cleveland’s offensive rookies got into the act, too with Jerome Ford sparking the unit after a slow start.
But did rookies account for all the players who stood out in the Browns’ first preseason game?
Jerome Ford With Over 100 All-Purpose yards
Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland offense got off to a horrendous start Friday night.
Dropped passes, injuries, turnovers, and penalties conspired to raise the worst fears of Browns fans.
And while Joshua Dobbs gets some credit for turning things around, it was Jerome Ford who got the crowd cheering.
.@JeromeFord up the middle for 41!! 😤 pic.twitter.com/js48Wzy3Mu
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 13, 2022
Ford rattled off a 41-yard run for the Browns’ first big play and ended the same drive with a 3-yard touchdown scamper.
He tacked on a 14-yard touchdown reception on an improvised scramble pass from Dobbs.
And it was all enough to forgive him for a lost fumble after an impressive array of spins converted a third and long later in the game.
Isaiah Thomas Could Be A Steal
Andrew Berry made good use of his 6th-round draft picks since arriving in Cleveland.
But the 2022 NFL Draft was his first chance to make a selection in the 7th round.
And defensive end Isaiah Thomas looks like one of Berry’s biggest steals.
I.T. has been a DISRUPTOR out here#CLEvsJAX | @isaiahthomas95 pic.twitter.com/tenbojrNSO
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 13, 2022
Thomas slid down the draft board after a September DUI preceded a diminished senior season output.
But on Friday he looked like the player projected to go in the early rounds of the 2021 draft.
His 3 big tackles don’t even tell the full story of how much he disrupted the Jaguars’ offense.
Can Joshua Dobbs Win The QB3 Spot?
Jacoby Brissett earned the bubble-wrap status of a starter in Week 1, remaining on the sideline as a healthy scratch.
And that gave extended time to Joshua Dobbs and Josh Rosen, neither of whom did anything to harm their roster hopes.
It remains to be seen if either remains with the team after the September 1st cuts.
Josh Dobbs MVP 😂 #Browns pic.twitter.com/8FGqrVKz8y
— Faithful Dawgs Podcast (@FDPodcastCLE) August 13, 2022
But Dobbs did his best to convince Kevin Stefanski he can be a viable QB2 during Deshaun Watson‘s suspension.
The former Steeler went 10-13 for 108 yards and threw a 14-yard touchdown off a scramble drill.
He tacked on a 9-yard run while making no mistakes on the night.
Other Eye Opening Players
Cleveland held on to 6 linebackers the past two seasons, which would create an opening for one of their free-agent additions.
Dakota Allen made a solid bid for that roster spot with a team-leading 5 tackles in one half of play.
Isaac Rochelle followed up a quarterback pressure with a sack as he battles for a spot in the edge rusher rotation.
D'Anthony with the punch 🥊 Richard with the recovery 🤝#CLEvsJAX | @DBSZN_ | @LeCounteRichard pic.twitter.com/n7ULDa5Hzz
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 13, 2022
With a huge pick-6 that turned the momentum permanently in Cleveland’s favor, Martin Emerson earned a nod for the Play of the Game.
Jordan Elliott got a nice hit on Trevor Lawrence, while D’Anthony Bell and Chris Odom registered sacks.
Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz stood out for all the wrong reasons with a pair of dropped passes on a bad day for wideouts.
NEXT: Martin Emerson Jr. Impresses In First Preseason Game
