The Cleveland Browns are continuously searching for the next weapon in what appears to be a loaded offense and they have gone the Ivy League route with one of their newest additions. Like Seth DeValve, who also hailed from Princeton, Stephen Carlson was a starting wide receiver in college, but is hoping to add weight and play more of the H-Back/TE role.
Stephen Carlson, WR/TE
Height: 6-4
Weight: 240 pounds
Carlson was one of the more highly touted recruits to enroll at Princeton considering he was the 2014 Connolly Cup winner, which is essentially an award for the Western New York High School football MVP. This is no small feat, either, as he joins previous winners such as new Indianapolis Colts quarterback Chad Kelly, former Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Licata and former Cleveland wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt. Carlson had an extremely successful season statistically in 2018, snagging 51 receptions for 683 yards and five touchdowns. He had a very productive four years at Princeton with 125 receptions for 1,632 yards and 16 touchdowns.
It is not surprising that Carlson went undrafted as he was not the most dominant player on the field, which is typically a prerequisite for Ivy League prospects. Carlson is also more of a tweener with not enough athleticism to be a true wide receiver and not enough size to play tight end on a consistent basis. He weighed 240 pounds at his pro day, but he had to add weight since his last playing and his frame appears maxed out.
It is going to be an uphill battle for Carlson to make the final roster, but he may be a unique option to stash on the practice squad as the Browns try to figure out how to use him and where. Carlson has the potential to develop into a decent role player down the line, but it would be shocking if he developed into a consistent contributor. The former Ivy League star is certainly worth a deeper look.
