The Cleveland Browns may have landed one of the steals of the 2026 NFL Draft . Emmanuel McNeil-Warren drew first-round grades, so getting him late in the second round was tremendous value for general manager Andrew Berry.
With McNeil-Warren in town, some were quick to state that Ronnie Hickman or Grant Delpit were expendable. That made sense to a degree, given that Hickman was a former undrafted free agent, and Delpit is a veteran entering the final year of his contract.
However, if the Browns were forced to choose, they'd likely keep Hickman. That doesn't mean they should want to move Delpit, but Hickman's value, contract, and versatility make him one of the most underrated players in the league, as Sayre Bedinger of NFL Spin Zone pointed out:
"Although the Cleveland Browns have almost completely turned over their roster over the course of the past couple of years, safety Ronnie Hickman has quietly developed into somewhat of a stud," Bedinger wrote. "Especially considering he was an undrafted free agent back in 2023 out of Ohio State, Hickman has played well above anyone's expectations when he was coming out, and is still improving in all aspects of his game."
It seemed that the Browns weren't that high on Hickman when they gave him an RFA tender worth just $3.5 million. Fortunately for them, other teams weren't willing to give a former undrafted free agent safety what he's actually worth in the open market.
Hickman was one of Jim Schwartz's glue guys last season. He was the ultimate stat-sheet stuffer, posting 103 tackles and seven pass breakups - both career highs. His ability to make an impact in the box, while also disrupting the opposition's passing game, will guarantee him a spot on the field, regardless of the formation or who's by his side.
McNeil-Warren boasts superstar upside, but given his big frame and lack of experience, defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg will most likely keep him in the box or as a big nickel early on in his career.
Delpit and Hickman should still get the bulk of the work at safety, with the latter moving all around the defensive backfield. He's arguably the best value deal on the team (not counting rookies), and he actually led the team's defense last season with 1,039 snaps, adding 145 special teams snaps.
Safeties don't get enough recognition in today's game, but their versatility is crucial in disguised coverages and creating mismatches. That's why having someone who can excel in a hybrid role, such as Hickman, can help a savvy play-caller create so many different looks.
Hickman was an amazing discovery by this team, and he's made scouts and the other 31 organizations look foolish for passing on him in the NFL Draft and again in restricted free agency.
This article was originally published on www.dawgpounddaily.com as Browns' most underrated defender could become Mike Rutenberg's secret weapon .
