The Cleveland Browns rookie defensive tackle, Mike Hall Jr., is already turning heads with his impressive performance in training camp. Hall, a second-round pick in the NFL draft, has quickly caught the attention of his veteran teammate Za’Darius Smith.
Joining a talented defensive tackle group that includes players like Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris, Hall faces stiff competition for playing time. However, Smith’s glowing comments about the young rookie indicate that he may be something special.
“He’s different, man. He reminds me of Aaron Donald a little bit,” Smith remarked in an interview with Scott Petrak of BrownsZone.com. “Hopefully he don’t see this and try and get a big head. Younger guy, wants to learn and just ask a lot of questions. If you did see when we was there doing one-on-ones, he was winning each and every rep. So to have a young guy like that just wants to continue to get better and better each and every day is big for our D-line. And we’re happy to have him.”
Comparing a rookie to a player the caliber of Aaron Donald is no small praise. It’s evident that Hall’s work ethic and talent have impressed his teammates and coaching staff alike. With the preseason looming, all eyes will be on Hall to see if he can live up to the hype.
“He’s a very talented individual, but it’s about what he does on the field on game day,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said of Hall. “We’ve seen flashes in practice, but we need to see it when the lights are brightest.”
As the Browns prepare to kick off their preseason games, Mike Hall Jr. has certainly made a name for himself in the early stages of his NFL career. With high expectations and comparisons to All-Pro players, the pressure is on for Hall to prove that he is indeed a star in the making. Watch out for #97 on the field – he may just be the next big thing in Cleveland.