Browns Digest Catches Up With Potential Draft Fit, Darrick Forrest
Cleveland addressed the safety position with the addition of big time free-agent John Johnson lll. However, the Browns could use some depth there still. If for some reason someone needs to step in at either safety position there isn’t much depth past their top three, two of which likely hardly leave the field.
The NFL Draft in a couple weeks provides the Browns the chance to add adequate depth to the team and to improve. Browns Digest was able to chat with a potential mid-to-late round target for the Browns, a player that would fit.
Darrick Forrest spent four years at Cincinatti, three of them he played a ton. Forrest’s junior season was very good. 103 tackles, three interceptions and three pass defended on the year for the former Bearcat.
Forest is 21, soon after the draft he will turn 22 years of age.
Having talked to the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, we asked the future draftee what exactly the Browns had to say.
“I have spoken with the Browns and they have been in contact with my agent a lot since pro day. We did a phone interview and spoke about my performance on pro day. They just told me they loved my work on pro-day and I put up great numbers,” said Forrest.
When Forrest gets to the league he wants to make an instant impact, but knows he has a lot of work to do to get to where he wants to be.
“I believe I can make an instant impact on the league on special teams and contribute on defense in certain packages. I have a lot to learn but the best way for me improve is being out on the field,” Forrest said confidently.
Leading up to the draft the Cincinnati product has been busy getting ready for the draft, including a ton of training.
“My training leading up to the draft has been intense. I was down in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida training at XPE. I am now home training with my trainer at HopeFitness. Since my Pro-day I have taken some time off and decreased my workload.”
Forrest was very impressive during his pro day. Combining a 4.41 40-yard dash with a 39 inch vertical is quite good. Also, putting up 21 bench reps.
When asked who he compares his game to, Forrest did not shy away from talking big time safety’s.
“I would compare my game to Justin Simmons of the Broncos. But, there are a lot of guys I would love to take tendencies and techniques from. Guys like, Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, Brian Dawkins, Sean Taylor, and Tyrann Mathieu.”
There’s no shortage of confidence in Forrest, a player that Cleveland could target in the draft in a couple of weeks.