CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns signed fullback Johnny Stanton to a reserve/futures contract on Tuesday. To be clear, such a transaction isn’t normally the launching pad for NFL stardom.

Reserve/futures contracts help fill out the roster for offseason workouts and training camp by adding young players still trying to find their place in the NFL.

The Browns signed eight others to reserve/futures contracts on Dec. 30. That group included non-household names like Brandin Bryant, Willie Wright and Malcolm Pridgeon. Donnie Lewis Jr., the Browns’ seventh-round pick in 2019, was also among the group.

But Stanton’s background sticks out.

In 2013, as a senior at Santa Margarita (Calif.) Catholic, Stanton was a four-star recruit and the 11th-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the country, according to recruiting website 247Sports.com. You can find YouTube videos that document his junior season, when he rushed for 1,528 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns.

He was Nebraska’s third-string quarterback in 2014, but fell down the depth chart the next year, leading to a transfer. After becoming a JUCO All-American, Stanton landed with UNLV where he played quarterback, tight end, linebacker and special teams.

In six games for UNLV in 2017, Stanton completed 63 percent of his passes for 724 yards, rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns, had nine tackles on defense, returned a punt for 19 yards and also blocked a punt.

He worked out at QB, TE, LB and long snapper at his 2018 pro day.

That’s versatility, which is something NFL coaches covet. Kevin Stefanski sure does, and he knows fullbacks can provide it.

“I have a healthy respect for the fullback position,” Stefanski said during a reddit chat shortly after he became Browns head coach. “I think it gives you some versatility – because the defense has a hard time knowing whether we’ll be in a one-back, two-back or empty set.”

And if you have a 6-foot-2, 240-pound fullback who was a college quarterback, that’s even more for the defense to think about. It’s that guessing game and versatility that has worked for the Saints with Taysom Hill.

A quarterback at BYU, Hill (6-2, 220) signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2017, then was waived and claimed by the Saints, who first round a role for him on special teams in coverage and kick returns. But his role evolved into part-time passer, rusher, blocker and receiver. He played 17 percent of the Saints’ offensive snaps in 2018, and 22 percent this season.

Stanton, too, got into the NFL as an undrafted free agent, signing with the Vikings in 2018. He has yet to play in a game. Injuries have limited Stanton at all levels of football. He spent 2018 on IR and some of last season on the Vikings’ practice squad.

But Stefanski likes fullbacks. He utilized the position often in Minnesota with C.J. Ham.

Only 12 NFL players to take offensive snaps were considered fullbacks in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus, and only five got more than 100 snaps. Ham (223) and the 49ers’ Kyle Juszczyk (224) were the only fullbacks with more than 150 snaps.

It’s certainly understandable if Stefanski only sees Stanton as a traditional fullback. Ham had just eight carries and 17 catches in 2019.

But as we try to figure out what kind of offense Stefanski and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will create in Cleveland, it’s worth remembering Stanton’s background and all the different things he can do.

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