Senior Bowl: Final Thoughts

Can we please get Brandon Graham? As a Michigan fan, Eric was pimping this guy to me all last season. I finally got a chance to see him play watching the Ohio State-Michigan game this past November and he immediately jumps out at you. His motor never stops. He draws a lot of comparisons to Lamaar Woodley because they both played DE at Michigan, but he reminds me a lot of Dwight Freeney in terms of his motor. He is non-stop. Not only can he rush the QB, but he is very strong and is sound against the run too.

BG continued to toss the South tackles around like rag dolls in the second half, picking up another sack a forced fumble and game MVP honors. I doubt we would take him as high as 7 but perhaps if we are able to trade down in the first or trade back into the first, he will be a solid OLB in the NFL. Lets just pray Pittsburgh or Baltimore don't take him. He's a BEAST.

Tebow's performance in this game was lackluster. Facing the toughest competition of his career, Tebow looked lost at times. When plays broke down he lacked the speed to outrun defenders and looked very ordinary. Granted its hard to get into an offensive rhythm when you are constantly switching QBs (where have a heard THAT song before?), Tebow struggled and he will be a project on the next level.

As far as quarterbacks go, Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan and Zac Robinson of Oklahoma State stood out the most. They showed good ability to move in the pocket, keep plays alive when the pocket broke down and moved the ball fairly well on offense. LeFevour, which is French for "The Fevour" is intriguing as he was extremely productive over his career. Let's keep an eye on him.

Marty Gilyard - WR (Cincinnati) showed some ability (sorry for the Crennelism there). While he might not have top end speed he's very shifty and quick in and out of his breaks and is very adept at creating separation. His Senior Bowl performance likely elevated his draft status to the 2nd round.

The North defense beat up the South offense throughout the game. We'll continue breaking down the Senior Bowl and the prospects as we head towards the Scouting Combine which is less than a month away!

Senior Bowl: Impressions at Halftime

Tim Tebow - QB (Florida)
Tebow ran a little no huddle on the opening drive to try to catch the North defense off guard. Tebow was quick to check down to his tight ends and backs (where have I seen this before?), and missed on a skinny post, underthrowing his receiver. On his second drive, Tebow did a good job moving the offense and got the South on the board to knot the game at 3-3. Tebow was not impressive in limited work, but watching a Florida game or two, Tebow seems to improve as the games wear on.

Offense
Nobody has done anything to really stand out head and shoulders above everybody else. However, I want to see what LeGarrett Blount - RB (Oregon) does at the combine in terms of 40-time, short shuttle and position drills, especially catching the ball. He is a solid 6'1" 245 and could be a nice complement to Mr. Jerome Harrison. Eric and I have been proponents of adding more physicality to the Browns. Who better than Blount? Blount scored the North's first TD rushing off LT and leaping into the end zone from about the 5 yard line. It will be interesting to see whether his incident at Boise State will affect his draft stock.

Speed is crucial at the next level. Dexter McCluster - WR/RB/PR/KR/MD/JD/LLM/ESQ/CPA (Ole Miss) and Jacoby Ford - WR (Clemson) absolutely have it. Ford burned most of the North defenders on a reverse in the first quarter and the Dolphins coaching staff on the South have had McCluster do a little bit of everythign in this game.

Mike Mayock has repeatedly pointed out how heralded guard/tackle prospect Mike Iupati out of Idaho has good footwork but lacks a strong punch and has a propensity to hold. This concerns me as a team possibly in the market for his services. He comes from a small school and may have gotten away with it there but it will not work in the NFL.

Defense
Dan Williams - DT (Tennessee) was dominant in the interior of the defensive line for the South team, consistently commanding double teams and was able to collapse the pocket, pressure the QB and knock down a pass or two at the line of scrimmage.

Brandon Graham's - DE/OLB (Michigan) opened eyes this week and his dominance in practice has carried over to the game as he has beaten just about every tackle hes faced. He's been living in the backfield creating pressures and even registering a sack, an impressive feat considering the Senior Bowl rules prohibit blitzing (only 4 man rushes are allowed). We need someone like this at OLB.

Sean Weatherspoon - LB (Mizzou) looks like he is a real playmaker. He was all over the field and even covered the quick McCluster one on one on a swing route out of the backfield.

