The Jets recently acquired former Browns defensive tackle Jowon Briggs via trade. Today we break Briggs down in detail.
The 24-year old Briggs is listed at 6’3” and 313 pounds and was a seventh round pick out of Cincinnati last season. Briggs played in the last six games of his rookie season, registering 13 tackles, two quarterback hits and a tackle for loss.
Background
Briggs was a four-star high school recruit whose career began at Virginia, where he became the first defensive lineman in 33 years to start the season opener as a true freshman.
He ended up starting seven of 13 games and recording 19 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack in his freshman year and then ramped up his productivity in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with 20 tackles and three sacks in seven games, all of which he started.
In 2021, he started five of 14 games and had 43 tackles and another three sacks, before deciding to enter the transfer portal.
He ended up in Cincinnati and was a first-team all-AAC selection in 2022 as he started 13 games and racked up a career-high 61 tackles. In 2023, he returned for a fifth season and was an all-Big 12 honorable mention as he had 27 tackles and a career-best six tackles for loss in 12 starts. He had five sacks in two seasons with the Bearcats.
After being invited to the Hula Bowl and East West Shrine Bowl, Briggs turned heads at his pro day and would ultimately be selected in the seventh round of the 2024 draft by the Cleveland Browns.
Although he didn’t make their final roster, Briggs stuck around on the Browns’ practice squad and got his shot late in the season. Over the last six games, he impressed in a rotational role off the bench.
Having drafted Mason Graham in the first round, the Browns had plenty of defensive line depth so they opted to earn some draft capital by trading Briggs to the Jets at the end of preseason. He has three more years remaining on his rookie contract, including this season, and has already made two appearances with the Jets.
Let’s move onto some more in-depth analysis of what Briggs brings to the table as a player, based on extensive research and film study.
Measurables/Athleticism
Much like Harrison Phillips, the first number that jumps out at you from Briggs’ workout metrics is the 39 bench press reps he managed at his pro day. His obvious strength landed him on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” as he also squats 700 pounds. deadlifts 655 and does 180 pound dumbbell presses.
It’s not just strength that he brings to the table, though. He was clocked at 18.6 miles per hour and ran an impressive 5.04 in the 40 yard dash at his pro day. His explosiveness and agility numbers were about average and he lacks ideal length, though.
Briggs has displayed an ability to play all over the line, starting three seasons as a nose tackle, one as a five technique defensive end and one as a conventional 4-3 tackle in college. With the Browns, he mostly played as a 4-3 defensive tackle but sometimes lined up across from a tackle.
Briggs is an active player who battles in the trenches and hustles after the ball. Here’s a good example of a play to the whistle mentality from him.
He’s shown to be capable of handling a starter’s workload. In 2022, he played over 50 snaps seven times, including 68 once. The most snaps he has played in an NFL regular season game is 40.
Briggs is pretty limited as a pass rusher but his strength makes him a pocket collapser and effective on a bull rush.
In college, although he never had more than three sacks in a season, he managed to register 12 over the course of his career. His pressure rates have never been particularly high though and, before Sunday, he was yet to have his first sack against NFL competition. However, he got off the mark with a sack of Josh Allen.
Run defense
Briggs brings similar things to the table in the running game as Phillips, who was also acquired by trade on the same day as Briggs. He has the strength to hold up at the point of attack and can fight through double teams.
He can be driven off the line or sealed off at times, and this may be where he needs to improve his feel for when to give ground and when to anchor himself to avoid these situations.
Briggs has a quick enough first step to gain leverage advantages and shows hustle going downhill or moving laterally.
He also showcases the quickness to shoot gaps and burst into the backfield and the burst to close in on a ball carrier quickly.
Briggs has active hands and is good with his placement, keeping his opponent off him and resetting to regain leverage and control but that needs to be on point otherwise blockers can get into his body. This rep is particularly impressive because it comes against a very good center in Tyler Linderbaum.
In the running game, he impresses with his ability to shed blocks and to bottle up runs. Here, he doesn’t allow the tackle to seal him off, driving him back before he can get set.
Special teams
Briggs has rushed field goals at the NFL level and also rushed punts in college. He blocked this field goal at Cincinnati.
Missed tackles can be an issue for linemen with shorter arms because it’s harder for them to wrap up and they can’t reach out as far when extending beyond their frame or having shed a block. However, Briggs’ strength enables him to overcome this, as he showed on Sunday’s sack of Josh Allen, grabbing him with one hand and keeping hold of him until he could wrap him up.
The short arms clearly haven’t affected Briggs much, as he’s been a productive tackler and only missed one tackle with the Browns and eight in five years in college.
In addition to his first sack, Briggs also had his first forced fumble at the NFL level on Sunday. He didn’t have any in college, either.
Briggs has almost never dropped into coverage and has never batted down a pass at the line at the college or NFL level. At times, he needs to be more aware and get his hands up.
Advanced stats from Sportsradar suggest he gave up a 12-yard catch in coverage last year but this is a charting error.
Instincts/Intelligence
Briggs’ football IQ seems to be solid as he shows some good signs of play recognition and an ability to read and react.
There are times when his awareness could be better in terms of anticipating a down-block or cutback, but he seems to counter well in hand-fighting and leverage battles.
Attitude/Demeanor
Briggs is an interesting character who is a talented musician and was already a father to three children before he left college. Coaches have praised his work ethic and leadership.
His on-field discipline has been excellent as he has no penalties at the pro level and never had more than one in any college season.
Briggs hasn’t been troubled by injuries so far in his career, although he missed one game for undisclosed reasons as a freshman.
Scheme Fit
Briggs has already demonstrated an ability to line up anywhere on the interior, so he should fit well as a 4-3 defensive tackle in Steve Wilks’ system.
Ideally, he will be a perfect backup for Phillips, who hopefully can mentor him and teach him a few things as the season progresses. The pair also lined up together on a short yardage stop on Sunday. Briggs has already contributed off the bench in a rotational role with the Jets this season.
He was a teammate of current Jet Sauce Gardner at Cincinnati.
Conclusions
The dual additions of Briggs and Phillips signified the Jets knew adding more depth on the interior defensive line was a priority and it’s good that the two players they’ve brought in give them one with experience and another with good upside.
Briggs’ film is impressive and he did a solid job with the Browns last season, so he looks like a competent rotational option at worst, with the potential to be more than that.
The Jets already had the Phillips trade lined up when the Briggs trade was announced but it would be interesting to know if not also being able to get Phillips would have had them still making this move but with a bigger role earmarked for Briggs.
Going forwards, the Jets will hope that Briggs is a future starter that can take over from Phillips in a year or two and that doesn’t seem impossible based on what he’s shown so far.
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