So I know that everyone is dying to know my thoughts on the 2010 NFL Draft, specifically as it relates to the Cleveland Browns, so after a week of contemplating the incoming rookies, here I go.
Joe Haden CB 5'11" 193 lbs. Florida
I LOVE the Joe
Haden pick. There are only really 3-4 players I would have taken over
Haden if I were the Browns, Eric Berry,
Donkeykong Suh, Sam Bradford and maybe Gerald McCoy. Clearly the price to move up to the top spot for a QB was prohibitive so the Browns stuck to their board and drafted the best player available. It drives me nuts that people are still worried about his 40 time at the combine.
Haden injured his back during the combine but chose to run anyway, knowing that he may not post the times he was expecting. However, he also knew that he would run again at Florida's
Proday (Tim
Tebow Day). Doubts related to his speed vanished in my opinion after his
proday run which scouts clocked in the mid to low 4.4's. Bottom line is that he is a game changer at the CB position. He plays well against the run, he is instinctive and has excellent closing speed. I love the pick and I have enjoyed reading and listening to his interviews over the last week. I think we got a great football player, a great kid and someone we will really enjoy watching for the next 5-6 years and hopefully beyond.
I don't know if
Haden will start right away, but we need to have at least 3 capable corners on this squad.
Everyone who things that the addition of Sheldon Brown solved our CB problems, has obviously forgotten what it was like to watch Brandon McDonald and Hank
Poteat play on 3rd downs last year. Whether a starter or a
nickle back,
Haden will make his presence felt in 2010.
T.J. Ward FS 5'10" 210 lbs. Oregon
As much as I LOVE mock drafts, they tend to piss me off on and after draft day. Too many people who are projecting talent in the league as a whole fail to focus on how players may be ranked on a team's draft board. I believe this is the case with T.J. Ward, as he was slotted to go at least a half round later in almost every mock draft. HOWEVER, the Browns needed a safety. Period. With
Brodney Pool gone, we could not go into the season with Abe Elam and Mike Adams as our safeties. I'm not saying Ward was the top safety on our board, but considering Berry, Earl Thomas and Nate Allen were all gone, I think T.J. Ward is a better fit for the Browns than Taylor Mays. Mays is just too inconsistent to take a chance on. Ward is a great tackler and every bit the hitter that Mays is. Based on the videos I've been able to watch as well as what I've read, I think Ward starts right away and brings a physical presence to the secondary that the Browns have not had in a VERY long time. I remember my Grandfather about 5 years ago lamenting the inability of the Browns to hit someone hard enough to intimidate anyone. Meanwhile the Ravens and
Steelers have been putting fear into opponents offenses for the last decade.
People worry about injuries to Ward, based on his relatively lengthy injury history in college. However when you play the game the way he does, you're bound to take a beating. You can only worry about that for so long. Past injuries that are not lingering or hampering the ability to play currently are in the past. I think the coaches will work with him to make sure hes not taking
unnecessary risks. But man can this guy hit!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ovVFd_3zLE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc8-gJqzWws&feature=related
Montario Hardesty RB 6'0 225 lbs. Tennessee
If the last 5 games of 2009 taught us anything it is that a good running game is essential. I think that Harrison deserves the chance to show what he can do in 2010, but keep in mind that he is a
RFA now and he is no lock to be with the Browns past next season. I like James Davis and want to see if he can build off of his 2009
pre-season accomplishments. Peyton
Hillis was brought in as part of the Brady Quinn deal and the Browns like his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and provide a big body for short yardage plays.
Vickers is a
RFA as well, and while I think the Browns need to do anything they can to keep
Vickers in Cleveland,
Hillis does provide the Browns with a backup plan at
FB.
On to
Hardesty.
Hardesty is a big power back that played in the best conference in college football.
Hardesty runs hard, and while he lacks top end speed, looks to be quick enough to make people miss. Expect to see some of his famous spin moves, which look to be out of a video game.
Hardesty can also catch the ball out of the backfield. The Browns traded up to get him, which I questioned at the time, but looking back at it, I understand the Pats were looking at him hard in the 2
nd round. If we wanted him we simply had to go get him. At the time of the trade I thought we were making the move for Colt McCoy, a move I was very excited about. Needless to say the Browns played that situation perfectly. I think
Hardesty can be an every down back in the NFL. Although he will split carries, I think he is the most complete back on the Browns. I'm excited to finally have a feature back or at least an exciting duo the likes of which have not been seen since Mack and
Byner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJJiHPqy8xE
Colt McCoy QB 6'2" 216 lbs. Texas
It was no
surprise that the Browns drafted a QB.
