The Opening Drive 8/13: Two UDFA Names Close To Making This Roster
Consistency is the key and these two are making their case daily.
In a very welcome quiet day yesterday, the Browns traveled to Philadelphia to get ready for their two-day setup with the Eagles. It’s going to be a busy few days as the Browns ramp up for two sessions in this format instead of the single one we saw them share with the Panthers. The starters—and some of the two-deep—will see most of the time in these sessions. The schedule goes as follows:
Wednesday: 9:30AM Kevin Stefanski Media, 10am Joint Practice
Thursday: 9:30AM Kevin Stefanski Media, 10AM Joint Practice
Friday: No Media (Off Day)
Saturday: 1PM kickoff vs. Eagles
If you have time for us after listening to Taylor Swift on New Heights, make sure to check out the coverage of these sessions and what the Browns were able to accomplish against a stacked Eagles roster trying to achieve the rare repeat as Super Bowl champions. It’s a great opportunity for the Browns to see the best the NFL has to offer and measure where they stand ahead of the season.
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Each year, we have UDFA players who work their way into the roster discussion through their play on the field—often in matchups against other “end-of-the-roster” types. What becomes interesting is when those players, while standing out among their peers, also find success against the front end of their own roster and the opposition’s roster in game settings.
Two names stand out so far, one on each side of the ball. Gage Larvadain (84) had zero buzz around his name leading up to the important stages of the summer, but he has been making noise all camp. He found success in rookie mini-camp and has kept those highlight-worthy plays coming through each stage and into Training Camp. He has a smaller frame, but he seems to have a nice feel for breaking zone coverage, with a solid throttle in his routes and soft hands.
He had a strong showing in the preseason game where he had a nice 19-yard catch on this dig route deep in the Browns territory where he displayed his route tempo and nuance.
He also scored on a JET sweep touchdown we broke down the other day and his 30-yard punt return nearly broke the distance on Friday night as well. He’s proving versatile in many ways here.
Larvadain started his college career at Southeastern Louisiana, where he broke out as a receiver and kick returner en route to a First-Team All-Southland award and SLC Freshman of the Year honors. He also played basketball at the school. He transferred to Miami (OH) for a year and performed well before heading to South Carolina for 2024.
It never fully came together at South Carolina as he tried to find time behind a loaded depth chart, but there is clearly talent here. If Diontae Johnson can’t push through to fully earn the job, Larvadain is hot on his trail. He is the most consistent of the group behind the veterans, with NFL-worthy traits. The thin nature of this receiver room is a great opportunity for the young man.
The other name worth seriously monitoring is Adin Huntington (66). He had a busy college career, initially spending three years at Kent State before heading to Louisiana-Monroe for a year, and then finishing at Tulane.
Huntington had plenty of buzz and intrigue around him when the Browns brought him in as a UDFA due to his profile, and he’s proven to be a high-intensity spark plug who plays with a low center of gravity. His size is the concern when playing along the NFL interior, as he’s probably just 6’0” and 280 pounds, but he plays bigger than his listed size—as evidenced by some of his reps on Friday, where he generated multiple pressures using a rip move and ended up with a sack. He was in there early and often, from the first few series into the third quarter.
What’s fascinating is the athlete here. Huntington moves exceptionally well for his size and tested that way in the pre-draft process where he clocked a wild 4.664 40-yard dash time at 280 pounds.
This athleticism was on full display in special teams where he made three tackles on the night and led all special teams participants in the category. He can really move and let me tell you no kickoff return blocker wants to take on a full speed defensive lineman in space. Big No. 66 is moving out there. But he’s not limited to straight line. He can turn the corner well too. It’s fun to watch.
As Mike Hall Jr. recovers from his knee injury there might be an early spot for Huntington if he keeps creating pressure and thriving on specials. I am fascinated with him in this process.
Coverage of the Browns time in Philadelphia will hit throughout the day, so don’t miss it. If you’re not with us in a subscriber capacity you’ll want to rectify that. Don’t miss out. I appreciate all of you.
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