Taylor Mays - FS, has drawn a lot of criticism for not making enough plays this year at USC. He has all the physical tools and his problem in my opinion is that hes always trying to go for the home run. On the first or second play of the game he went for a knock out punch going full speed at a RB and missed allowing the North to pick up extra yards. Mays made up for this by picking off a pass in the end zone, keeping points off the board.

Looking forward to seeing more plays made in the second half!

Senior Bowl Full of Top Prospects

The Senior Bowl kicks off from Mobile, Alabama in a little less than 30 minutes (broadcast live on NFL Network). This is the premier game for scouting senior prospects and has important ramifications on the upcoming NFL draft. Last year, a little more than one-third of the picks in the first round played in the Senior Bowl.

I am looking forward to seeing how Tim Tebow does against the toughest competition he has ever faced. Tebow will be the most scrutinized player to enter the NFL this year and perhaps of all time. Like him or not, Tebow is a consummate competitor and leader. He exudes confidence and strength and makes the players around him better. Others will argue the players around him and Urban Meyer's system at Florida made him better. Either way, I like his intangibles and his base skill set. I think if he gets in the right system and works on his mechanics, he can be a successful NFL QB.

I will also be paying close attention to anyone and everyone on defense, especially pass rushers and defensive backs.

Refresh periodically for updates and thoughts on players that stand out to me.

2010 State of the Browns' Union Address

Mike Holmgren delivered the address before members of the Browns' organization at 100 Alfred Lerner Way in Cleveland, Ohio:

"Madame Aponte, Vice President Wiedmeier, members of the front office, coaching staff, distinguished tailgaters, and fellow Browns fans:

Mr. Lerner declares that from time to time, the President shall give to the owner information about the state of our union. For fifty-four years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty. They have done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they have done so in the midst of games and depression; at moments of great strife and great struggle.

It’s tempting to look back on these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable – that the Browns were always destined to succeed. But when Earnest Byner fumbled and John Elway first drove 98 yards, victory was very much in doubt. When Modell moved the team, the future was anything but certain. These were times that tested the courage of our convictions, and the strength of our fan base. And despite all our divisions and disagreements; our hesitations and our fears; Cleveland prevailed because we chose to move forward with our history, our tradition and our team colors as one team, and one Dawg Pound.

Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history's call.

One month ago, I took office amid another losing season, a roster rocked by severe recession, a salary cap system on the verge of collapse, and Mr. Lerner deeply in debt on old contracts. Experts from across the NFL spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might face a second depression. So we acted – immediately and aggressively. And one month later, the worst of the storm has passed.

But the devastation remains. One in ten Browns players still cannot find the endzone. Many sponsors have shuttered. PSL values have declined. Season ticket holders have been hit especially hard. For those who have to sit in the Family Zone, life has become that much harder.

This recession has also compounded the burdens that Browns fans have been dealing with for decades – the burden of cheering harder and longer for less; of being unable to tailgate long enough to tolerate the cold or the miserable display on the field.

So I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They're not new. These struggles are the reason I became President. These struggles are what I've witnessed for years in places like Buffalo, Detroit and Oakland. I hear about them in the letters that I read each night. The toughest to read are those written by children – asking why they have to watch this crap, or when their mom or dad will be able to talk to them again on Sundays.

For these fans and so many others, change has not come fast enough. Some are frustrated; some are angry. They don't understand why it seems like bad play on the Steelers is rewarded but hard work in Berea isn't; or why Mr. Lerner has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They are tired of the barking and the shouting and the pettiness. They know we can't afford it. Not now.

So we face big and difficult challenges. And what the Browns fans hope – what they deserve – is for all of us to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our beer guts. For while the players who we drafted or signed with us here have different backgrounds, different stories and different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same. The aspirations they hold are shared. A job that “pays the man”. A chance to get ahead. Most of all, the ability to give the team a better record.

You know what else they share? They share a stubborn resilience in the face of adversity. After one of the most difficult seasons in our history, they remain busy building muscle and learning plays; starting mini camps and going back to OTAs. They're coaching each other and helping their neighbors. As one woman wrote me, "We are strained but hopeful, struggling but encouraged."

It is because of this spirit – this great decency and great strength – that I have never been more hopeful about the Brown’s future than I am tonight. Despite our hardships, our union is strong. We do not give up. We do not quit. We do not allow fear or division to break our spirit. In this new decade, it's time the Browns get a front office that matches their decency; a team that embodies their strength.

And tonight, I'd like to talk about how together, we can deliver on that promise.

It begins with our roster.

