-This is a quick follow up post to my previous entry on the possible names the Browns could draft. From what I gather (from numerous sources), the Browns have DT Marcell Dareus as one of the favorite targets, although he is expected to be taken #2 by the Denver Broncos.
-Another name to remember is LB Von Miller. I didn't write about Dareus or Miller because I believe they will be taken by the Broncos and Bills in that order. If the Bills do surprise everyone and take CB Patrick Peterson, Miller could be taken by the Browns.
-I am of the belief and have read that the Browns have no interest in Auburn QB Cam Newton, and I am happy about that. While his physical tools are great, his ability to run out of the pocket are superior and he has stepped up when his team needed him, I am very concerned about his football IQ, accuracy, ability to read coverages and high character concerns. He seems more interested in being a superstar and icon, then being a great football player and winner. He was kicked out of the University of Florida for cheating and during his recruitment, his father auctioned him off to the highest bidder, yet Cam had no idea this was going on. During ESPN's Jon Gruden QB Camp Show, Cam basically admitted that they really didn't call plays at Auburn and that he would read one progression and make a play. When running the WCO, this is not the ideal mindset to have. While he may be confident, he does not seem humble. There seems to be this air around him that he is bigger than everything and that different rules apply to him. I would stay far away from him.....
-DT Nick Fairley is a player that I did not mention last week because I don't believe we will draft him. I think Peterson, Green and Quinn are rated higher than Fairley. I am not on the Fairley bandwagon, even though he would fill a need on our defensive line. He has solid size for a 4-3 lineman at 6'3 291, who can get through opposing offensive lineman, deliver punishing hits, display a repertoire of moves and was productive against some of the best competition in the SEC (11.5 sacks in 14 games). I am concerned about his focus, motor and character concerns. Reportedly, he showed up late to a meeting with an NFL team. I don't like defensive lineman that have talent but don't have a good work ethic or motor. I would rather have Robert Quinn over Fairley, because he has less character concerns, is more athletic, has more potential and less of a bust factor. When you are drafting in the top 10, the key is to get the best player you possibly can, that can make an impact on your team, while balancing downside risk. Fairley is a lot riskier than Green, Peterson, Jones and Quinn. He sounds a lot like Gerrard Warren to me....
In review, I will say that if the Bengals don't draft A.J. Green, and instead take QB Blaine Gabbert (Cincinnati Inquirer reported that Gabbert came in for a workout), then Patrick Peterson could be drafted by the Arizona Cardinals at #5. This would leave Green, Jones, Quinn and Fairley for the Browns. My first option obviously would be Green, then Jones, then Quinn, then look to trade down and then Fairley. If the Bengals take Green at #4, the Cardinals take Gabbert at #5, I would be more than happy taking Peterson at #6, then targeting a DT/DE in round 2, a WR in round 3 and a RT in later rounds. There are numerous scenarios that could take place, including a trade down by the Browns, but I think we stay place because Peterson and Green are too good to pass up at #6, if they are there. This is why the NFL Draft is so exciting and fun, no one really knows what will happen...
Thats it for now, thanks for reading! Go Cleveland!
