Meet Up! Get to know new Browns DT Jowon Briggs

The defensive tackle room is slammed full 

When the final gun sounded in the loss to the Houston Texans in the playoff game last year, the Cleveland Browns went into the off-season with only two defensive tackles under contract.

DC Jim Schwartz’s defense’s number one priority every game, every year is to stop the run up the middle of this unit. This means the DT room has to have talented players who can maintain gaps.

Although GM Andrew Berry drafted DT Michael Hall, Jr. in the second round on Day 2, he also selected another defensive tackle Jowon Briggs (6’-1”, 310 pounds) in Round 7 at pick #243.

The defensive tackle room is now going to need some more chairs as this group is overflowing with players.

Who is Jowon Briggs? For one, he was one of Cleveland’s Top-30 visits. Why do the Browns need another defensive tackle? Let’s take a look.

Beginnings

This is an Ohio kid. He was born in Cincinnati and went to Walnut Hills High School in Cincy which was established in 1895. Today’s enrollment is 2,984 children, so it’s a very large institution of learning.

Something you need to know about Briggs – he is a terrific singer. Tenor to be exact. He is a mainstay to sing the national anthem in front of 15,000 at a packed field house before a college basketball game and has headlined and performed in more musicals than he can count. He served as a tenor in the University of Virginia “University Singers” ensemble.

Briggs is also very intelligent. He graduated with a college certificate in computer science, a feat that he accomplished in three years instead of four.

Most high school football players come into their own in their senior year. Briggs was already there in his junior campaign. As a junior DT, he made 47 tackles, three sacks, and was named First Team All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) and Second Team All-Southwest Ohio (SWO) District.

During his junior year, already college football scouts were calling and stopping by. Briggs is the son of Dalila and Jowon Briggs and has five siblings.

He also competed in track and field by throwing the discus.

He broke out as a senior totaling 54 tackles and six sacks in 2018. Briggs earned First Team SWO District, again selected First Team All-ECC, was named an ESPN Top-300 recruit, rated a four-star recruit by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com, and was invited to play in the 2019 Under Armour All-America Game.

Oh yeah, Briggs was also named the ECC’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Briggs had some national numbers suddenly. He was chosen as the nation’s #7 defensive tackle and the #68 overall prospect regardless of position, plus the second-best player in the State of Ohio.

He had offers from Michigan State, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia, Notre Dame, Michigan, Alabama, Temple, Ohio State, Rutgers, and Cincinnati. On December 19, 2018, Briggs signed a letter of intent to play with Virginia.

At Virginia, he played quite a bit as a freshman and started 14 total games in two seasons. He was named ESPN Midseason Freshman All-American honors.

On November 17, 2020, Briggs entered the transfer portal. Eight days later, he entered familiar territory when he signed with the University of Cincinnati. Apparently, you can take the boy out of Cincinnati but you can’t take Cincinnati out of the boy.

With the pandemic, Briggs was able to play a fifth year. In his first year with the Bearcats, he had more tackles than his two combined at Virginia. When he completed his college career, Briggs had 169 total tackles, 12 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss, 17 QB hits, and 25 pressures.

Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield had some high praise for Briggs on Yahoo! Sports:

“I’m excited for Jowon and his family to realize his dream of playing in the NFL. I fully expect him to make an impact with the Cleveland Browns because he has already carried himself like a pro for years. He has an outstanding work ethic and was a great leader for us. He’s also one of the strongest players I’ve ever been around. I look forward to watching him play on Sundays.”

The 2023 season is the reason his stock fell so drastically in the draft. Last year as an elected captain he had just 27 total tackles, two sacks, and six tackles for loss.

Accolades Briggs earned while with Cincinnati:

2023 TEAM CAPTAIN

2023 ALL-BIG 12 HONORABLE MENTION

2023 THE ATHLETIC’S FREAKS LIST

2022 ALL-AAC FIRST TEAM

What should Browns fans expect from Briggs?

Needless to say, until the very second Briggs received the phone call from Berry, he was a die-hard and dedicated Cincinnati Bengals fan. Growing up in the city, going to high school and then eventually playing for the University of Cincinnati, how could he not be?

The Bengals brought him in for one of their predraft visits. On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at the Bengals IEL Practice Facility, Cincy conducted their own local Pro Day to which Briggs was an invitee and in attendance. He wore a Bengals jersey during the event. The stars had aligned for the talented defensive tackle to be taken by his boyhood team.

In Round 2 with the 49^th pick, Cincinnati took Michigan DT Kris Jenkins. Before the draft, Briggs was ranked #219 so he would have to wait a while to hear his name called. In Round 3 Cincy took a receiver and Texas A&M’s McKinnley Jackson, another DT. It was very clear the Bengals needed to get better up the middle and stop the run. Now, they had drafted two middle run stuffers of which none was named Briggs.

Next, Cincinnati took a tight end and a cornerback and suddenly it was Round 6. The Bengals owned the #214 pick. The stage was set. “And with the 214^th pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Cedric Johnson, EDGE, Ole Miss.”

The Bengals owned one more pick in Round 7 at pick #224. The Buffalo Bills had the first pick in the seventh round and took an offensive tackle. Washington chose a DE followed by Las Vegas who took a safety. Cincinnati was now on the clock. They also selected a safety.

Suddenly, it was not a matter of the dream of playing for the Bengals, but would he be drafted at all? Cincinnati ended up with 10 picks, and Brigg’s dream was now dead. Except nine picks later, the Browns called – and drafted him. And while he did not get exactly what he wanted; he did remain in-state.

Perhaps, just maybe, Briggs had been rooting for the wrong Ohio team all along.

Now, he and his wife Nyjae and their three children Jowon, Reine, and Zane are Browns fans. Briggs is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Briggs told TheFrontOfficeNews:

“I can promise you that you won’t find another guy that has three kids, attempting to play at the same level,” said Briggs. “We are going through about 50 diapers a day and it’s not getting any better. So, if there’s any diaper companies that want to partner with some deals, I’d love to reach out.”

He is known as a high-character guy. When he visited Cleveland, he sent a text to the front office of the Browns to let them how much he appreciated their time with him on his Top-30 visit. The coaching staff and Berry took notice. Usually, they never hear back from prospects. At all.

Berry explained to Yahoo! Sports:

“In my NFL career, I have never had a prospect send such a kind and thoughtful text after his 30 visit like you did after you can and visited us.”

Known as a stout run defender, Briggs will come in and compete for a roster spot as a player who can help the Browns out on early downs.

His nickname is “Silverback.”

WHY HE COULD SUCCEED:

Off the field, the Browns got a good one. Briggs is going to work hard to make sure they get a good one on the field as well. He is a leader. Briggs is a force on the defensive line who is a strong run-stopper and shows flashes of being a stout pass rusher. He was able to accumulate 71 quarterback pressures in his five-year career between Virginia and Cincinnati. Although he’s on the shorter side, he has a wide frame and is among the strongest at his position. Besides strength, his initial burst and hand strength are his two most impressive traits.

WHY HE COULD FAIL:

While he is powerfully built, his short arms allow blockers to get into his body. He is stiff as an athlete as Briggs lacks the flexibility to truly threaten the edge. He doesn’t show much in the way of dynamic change-of-direction ability on counter moves. He also has a limited repertoire of pass-rushing moves.