Making the team: McMillon lands spot on Browns’ roster
Observer-Reporter
Former Peters Township High School and Pitt standout defensive back Donovan McMillon has made the Cleveland Browns roster for the season opener after the NFL team trimmed its roster to 53 players by Tuesday’s deadline.
McMillon is one of six undrafted players who made the Browns’ roster.
He will be one of 10 defensive backs on the roster and McMillon is among three safeties who were not with the team a year ago.
McMillon signed with Cleveland as a priority undrafted free agent in May.
During the preseason, McMillon made seven tackles and had two passes defended. He gives the Browns some much-needed depth in the secondary, which is one of the thinnest positions on the roster. The lack of veteran safeties in camp is one of the reasons why McMillon signed with Cleveland. He will begin the season behind veterans Grant Delpit and Rayshawn Jokins.
“Each team would give me a chance but when I went through the list some teams, like the Steelers, already had six or seven safeties on their roster. Some had up to eight. Others had as little as four. I had a gut feeling about Cleveland,” McMillon said after signing with the Browns.
Cleveland opens the season Sept. 7 at home against Cincinnati.
At Pitt, McMillon was a second team All-Atlantic Coast Conference pick as a senior and became the first Panthers player to record 100 or more tackles in a season since Scott McKillop in 2007-08. He made a season-high 15 tackles against Cincinnati last fall.
McMillon started his collegiate career at Florida before transferring to Pitt.
As a wide receiver and defensive back, McMillon led Peters Township to a 20-3 record over his final two years and consecutive trips to the WPIAL Class 5A championship game. He was an all-state selection.
McMillon also excelled in wrestling. He was a WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A runner-up at 182 pounds.
One other NFL player with local ties survived roster cutdown day. Wide receiver Justin Watson, who played at South Fayette High School, made the Houston Texans’ roster. Watson signed with Houston as a free agent after playing the last three seasons in Kansas City.