Calijah Kancey, Derick Hall among defensive prospects for Browns to watch at NFL Combine

The Browns have eight picks in the NFL Draft in late April. They may or may not end up with eight players once the draft is over.

Next week, the Browns front office and coaching staff will get their eyes on more than 300 prospects who will make up a bulk of their draft board by the time late April gets here. Although it won't be in actual football games, what they and the other 31 teams see out of those players during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis will have an impact on where they think those players can fit on their boards.

With no first-round draft pick this year or next because of the trade for Deshaun Watson, it changes the level of realistic targets. However, that doesn't mean there aren't some potentially high-quality starters available where the Browns sit.

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Earlier in the week, we looked at five offensive prospects who both fit the Browns needs and would realistically be around at some point when they picked. Not surprisingly, one specific need stood out among the rest on that list.

Now it's time to look at the other side of the football. Just like with the offensive side, though, there's one area of need that stands out above the rest of them.

Sydney Brown, safety, Illinois

The list begins with a position that isn't No. 1 in terms of priority, but it certainly figures to be something the Browns have to address this offseason. Depending on what they elect to do with John Johnson III as a potential post-June 1 cut, the need will be there for a safety, especially one who can play the deep safety spot in Jim Schwartz's defensive scheme. That's where the Illini safety comes into the picture. Brown is capable of playing either safety spot, but flashed the kind of skills that could make him especially valuable playing that center field spot. That includes his ability to burst to the ball and dislodge the ball from the receiver. Beyond that, he garnered praise during the Senior Bowl week for his communication skills, which would be very useful in the Browns secondary, as they showed at times last season. Those communication skills would also come in handy should Brown and the Browns sit down to chat during their time together in Indianapolis.

Derick Hall II, defensive end, Auburn

A year ago, the Browns took a chance in the third round of the draft on edge rusher Alex Wright from a small college (UAB) in Alabama. A year later, another edge rusher from a bigger, more well-known college in Alabama could be sitting there for the Browns to take in the second round. The 6-foot-3, 252-pound Hall should impress through the workouts at the Combine, because it will be able to showcase the things that make the Auburn product such a tantalizing prospect. Chief among all of those is his natural athleticism, which he showcases in his ability to rush off the edge. He can also showcase his strength, which he uses with his ability to shed blockers to be both an effective run stopper as well as a pass rusher. Hall's far from a finished product, but the traits he shows will be the kind that typically intrigue Browns general manager Andrew Berry.

Calijah Kancey, defensive tackle, Pittsburgh

The next Aaron Donald. What? It may sound a little too simplistic — and is definitely 1,000% unfair — a way to describe the 6-foot, 275-pound defensive tackle out of the University of Pittsburgh, which is also the school that produced the freakish Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman. However, squint really hard, and there's some ways you can see traits that match between the two. As NFL coaches and executives, specifically those from the Browns, watch Kancey perform in the various drills in Indianapolis, they may find themselves buying more and more into those comparisons. The similarities between the two, beyond just their time spent collegiately in the Steel City, include a quickness off the snap and active hands. The other similarity, though, is both came out a tad undersized. It didn't end up hurting Donald, but that's Donald. Kancey will have to show he can also overcome that perceived knock against him.

Ivan Pace Jr., linebacker, Cincinnati

Pace, who started his career at Miami (Ohio) before moving down the road to the rival University of Cincinnati, may be undersized at 6-foot and 235 pounds. He may lack the prototypical length one may like to see in their NFL linebacker. And those will no doubt be analyzed when Pace gets measured while at the Combine. What won't be on display is the reason why Pace is such an intriguing prospect. That's because that's what they can see when they watch him on the field making plays. Pace flies around the field making plays, seemingly drawn like a magnet to the ball. The size and length may hinder him at times, especially in coverage. Still, the instincts and intangibles are something that should draw attention to him over the next two months.

Mazi Smith, defensive tackle, Michigan

Freak. That's the kind of traits that Berry has shown he covets when he looks for players, especially defensive players. Now, that hasn't always translated into production, but it's absolutely what he loves in a prospect. Meet Smith, the 6-foot-3, 335-pound freak of a defensive tackle from Michigan. He boasts power. He boasts athleticism. In other words, he boasts exactly what Berry covets in terms of a draft prospect. Not only that, but Smith would fill a massive need in the interior defensive line. He comes out of college with a reputation of being an immoveable presence in the run game who can impose his will on offensive linemen. One thing Smith will have to answer during the interview process, be it in Indianapolis or after, is about the misdemeanor gun charge for which he received 12 months probation in January.

Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Calijah Kancey, Derick Hall among Browns' defensive targets at Combine