-Raz
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Cleveland Browns 2011 Draft Preview
I've gotten lazy, but we're six days away from the 2011 NFL Draft. The Cleveland Browns currently hold the 6th pick in the NFL Draft. They have one pick in every round, with 2 in the 6th round (resulting from the Brady Quinn trade). The Browns' biggest needs are DE/DT, WR, RT and CB. The Browns have just Ahtyba Rubin at DT with little talent around him (Kenyon Coleman and Brian Schaefering). With the Browns transitioning to a 4-3 defense with Dick Jauron, the Browns will need to beef up the defensive line. The current RT is John St. Clair who had an up and down year last year. The Browns have a very solid offensive line, except for the RT position. With Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Alex Mack and Floyd Womack/Shaun Lauvao anchoring the line, the Browns are one good RT away from having a great offensive line. Besides the deficiencies in the trenches, the Browns do not really have a great playmaker at WR. Our leading receiver last year was TE Ben Watson, that should really tell you something. If we want to see Colt McCoy continue to develop in the West Coast Offense, we need dynamic WR's for Colt to throw to. Both Brian Robiskie and Mo Massaquoi are #2 and #3 recievers and the Browns are in dire need of a WR who could garner some respect from opposing defensive coordinators. The position of CB was one where the Browns took Joe Haden in the first round last year and he proved to be a good pick as he had 6 interceptions in his rookie year. CB Sheldon Brown was acquired from Philadelphia last year and he is starting to get up there in age (he is 32 years old) and he will have to transition to nickel back. CB Eric Wright had a disappointing year and he will be a free agent this year (if there is a free agency!). With all this said, here are some names Heckert, Holmgren and Co. could draft in the first few rounds:
AJ Green, WR, Georgia Bulldogs Without a doubt, Green is #1 choice for the Browns draft in 2011. He fits one of the biggest needs on our team, provides a young weapon for a growing Colt McCoy and he is a safer pick than other options that could come about at #6. Green has great size at 6'3, 211 lbs. and who has great athleticism. He is fast, has great hands and great football IQ. His skill set would fit the WCO offense in that he can catch the ball consistently and gain yards after the catch due to his speed and agility. He was suspended for a part of the 2010 season for selling his bowl jersey but he does not have any character concerns. He is a hard working kid who both coaches and players rave about. If the Cincinnati Bengals do not draft Green at #4, he will be there at #6 and I expect the Browns to take him. I will be a very happy man if we draft Green.
Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU I know CB isn't the highest need for the Browns, but having a young tandem of Haden and Peterson would be down right scary for the next few years. Peterson is graded as the best CB in this years draft. He has great size at 6'0, he ran a 4.34 40 time and can play in either man or zone coverage. His athleticism is unparalleled. He has great hands, makes plays and can wrap up opposing WR's. He can return punts, and is very durable. He would fit the bill of "best player available" if he is there at 6. I would take Peterson over Julio Jones at #6 for these reasons, he could make an impact on day 1, where WR"s usually take some time to develop and Peterson has been rated as maybe the best overall player in the draft. Scouts and analysts rate Peterson as one of the safest players in the draft as well. I don't think the Browns could go wrong if they draft Peterson over Jones. I would be upset if the Browns take Peterson over Green, just because I think Green is one of the best WR prospects to come out in a long time (scouts compare him to Calvin Johnson).
Julio Jones, WR, Alabama Julio Jones is rated as the #2 WR prospect in this draft, but there isn't too much separation between him and Green. He ran a 4.3 40 on a fractured foot. He has great size at 6'2, good speed, tough, great inangibles and great leaper. He would also be a great fit in the WCO because he fights for yards after the catch. He has had some injury issues with his fractured foot and injuries to his shoulder and wrist. He has some concentration issues and can drop passes but it doesn't seem to be a major issue. If both Peterson and Green are off the board and we cannot trade down, I would take Jones at 6. He fits a need and is a safer bet than other DE's such as Robert Quinn and Da'Quan Bowers. I would also be very happy with Jones on the Browns next year.
Robert Quinn, DE, UNC Here is a name that has been popping up for the last few weeks. Quinn played DE for UNC but was suspended all last year for taking money from an agent. He has great size at 6'4 265, he has great athleticism, can penetrate, tackle and has a great motor. He had a brain tumor in high school that he seems to have beaten, he doesn't have a lot of moves, isn't great against the run and 10 of his 11 sacks in 2009 came against bad teams. I wouldn't want to risk taking a DE who needs time to develop and produced against lesser competition with the 6th pick. He could be a great player but he is a high risk/high reward prospect. I would stay away from Quinn.
Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson When talking about production, Bowers was one of the best last year at Clemson. He had 15.5 sacks against some of the best teams in NCAA. He has great size at 6'3 280, who can shed blocks, deliver big hits and get to the QB. He has a good football IQ and is maturing as a person. This biggest knocks on Bowers are his motor and injury issues. He recently had knee surgery and there are conflicting reports as to how healthy the knee is and if it will hold up. I don't like drafting DE's with knee issues because they will never be the same after their operations. Bowers has been productive, but he sounds a lot like Courtney Brown to me. Recently, many draft analysts have him falling out of the top 10 into the mid 20's. He is too risky to take at #6, and I wouldn't be too eager to draft him, especially with Green, Jones and Peterson all potentially being on the board.
Christian Ballard, DT, Iowa Here is a guy that could be available in the 2nd or 3rd round. Assuming we take a WR or CB in the first round, we would need to draft a DE/DT in the coming rounds. Ballard is an interesting prospect because he was a three year start at Iowa, has great size at 6'3, 283, is athletic, strong and hard working. He is still refining parts of his game but I believe he is someone who has a lot of experience and could step in fairly quickly to contribute. He needs to continue to develop more pass rushing moves and improve his tackling, but any players that is seen as hard working by his coaches, teammates and scouts, will probably work on his weaknesses in the NFL.
Allen Bailey, DE, Miami (FL) Another interesting prospect out of the "U". He could potentially fall out of the first round and he could be scooped up in the 2nd round. He has ideal size at 6'3 285, incredibly strong, is a great bull rusher and is a hard working kid. He is still raw but with some refinement can be a terror in the NFL. He has been productive the last two years as he had 14.5 sacks in the last 26 games. If we draft a CB/WR, this could be a guy would could take in the 2nd round.
Sam Acho, DE, Texas Here is a guy who has a non-stop motor who played at one of the best NCAA programs. He was overshadowed by Sergio Kindle and Brian Orakpo in his career but after they left for the NFL he had a productive 2010, with 9 sacks. He is a great tackler, tough and is a hard working player. He has won academic awards at Texas and is well respected by his colleagues. He is a little small for a DE at 6'1 262 and isn't as athletic as you would like and could be engulfed by bigger blockers. With all this said, he could be a great prospect for the Browns in rounds 3 or 4. He fits a need at DE and would come from a program that is known for producing NFL players.
Jerrel Jernigan, WR, Troy A interesting WR prospect from a small school with blazing speed. He would be a great fit in the WCO due to his ability to gain yards after the catch with his agility. He is a tough kid who has great hands and has a solid build. He is a dangerous return man who offers a lot of versatility. He is very small at 5'8 185, and has difficulties getting off the line of scrimmage. Also, he will have difficulty blocking due to his diminutive stature. He should be around in rounds 2 or 3, and if the Browns take a DE/DT or CB in the first round, they could target a WR in the second round.
Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland This is my 3rd favorite WR prospect besides Green and Jones. Smith has amazing agility and speed, who would be a great fit in the WCO. He has good size at 6'0 and has great burst off the line. He is still developing his seperation skills. He is a solid blocker and has good hands. He has a great background who was forced into being a father figure when he was 7 years old with his single mother and 7 siblings. He is well respected on and off the field and has been humbled by his experiences. He should be there at our 2nd round pick and I would love to add him to this Cleveland Browns squad.
Marcus Gilbert, OT, Miami (FL) With needs at DE/DT and WR potentially being filled in rounds 1 and 2, this could be a prospect who is available in round 3. He has great NFL size at 6'6 330, who is strong and naturally athletic, He is versatile in that he can play both LT and RT. He can get to the second level and is very agressive, which is the type of attitude needed in the trenches. He is a hard working kid who doesn't have any character concerns. He could be very similar to what Shaun Lauvao was last year, someone who might not be a super-star, but could fill in the offensive line on day one, and be productive.
