When legendary coach Nick Saban retired at Alabama earlier this year, former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Tommy Rees began looking for a new job.
The bright offensive mind found it in Cleveland, joining the Browns as the team’s new tight ends coach and passing game specialist this season.
Now, one insider believes that Rees’ experience coaching a talented wide receiver from his last school could help the athlete land on Cleveland’s payroll, too.
On “The Daily Grossi” podcast shared via ESPN Cleveland, Browns insider Tony Grossi saw Rees’ familiarity with Alabama receiver Jermaine Burton as a positive link and liked Cleveland’s chances of making him a third-round draft choice on Friday.
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The concern NFL scouts have expressed with Burton is the number of schools he had attended as a college athlete, suggesting the 6-feet-0 receiver could have potential character issues.
Grossi noted that one man in the room – Rees – could quickly allay those fears as he previously worked with him at Alabama.
The analyst liked Burton as a third-round pick because the team could afford to take a high-risk, high-reward player midway through the third round.
Grossi spun the Rees-Burton connection based on other coaches around the NFL who he believes will draft their former players for their NFL roster.
Former Michigan coach – and new Chargers head man – Jim Harbaugh is one such example.
Grossi explained that with 18 former Wolverines being invited to the NFL Combine, Harbaugh could wind up taking as many as four of his former players in this year’s draft.
NEXT: Analyst Names 2 RB Prospects For Browns Fans To Know