Why the Cleveland Browns No Longer Need a Nose Tackle in the 2015 NFL Draft

Among the Cleveland Browns' many needs in this year's draft, one clearly seemed to be nose tackle. Ahtyba Rubin, who handled the job in 2014, left in free agency, leaving them with Ishmaa'ily Kitchen and little depth behind him.

Given that need, it seemed probable that some of the 2015 draft's best defensive tackle prospects would be in play for the Browns with either of their two first-round picks. Danny Shelton, Eddie Goldman and Malcom Brown all appeared to be sure-thing targets for the Browns.

But now, that has all changed. Head coach Mike Pettine, speaking last week at the NFL owners meetings in Arizona, said that Phil Taylor will be the Browns' starting nose tackle for 2015, with Kitchen his backup. Last year, Taylor played out of position at defensive end before heading to injured reserve with a knee injury in November.

Taylor served as the Browns' nose tackle in 2013 and played defensive tackle in both 2011 and 2012. He was Pro Football Focus' 25th-best defensive tackle in 2013 (out of 69), notching positive grades as a run-blocker. In contrast, Rubin ranked 74th in 2014 out of 81 defensive tackles graded.

Year	Games	Snaps	Comb. Tackle	Sacks	PD	Stops
2013	15	555	26	2.0	1	19
2014	5	133	10	0	1	5

As a nose tackle, Taylor totaled 26 combined tackles and two sacks, and of his 19 tackles against the run, 17 counted as stops—tackles made at or behind the line of scrimmage. He's far better suited for the job in 2015, with Kitchen backing him up, than Rubin was in 2014 or that a rookie could potentially be in his first season.

Kitchen, who is just two inches shorter and five pounds lighter than Taylor, also will serve as a solid backup. Kitchen played 305 snaps at nose tackle in relief of Rubin last year, including three starts, and totaled 43 combined tackles. He should be able to handle a similar workload, if not an expanded one this year.

Though the Browns could easily make additions to the defensive line via this year's draft, moving Taylor back to his natural position with Kitchen backing him up means that the Browns no longer are pressed to address it in Round 1. This frees up an early pick to be spent on the Browns' major skill position needs such as tight end and wide receiver. Defensive tackle gems can come later.

David Richard/Associated Press

It also means that Taylor can do the work he does best—occupying blockers with his big frame and stuffing run plays. As a defensive end, Taylor was clearly not comfortable, totaling just 10 combined tackles in five games played. Taylor should not be used in pursuit, but rather as a battering ram to open up lanes for pass-rushers or swallowing running backs whole up the middle. In fact, he should have been the Browns' nose tackle last year, not Rubin.

But now, the Browns have righted that wrong by publicly declaring Taylor to be the nose tackle we all knew he was and keeping Kitchen in the picture. Now, this doesn't mean that Taylor won't be moved around—front sevens are increasingly rotational in nature, especially those coached by Pettine and Jim O'Neil—but it does mean that what was once a glaring, obvious positional need has actually been filled, in-house.

For a team like the Browns, which needs all the help it can get via this year's draft, knocking one off the list means that elite-level offensive assistance is in play in Round 1. In fact, this may be one of the smartest decisions made thus far that affects Cleveland's draft strategy this year.