I know this is a lot to digest and we might not even end up with any of these guys, but if I was in the draft room, these would be guys I would target. The Browns still have many needs on this team and with the current NFL lockout, we might not get any help in free agency. I put a lot of trust into Heckert and Holmgren because their proven to know what they are doing. Together, they signed Scott Fujita, traded for Sheldon Brown and Peyton Hillis, cut Derek Anderson and drafted Joe Haden, TJ Ward, Shaun Lauvao, Colt McCoy and a potential contributor in Montario Hardesty. If the Browns can get 2-3 more starters in this draft, I think the Browns could further position themselves for a potential playoff run in 2011. If any new names pop up before next week, I will be sure to post them. Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
AJ Green, WR, Georgia Bulldogs Without a doubt, Green is #1 choice for the Browns draft in 2011. He fits one of the biggest needs on our team, provides a young weapon for a growing Colt McCoy and he is a safer pick than other options that could come about at #6. Green has great size at 6'3, 211 lbs. and who has great athleticism. He is fast, has great hands and great football IQ. His skill set would fit the WCO offense in that he can catch the ball consistently and gain yards after the catch due to his speed and agility. He was suspended for a part of the 2010 season for selling his bowl jersey but he does not have any character concerns. He is a hard working kid who both coaches and players rave about. If the Cincinnati Bengals do not draft Green at #4, he will be there at #6 and I expect the Browns to take him. I will be a very happy man if we draft Green.
Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU I know CB isn't the highest need for the Browns, but having a young tandem of Haden and Peterson would be down right scary for the next few years. Peterson is graded as the best CB in this years draft. He has great size at 6'0, he ran a 4.34 40 time and can play in either man or zone coverage. His athleticism is unparalleled. He has great hands, makes plays and can wrap up opposing WR's. He can return punts, and is very durable. He would fit the bill of "best player available" if he is there at 6. I would take Peterson over Julio Jones at #6 for these reasons, he could make an impact on day 1, where WR"s usually take some time to develop and Peterson has been rated as maybe the best overall player in the draft. Scouts and analysts rate Peterson as one of the safest players in the draft as well. I don't think the Browns could go wrong if they draft Peterson over Jones. I would be upset if the Browns take Peterson over Green, just because I think Green is one of the best WR prospects to come out in a long time (scouts compare him to Calvin Johnson).
Julio Jones, WR, Alabama Julio Jones is rated as the #2 WR prospect in this draft, but there isn't too much separation between him and Green. He ran a 4.3 40 on a fractured foot. He has great size at 6'2, good speed, tough, great inangibles and great leaper. He would also be a great fit in the WCO because he fights for yards after the catch. He has had some injury issues with his fractured foot and injuries to his shoulder and wrist. He has some concentration issues and can drop passes but it doesn't seem to be a major issue. If both Peterson and Green are off the board and we cannot trade down, I would take Jones at 6. He fits a need and is a safer bet than other DE's such as Robert Quinn and Da'Quan Bowers. I would also be very happy with Jones on the Browns next year.
Robert Quinn, DE, UNC Here is a name that has been popping up for the last few weeks. Quinn played DE for UNC but was suspended all last year for taking money from an agent. He has great size at 6'4 265, he has great athleticism, can penetrate, tackle and has a great motor. He had a brain tumor in high school that he seems to have beaten, he doesn't have a lot of moves, isn't great against the run and 10 of his 11 sacks in 2009 came against bad teams. I wouldn't want to risk taking a DE who needs time to develop and produced against lesser competition with the 6th pick. He could be a great player but he is a high risk/high reward prospect. I would stay away from Quinn.
Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson When talking about production, Bowers was one of the best last year at Clemson. He had 15.5 sacks against some of the best teams in NCAA. He has great size at 6'3 280, who can shed blocks, deliver big hits and get to the QB. He has a good football IQ and is maturing as a person. This biggest knocks on Bowers are his motor and injury issues. He recently had knee surgery and there are conflicting reports as to how healthy the knee is and if it will hold up. I don't like drafting DE's with knee issues because they will never be the same after their operations. Bowers has been productive, but he sounds a lot like Courtney Brown to me. Recently, many draft analysts have him falling out of the top 10 into the mid 20's. He is too risky to take at #6, and I wouldn't be too eager to draft him, especially with Green, Jones and Peterson all potentially being on the board.
