Miami football alums Jhavonte Dean and Trayone Gray sign NFL contracts

The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reported on Monday afternoon that the Cleveland Browns have signed Miami football alums, cornerback Jhavonte Dean and running back Trayone Gray.

Jhavonte Dean and Trayone Gray become the seventh and eighth Miami football alums added to the Cleveland Browns roster. Their former Hurricanes teammates Sheldrick Redwine, Chad Thomas are part of the Cleveland roster as are Olivier Vernon, Ray Ray Armstrong, Duke Johnson and David Njoku.

Gray was also teammates with Njoku at Miami. Dean missed him by one season. Dean and Gray were signed to contacts by the Browns which means the cornerback and running back will go to training camp with the Browns in August. Dean and Gray were backups during their Miami football careers.

Gray was arguably underused during his Miami tenure. The former Hurricanes fullback and running back wowed scouts at Miami’s pro day in March. Gray ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at 233 pounds. At 6’2 and listed at 235 pounds by the Browns, Gray is the tallest and heaviest running back on the Cleveland roster.

There will be a lot of competition to make the Browns roster at running back. Cleveland signed Kareem Hunt in the offseason after he was released from the Kansas City Chiefs last season. Hunt is suspended for the first eight games of 2019.

Johnson has requested a trade. Nick Chubb was a second-round draft pick by the Browns in 2018. Chubb is expected to be the primary back for the Browns at least until Hunt returns from his suspension. Tulane alum

Dontrell Hillard

and

L.J. Scott

who played at Michigan State are also contending for spots on the Browns.

Gray spoke to the Sun Sentinel’s Christy Chirinos about the importance of his performance at Miami’s Pro Day.

"“Some days, I was about to cry because I was running slow a lot and I knew I could run faster. So I worked hard and what I pulled off today is a blessing. I can move at this weight, at 233.Even if they want me at fullback or running back, I can play both. I can contribute to a team. I can play special teams. I wanted to show them I’m here to compete and I competed today.”"

Dean’s signing seemed imminent after his performance at Cleveland’s rookie minicamp. New Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens spoke to 92.3 the Fan in Cleveland earlier this month about Dean’s performance in the rookie minicamp.

"“It is better to make a play than to not make a play…That is really the only thing that I can say about it right now. He showed up. It was good to see.He made a couple plays on the ball that he didn’t end up with the ball, but he still made the play on the ball. He was a factor. Anytime you are a factor, you kind of stand out. That is a good thing during this time of the year.”"

While Dean and Gray made the Browns training camp roster several Miami football alums were not signed after tryouts in rookie minicamps recently. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported on the players not signed for training camp.

Former Miami quarterback Malik Rosier and wide receiver Darrell Langham with the Miami Dolphins, guard Venzell Boulware with Denver Broncos and linebacker Mike Smith with Buffalo Bills were not added to the 90 man NFL offseason rosters.

Boulware left for the NFL with one season of eligibility remaining at Miami. He transferred to Miami for the 2018 season after graduating from Tennessee in three years. Boulware redshirted as a freshman with the Volunteers in 2015 and could have played for the Hurricanes in 2019.

It would have benefitted Boulware to play one more season in college and been a huge boost to an inexperienced Miami Hurricanes offensive line. Boulware was one of 30 players with college eligibility remaining who were not selected in last month’s NFL Draft.