Cleveland Browns select Michael Hall Jr. in second round of 2024 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns have selected Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. with the No. 54 overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Hall spent three seasons with the Buckeyes.

In the 2023 campaign, Hall appeared in 11 games and made six starts. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive lineman tallied a career-high 24 tackles along with 1.5 sacks. For his efforts, he was named an All-Big Ten Third Team member.

In his three years at Ohio State, Hall amassed 45 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and six sacks. Hall redshirted his true freshman season with the team after only playing in four games. Hall’s NFL Draft stock increased significantly after he put on a standout performance at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Michael Hall Jr. played high school football at Streetsboro (OH), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 61 overall recruit in the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Former Ohio State starting linebacker and two-time captain Tommy Eichenberg had high praise for Hall ahead of the draft.

“I’ve played behind a lot of defensive tackles, but he’s definitely one of the best I’ve ever played with,” Eichenberg said. “He’s the guy that, before the ball is snapped and even before the play, he’s got your back, no matter what. That’s on the field but that’s off the field, too. He’s loyal. He comes to work — he works his ass off.”

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Michael Hall Jr.

Despite Eichenberg’s ringing endorsement of Hall, not every expert is convinced of the Ohio native’s potential at the next level. NFL analyst Lance Zierlein provided an in-depth analysis of Hall.

“There might be a different conversation if Hall was a little bigger, but a lack of size is hard to overcome on the NFL level,” Zierlein said. “Hall plays with good pound-for-pound strength and stands up to bigger players in front of him. He’s twitchy to knock blockers off balance but will also be engulfed by size at times.

“He rushes with sudden feet and active hands to whip guards with quick wins but appears to lack the lower-body drive to capitalize on early advantages against stronger competition. Hall needs to add mass but should compete for a backup role early on and has immediate sub-rush potential as a 3-technique in a one-gapping scheme.”