Christian Ballard, DT, Iowa Here is a guy that could be available in the 2nd or 3rd round. Assuming we take a WR or CB in the first round, we would need to draft a DE/DT in the coming rounds. Ballard is an interesting prospect because he was a three year start at Iowa, has great size at 6'3, 283, is athletic, strong and hard working. He is still refining parts of his game but I believe he is someone who has a lot of experience and could step in fairly quickly to contribute. He needs to continue to develop more pass rushing moves and improve his tackling, but any players that is seen as hard working by his coaches, teammates and scouts, will probably work on his weaknesses in the NFL.
Allen Bailey, DE, Miami (FL) Another interesting prospect out of the "U". He could potentially fall out of the first round and he could be scooped up in the 2nd round. He has ideal size at 6'3 285, incredibly strong, is a great bull rusher and is a hard working kid. He is still raw but with some refinement can be a terror in the NFL. He has been productive the last two years as he had 14.5 sacks in the last 26 games. If we draft a CB/WR, this could be a guy would could take in the 2nd round.
Sam Acho, DE, Texas Here is a guy who has a non-stop motor who played at one of the best NCAA programs. He was overshadowed by Sergio Kindle and Brian Orakpo in his career but after they left for the NFL he had a productive 2010, with 9 sacks. He is a great tackler, tough and is a hard working player. He has won academic awards at Texas and is well respected by his colleagues. He is a little small for a DE at 6'1 262 and isn't as athletic as you would like and could be engulfed by bigger blockers. With all this said, he could be a great prospect for the Browns in rounds 3 or 4. He fits a need at DE and would come from a program that is known for producing NFL players.
Jerrel Jernigan, WR, Troy A interesting WR prospect from a small school with blazing speed. He would be a great fit in the WCO due to his ability to gain yards after the catch with his agility. He is a tough kid who has great hands and has a solid build. He is a dangerous return man who offers a lot of versatility. He is very small at 5'8 185, and has difficulties getting off the line of scrimmage. Also, he will have difficulty blocking due to his diminutive stature. He should be around in rounds 2 or 3, and if the Browns take a DE/DT or CB in the first round, they could target a WR in the second round.
Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland This is my 3rd favorite WR prospect besides Green and Jones. Smith has amazing agility and speed, who would be a great fit in the WCO. He has good size at 6'0 and has great burst off the line. He is still developing his seperation skills. He is a solid blocker and has good hands. He has a great background who was forced into being a father figure when he was 7 years old with his single mother and 7 siblings. He is well respected on and off the field and has been humbled by his experiences. He should be there at our 2nd round pick and I would love to add him to this Cleveland Browns squad.
Marcus Gilbert, OT, Miami (FL) With needs at DE/DT and WR potentially being filled in rounds 1 and 2, this could be a prospect who is available in round 3. He has great NFL size at 6'6 330, who is strong and naturally athletic, He is versatile in that he can play both LT and RT. He can get to the second level and is very agressive, which is the type of attitude needed in the trenches. He is a hard working kid who doesn't have any character concerns. He could be very similar to what Shaun Lauvao was last year, someone who might not be a super-star, but could fill in the offensive line on day one, and be productive.
I know this is a lot to digest and we might not even end up with any of these guys, but if I was in the draft room, these would be guys I would target. The Browns still have many needs on this team and with the current NFL lockout, we might not get any help in free agency. I put a lot of trust into Heckert and Holmgren because their proven to know what they are doing. Together, they signed Scott Fujita, traded for Sheldon Brown and Peyton Hillis, cut Derek Anderson and drafted Joe Haden, TJ Ward, Shaun Lauvao, Colt McCoy and a potential contributor in Montario Hardesty. If the Browns can get 2-3 more starters in this draft, I think the Browns could further position themselves for a potential playoff run in 2011. If any new names pop up before next week, I will be sure to post them. Thanks for reading and go Cleveland!
-Raz
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