Space-eating rookie Danny Shelton can officially call Cleveland his home.
The Browns reached a deal with their No. 12 overall pick on a four-year, $11.7 million contract with a $6.7 million signing bonus, the team announced on Friday. The pact also includes a fifth-year team option.
The Browns will heavily lean on the 6-foot-2, 339-pound scheme-buster to inject life into their 32nd-ranked run defense.
Already drawing comparisons to Vince Wilfork and Haloti Ngata, Shelton will likely leave training camp as the Week 1 starter at nose tackle -- which could potentially mark the exit of former first-rounder Phil Taylor.
"I'll play two downs, three downs, four downs. Even if there was a five down I'd play five downs," Shelton said at his introductory news conference. "I'm going to be that guy who's going to outwork people. I'm going to be that guy who breaks stereotypes, breaks negativity. I'm going to bring the positive energy."
The former Washington Huskie filled the stat sheet with nine sacks, an NCAA-leading five fumble recoveries and 93 total tackles -- 16.5 of them for loss -- in 2014.
The disruptive force could be a dark-horse candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year Award -- hoping to become the third-consecutive defensive lineman to take the honor.
For a franchise with a history of misfiring on first-round picks, Shelton should serve as a safe pick-up for the Browns -- just ask Commissioner Roger Goodell.
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