Callahan confident in rookie OT Wills
Offensive line coach says plan still in place to start him on left side.
The Browns plan to plug Jedrick Wills into a position he’s never previously played and start the 10th overall draft pick right away despite their coaching staff ’s inability to guide him in person thus far because of the COVID19 pandemic.
That’s how much faith they have in the rookie offensive lineman’s ability to transition to left tackle after he played right tackle for the University of Alabama and Lafayette High School in Lexington, Ky.
“I think whenever you draft a player as high as we’ve drafted Jedrick, I’ve always felt that you’ve got to plug him in and play him immediately. I mean, that’s why you draft him,” new Browns offensive line coach Bill Callahan said Thursday during a Zoom video conference with writers who cover the team. “So, no, that doesn’t concern me, scare me, bother me in any respect. So I’m quite confident that he’s capable of being our left tackle.
“(Young players are) going to go through some lumps, and they’re going to have some times where they’re going to get beat, but the best in the game get beat. I think what we’re trying to do is establish kind of a mode of consistency with him, so that he can
get confidence in his techniques and be that consistent player for us, and then I really put a lot of stock in the rate of improvement over the long haul of the season.”
During the April 23-25 draft, General Manager Andrew Berry, Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta and new Browns coach Kevin Stefanski cited Callahan’s belief in Wills and experience helping Dallas Cowboys seven-time Pro Bowler Tyron Smith become a dominant left tackle in the NFL after he played on the right side in college as reasons for selecting Wills. DePodesta said the Browns had ranked Wills No. 1 among all of the offensive tackles in the 2020 draft class.
“You can feel him on film. He came alive on tape,” Callahan said of Wills, who protected the blindside of lefthanded QB Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama. “You got excited about what he was doing throughout the course of the game. A lot of times people talk about makeup and they talk about character and all these other things, which are great, which he does have, but he’s got these intangibles that show up in tangible ways on film where you watch him finish, you watch him detail a technique, you watch his consistent effort and his stamina throughout the course of the game from start to finish. I think that was the appeal for me.”
Callahan added everyone spoke highly of Wills when Browns scouts dug into his background.
“So when you put all those pieces together,” Callahan said, “it’s not a hard decision to make.”
The head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 2002-03, Callahan said Wills evokes memories of Barry Sims because of his athletic movement. Sims moved around on the line after playing in Europe and became a longtime starting left tackle for the Raiders.
Callahan said he convinced Raiders coach Jon Gruden to resist his urge to cut Sims, who signed as an undrafted rookie free agent in 1999, and the patience eventually paid off.
“I really thought that Jedrick reminded me of Barry and he could make that switch easily ’cause of his athleticism,” Callahan said.
In his 44 seasons of coaching, Callahan has overseen many position changes on the line. He explained a player’s “willingness” is the No. 1 key to a successful transition.
Smith has made the past seven Pro Bowls. Callahan served as his position coach from 2012-14.
“Tyron was really wide open to (changing positions), and nothing fazes him because he’s such a competitor,” Callahan said. “So when we made the switch, it was seamless for him. He had a few bumps in the road like they’re all gonna have. But he was quite confident.
“From a muscle memory standpoint, you’ve got to get groove. And a lot of that really depends on the training and the reps and all that, but when you’re grooving a player, they need constant, consistent reps day in, day out.”
That’s challenging during this unprecedented time.
Wills, who will turn 21 on Sunday, hasn’t been able to receive hands-on instruction from Callahan because NFL facilities are shut down due to COVID-19 concerns. Wills has been participating in the Browns’ virtual offseason program, which included a rookie minicamp last weekend.
Callahan said Wills has been practicing basic techniques, including a lefthanded stance, and sending the veteran coach videos of the workouts. They also have watched film of other tackles with whom Callahan has worked.
“He’s a sponge for information,” Callahan said. “He’s absorbed all the content that you can give him, and he wants more. I’m eager to get on the field with him.”