It may be the preseason, but the first opportunity to put on a Cleveland Browns uniform and take the field at an NFL stadium still comes with plenty of emotion or first year players.
Second-round pick Mike Hall admitted as much, following the Browns 23-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
“No doubt,” said Hall about having some first-game jitters. “I was getting my mind right pregame. Going out in the tunnel and just taking it all in.”
It meant a little more for Hall, who called Ohio home long before he was drafted by the Browns. After playing his high school ball at Streetsboro, Hall took his talents down I-71 to Columbus to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes in college. His journey came full circle though when he had his first opportunity to don brown and orange and take the field at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Making the moment even more special is the fact the got to do it in front of about 10 members of his closest family members and friends.
“Playing in front of my hometown, grew up here, being here my whole life, going to Ohio State and coming back here,” Hall said. “It’s a hell of a feeling playing in front of thousands and thousands of fans.”
By the time Hall took the field on defense with about eight minutes to go in the first quarter, the emotions of the moment didn’t much matter to Hall. It was strictly about football.Hall’s NFL debut – in the preseason at least – won’t necessarily blow anyone away if you just check the stat sheet. He finished with just one combined tackle, but that certainly doesn’t tell the full story of his performance. At some points during the game, Hall was double teamed by a pair of Packers lineman – a testament to the threat he imposed among some of the other defensive lineman he was on the field with.
There were some plays where Hall generated some internal pressure, some plays where he showed a great motor in pursuit. It was just a small blip of Hall’s full potential, but it was a start.
What’s impressive about Hall is that nothing has seemed to phase him throughout his first three months in the NFL. The jump to the pros is always an adjustment. He believes he’s putting in the work though to make his leap go as smooth as possible – with the support of some seasoned vets around him.
“Just the work ethic I’ve been putting in and staying after practice or learning things from guys like Za’Darius [Smith], or Myles [Garrett], or Mo [Hurst],” Hall said. “I feel like I’ve been doing a pretty good job of just staying on track so I don’t think there’s really nothing I need to keep working on. Just stacking days and being consistent.