Holmgren all but promised such. The
surprise was how the Browns remained patient and landed a guy that I think is perfect for offense which will be installed over the next couple years in Cleveland. As
Clausen slipped out of the 1st round, I knew Colt would be there at 38 for the Browns. We addressed the much needed safety position and I was relieved. Then we traded back into the 2
nd round. Surely we'll be making the move for McCoy. (Please don't call me Shirley)
Hardesty was the pick and my dream of Colt McCoy as a Brown momentarily died. As the third round started, I looked the teams which I thought might go quarterback in the 3rd. The teams needing a QB were not a good fit schematically for Colt McCoy. Colt really needs to be in a west coast offense which emphasizes accuracy and precision route running as opposed to a deep vertical passing game. Now don't get me wrong. Colt has plenty to do before he should be starting for this team, but long term, you can't help but like the
prospect of Colt McCoy and Mike
Holmgren growing together in Cleveland. Colt is not the biggest guy in
league, but he fears nobody. His arm strength is nothing special, but I believe he can make the necessary throws at this level, particularly in this offense. He is tough, he is smart, he is a leader and he LOVES the game of football. He has all the
intanglibles that you look for in a QB. I know people will point to Brady Quinn, who also has the intangibles, and say nope you need to have more. Colt does have more. He holds the NCAA record for completion percentage in a single season around 78%. To give you an idea of how good that is, Brady Quinn and DA probably combined to have an
incompletion percentage of around that same number last year. If I am wrong on this feel free to shove it in my face but Colt is going to be a GREAT NFL QB. The fact that we got him in the 3rd round takes the risk out of it. Just think a few years ago we took Charlie Frye higher than we took the all time
winningest QB in NCAA history.
Shawn Lauvao OG 6'2" 315 lbs. Arizona State
From this point on, I view the picks in the draft as immediate depth with long term potential. However, in the past I always felt like we just took someone to take someone and never sensed a plan or that the player would be successful. We've taken guys in the past that are cute stories or had some success at small schools and were projected to various positions at the next level. This year feels different. Starting with
Lauvao.
Lauvao was a LT at
ASU, and played against pretty good competition in the PAC-10. However due to his size, or lack there of, he is projected as a
OG at the next level. The Browns knew this and also know that the depth along the O-line was suspect especially at the G position. I think
Lauvao has a history of success and his transformation inside will greatly benefit both himself and the depth for the Browns on the interior of the O-line. Not a sexy pick, but a very solid one.
Larry Asante SS 6'0" 212 lbs. Nebraska
The Browns certainly made a
splash in the draft improving their secondary with the first 2 picks. However they did not stop there. The Browns get another physical hard hitting safety to add depth to the safety position.
Asante might not have the athleticism that some of top safeties possess, but man is he a hitter. And he might be an asshole, but also a
genius it actually WORKS! Watching highlight tapes of
Asante, he has a mean streak. Watch the below video and you'll see what I mean. We really need a nasty identity on the defensive side of the ball. If he can keep from getting dumb penalties he should really add some physicality to the defense. Having said all that, I don't think he will be a starter year one. I think he has potential but I don't see him beating out Elam or Ward for a starting spot. I think he could eventually replace Elam though. So far I'm loving this draft!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkuwIFMyCoo&feature=PlayList&p=55734529A308E6AD&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnO5IWjXFH4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IkAU7G6Sic (
dont listen to the idiots talk just watch)
Carlton Mitchell WR 6'3" 215 lbs. South Florida
At this point in the draft, its all about finding value, potential and draft day sleepers. I think Mitchell fits the bill for all three. Carlton is a big
WR with fantastic speed for his size. At the combine he ran a 4.49 40, which is one of the better 40 times for a
WR. From what I can gather he seems like a pretty good kid who would have stayed in school another year (which would have helped him tremendously) but his coach was not coming back and he decided to go pro. I think talent wise he is a steal, but he needs to be polished. Regardless, he gives the Browns some size and speed at the
WR position. Hopefully he shows enough to get on the field his rookie year.
Clifton Geathers DE 6'7" 300 lbs. South Carolina
This guy is a freak. This is what the 6
th round of the draft is about. Find a productive college player who has the physical tools to play at the next level. Like the Browns did in addressing the depth on the O-Line with
Lauvao, they now address the D-Line.
Geathers is big, powerful and fast. I'm excited to see what a year learning behind established vets and playing in Rob Ryan's defense will do for this kid. His arms are almost 38 inches long, about 5 inches longer than Joe Thomas'. A little technique and
Geathers could be an absolute steal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8uCPzHnWk4
NOTES ABOUT THE DRAFT AS A WHOLE
The Browns were aggressive in filling needs while getting good value at the position they drafted.
Alot of people criticize the Browns for taking
Haden and not trading down, because most think they could have gotten him a little later. I promise you that the Browns tried to trade down and still take
Haden, Kyle Wilson or Earl Thomas. The problem is that no one wanted toe 7
th pick because the top 5 talent guys were off the board and most people thing everyone was a reach at 7. The Browns did a good job of being patient and taking what was available at a position of need.
The Browns have seriously upgraded the
attitude on this team in the last couple years. We have hard nosed football loving guys in this locker room now. I think the benefits of having this type of player (Matt Roth, Jason
Trusnik, as well as the guys we've drafted) will really show soon. The players we drafted are all leaders. The guys we got on defense are hungry, hard hitters and look to be very opportunistic. Look for the turnover margin to close or be positive this year with better production on defense and a better offense.
More to come soon!
SUPERBOWL
E
