AFC Notes: Travis Hunter, Jimmy Haslam, Shedeur Sanders, Browns, Steelers

Browns

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said the opportunity to sit down for pre-draft visits with prospects is invaluable because it allows the team to learn more about the player beyond the lines.

“No. 1, you really get to know the person, and it is hugely important to understand what kind of person they are, how important football is to them,” Haslam said, via NY Times. “It’s great when you can meet the parents and understand their background. The other thing is it gives us a great opportunity to spend time with our guys.”

Browns GM Andrew Berry believes that Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter will be able to play both sides of the ball as well in the NFL.

“I think he’ll play both sides of the ball in the NFL. I truly do,” Berry said. “How that balance looks, I think, depends on the relative schemes on each side of the ball and then how much he can handle, probably more physically than mentally. He’s brilliant from a football standpoint. He has a rare intelligence, so I don’t think that there’s necessarily a limit in terms of how you can use him. I think he’ll be good at each point.”

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski believes Hunter would primarily be a receiver and come in on defense in high-leverage situations.

“I think every team is having that discussion (about where Hunter would play),” Stefanski said. “I think he’s very capable of both. How you structure it, where you start him, is really important to figure out. I could see him as a wide receiver who moonlights at defensive back. The easier thing that you’ve seen over the years is (a player starts at) defensive back, then gets a package of plays on offense, so every team is talking through that and how they would structure it, but this is a unique young man in his ability to do both.”

“I think throwing live is another piece of this,” Stefanski said. “It’s a small piece, but a piece of it. Getting around him, going to dinner is important, but then the whole process — getting in and listening to the rest of the coaches, the rest of the scouts, how they see the entire draft board — is (important). Certainly, Shedeur is someone that I think has done a really nice job throughout this process.”

Browns

The Browns seem locked into Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter at No. 2 overall in the draft, with some questions about where he could play due to his unique two-way ability. SI.com’s Albert Breer believes they will follow the “Colorado blueprint” with him getting packages to fill needs on both sides of the ball.

“…the beauty of Travis Hunter for the Cleveland Browns is that he can fill two needs. Denzel Ward’s been banged up a bunch, so Hunter can provide injury insurance and be a more than solid No. 2 corner on defense while complementing Jerry Jeudy in packages on offense,” Breer said. “So, while with other teams, there might be one need that supersedes the other in how to deploy Hunter, for Cleveland, it feels like the level of need on one side of the ball mirrors the other.”

“That puts the Browns in a spot to slice this anyway they’d like, and my guess is that they’d follow the Colorado blueprint—having Hunter put most of his early practice and meeting time into defense to give Cleveland an airtight bookend to Ward, while building out packages for him to contribute offensively.”

Steelers

Pittsburgh remains without a clear starting quarterback amidst the Aaron Rodgers saga, as Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are the only options on the roster. Despite their need at quarterback, NFL insider Aaron Wilson believes their visit with Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders did not go as well as expected.

“I’ve heard [Sanders] will not be a Pittsburgh Steeler. I heard that meeting did not go well. And that wasn’t from someone telling me that — and this is always the assumption — because someone is trying to affect these boards,” Wilson said.