Our most urgent task upon taking office was to shore up the defense that helped cause this crisis. It was not easy to do. And if there's one thing that has unified Eric Mangini and Tom Heckert, it's that we all hated the Hank Poteat bailout. I hated it. You hated it. It was about as popular as a root canal.

But when became President, I promised I wouldn't just do what was popular – I would do what was necessary. And if we had allowed the meltdown of the salary cap system, roster cuts might be double what they are today. More season ticket holders would certainly not renew. More PSLs would have surely been lost.

So I supported the last administration's efforts to create more cap space. And when we took the program over, we made it more transparent and accountable. As a result, the scouting department is now stabilized, and we have recovered most of the money we gave to Phil Savage.

To recover the rest, I have proposed a fee on the biggest coach. I know Scott Pioli isn't keen on this idea, but if the Chiefs can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to pay back the fans who stayed with Romero is his time of need.

As we stabilized the scouting department, we also took steps to get our front office growing again, creating as many jobs as possible, and helped Kokinis who had become unemployed.

But I realize that for every success story, there are other stories, of backups and practice squad players who wake up with the anguish of not knowing where their next paycheck will come from. That is why depth must be our number one focus in 2010, and that is why I am calling for draft scouting tonight.

Now, the true engine of scouting for the NFL will always be Mel Kiper’s business. But Todd McShay can stir the pot to make for hilarious TV segments on Sports Center.

We should start where most new draftees do – on special teams. Special Teams is the one area where we have been successful.

Through sheer grit and determination, some players have developed in the recession and are ready to start. But when you talk to season ticket holders in places like Allentown, Pennsylvania or Elyria, Ohio, you find out that even though Brady Quinn was starting again, he was mostly throwing to less talented receivers. But quarterback play remains difficult for small market teams across the country.

So tonight, I'm proposing that we take $30 million of the cap space Mangini created and use some of it to sign Chad Pennington or some other veteran quarterback and give the quarterbacks on this team the mentoring they need to stay afloat. I am also proposing a new contract for Josh Cribbs – one that will go to over two million dollars per season if he continues to play at such a high level. While we're at it, let's also eliminate all players who would not make any other team in this league (looks at Hank Poteat); and provide playing incentives for all players, offense and defense.

Next, we can put Tom Heckert to work today building the defensive of tomorrow. From the Hanford Dixons to the Eric Wrights, our corners have always been built to compete. There's no reason the Steelers or Ravens should have the fastest linebackers, or the Bengals who manufactured more turnovers than we did.

Tomorrow, I'll visit Mobile, Alabama, where college players will soon break the huddle at the Senior Bowl. There are all-star games and combines like that all across this country that will showcase rookies who can improve our roster. We should draft best player available and not based on potential. It's time to finally build a team we can be proud of; that compete for 60 minutes every Sunday, or Monday night, or Thursday Night, and the occasional Saturday. My fellow Browns fans, the state of the union is strong!"

Quick Hits from the Senior Bowl

Senior Bowl practices are going on this week in Mobile Alabama. This week is the first chance NFL teams get to really see the top senior prospects. Here are a couple quick hits about some prospects working down there.

Brandon Graham - DE/OLB Michigan
Was on Sirius NFL Radio with Tim Ryan and Pat Kirwin and seems like a great kid. The guys on Movin' the Chains love workout numbers and asked Graham about his 225 bench press. Graham insisted he would not tell, so they started the lower or higher game. 30? "Higher," said Graham. 35? "Higher." 40? If you can do 40 I'll come shake your hand. Graham replies, "Well, come down and shake my hand." Great stuff. From all reports, Graham is a force rushing the passer and has good speed on the outside. He's not big but at 6'1 265, he has great explosion. Look for him to be off the board well before the Browns pick in round 2.

Tony Pike - QB Cincinnati
Pike has not looked very good so far in practice. While his measurables are ideal, he is not spinning the ball well, resulting in wobbling passes that don't always get to their target.

Mike Iupati - G Idaho
This young man is playing really well and has the largest reach of any lineman in Mobile.  (Same) He is looking like a first round prospect as well, and could raise his stock if he is seen as a LT.

Sean Weatherspoon - LB Mizzou
Has been the vocal leader of the North Squad's defense. Apparently he is all over the field and making plays.

Taylor Mays - S USC
Mays has all the measurables to be an impact player in the NFL. In DB drills he has looked really good. He displays good range and is physically overmatching these receivers.

More to come later...

SUPERBOWL!!!!