The Hall of Fame Game featured its fair share of memorable moments.
Even after the lights went out during the second half of Thursday's matchup, the Cleveland Browns earned a 21-16 victory over the New York Jets after they clawed back from the nine-point deficit they faced by the half. Cleveland's quarterback duo of Kellen Mond and Dorian Thompson-Robinson finished with a combined 167 passing yards and two passing touchdowns as they made 21 of their 30 pass attempts. Browns safety Bubba Bolden sealed the comeback victory when he intercepted Jets quarterback Chris Streveler with less than one minute remaining in the fourth quarter.
Who are some players who put on memorable performances and saw their stock rise during Thursday's Hall of Fame Game?
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Thompson-Robinson, a former standout quarterback for UCLA and a fifth-round selection in 2023, ended the night with one passing touchdown and 82 passing yards after he entered the game in the second half. He threw a quick pass to receiver Austin Watkins near the 30-yard line during a crucial drive, who took it to the endzone to give the Browns a close lead with 9:33 remaining in the fourth.
“He made some nice plays,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said of Thompson-Robinson, via NFL.com Around the NFL Writer Kevin Patra. “He made some plays with his feet. I felt the route on the touchdown was outstanding. Good read, good throw, had some really good moments.”
Thompson-Robinson's ability to stay calm, cool and collected in the pocket and make the right decisions when the play broke down made him a valuable part of Cleveland's offense during Thursday's matchup. He can be a solid backup option for the Browns if he continues to showcase his talents throughout the NFL season.
John Kelly Jr.
Kelly Jr. did well in both the running and receiving game for the Browns, finishing the night with 42 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards. He scored off of a short pass from Mond in the second quarter, rolling out to the left and dodging a tackle from Jets linebacker Zaire Barnes before finding his way into the endzone.
The Browns will have running backs Nick Chubb and Jerome Ford to fall back on during the 2023 season. Both will be under contract for Cleveland next season, according to sports contracts and salaries website Spotrac. But his ability to be effective as both a rusher and a receiver can make him a decent option to look out for if he continues to show out in the preseason and beyond.
Cedric Tillman
Tillman, the Browns' No. 74 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, finished the night with 35 receiving yards on two receptions. He hauled in a 15-yard reception off a pass from Mond in the first quarter before earning 20 yards off a short pass in the second.
Stefanski had high praise for Tillman during the team's workouts in June.
“I think Ced [Cedric Tillman] has done a nice job,” Stefanski said, via Browns Wire, “like a lot of our rookies he's swimming at times. We're throwing a lot of information at them, he's very very very intelligent, so he's getting it, but it's a lot.
“We don't want to give them just pieces of it, we want to give them everything and just make them feel how much they have to work at this thing. A lot of our rookies, Ced included, are inundated with information and meetings and he's doing a really nice job.”
Tillman will likely be behind receivers Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore and Donovan Peoples-Jones as the season rolls around, but he can be a reliable backup if he continues to use his size to secure passes at the NFL level.