Charles Gaines NFL Draft 2015: Scouting Report, Grade for Browns' Rookie

STRENGTHS
A former wide receiver, Charles Gaines plays the ball in the air like he's still on offense. Gaines excels in zone coverage underneath and has quick, active feet to redirect and change direction. He's cocky but plays smart and sees the field very well. He is quick enough to match up at the line of scrimmage and slide with receivers, showing choppy, twitchy feet. He's patient and times his jumps well to attack the ball in the air. Gaines has the length to jam at the line of scrimmage and the quickness to recover underneath. He's a high-upside cornerback prospect with room to flourish if coached up.

WEAKNESSES
Gaines was on the bad side of former head coach Charlie Strong on two documented occasions that led to suspensions, one of them for five games. It was never revealed why he was suspended, just listed as a violation of team rules. Gaines has played cornerback for only two seasons and is still learning the technique side of the position. He has a slight, narrow frame and could stand to bulk up in an NFL program. Deep routes were an issue for Gaines as he struggled to time his turns and had to rely on athleticism to catch up to the receiver. For a former offensive player, he dropped quite a few gimme interceptions in 2014.

2014 STATISTICS
Tackles: 36                  

Passes Defended: 10                              

Interceptions: 2
    

PRO COMPARISON: E.J. Gaines, St. Louis Rams
A stud in underneath coverage and an aggressive, film-heavy player, it's easy to compare this Gaines to another one, as both were terrors on underneath routes.

FINAL GRADE: 5.45/9.00 (Quality Backup)