SB Nation Mock Draft: Dawgs By Nature Selects OLB Brian Orakpo for Cleveland at No. 5

by Chris Pokorny on Mar 26, 2009 3:40 PM EDT in General News

The pick is in...and it definitely fills a position of need on the Cleveland Browns.

No. 5

CLEVELAND
BROWNS
Pick by Dawgs By Nature

Brian Orakpo
Defensive end
Texas

Why the selection?

The Browns are far from being perfect at every position. When it comes to our most depleted unit, the linebacker position is begging for assistance ten times more than any other position. The Browns reached the quarterback for a sack just 17 times last season, second worst in the league. Compare that to the 51 sacks of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who also run a 3-4 defense, and you'll understand why no one is intimidated by our group.

[Read my full analysis at Mocking the Draft]

Some will debate whether Brian Orakpo or Everette Brown would have been the correct pick as a linebacker here. Mocking Dan believes Brown would have been a better fit for the Browns in the 3-4 system, but agrees that the pick is a definite improvement over what we have now.

You may discuss the pick here, or at Mocking the Draft. Either way, be sure to visit Mocking the Draft to read my full reasoning in choosing Orakpo.

Poll

Would you be satisfied with this selection, considering Curry is off the board already?

Yes

674 votes

No

379 votes

1053 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 35 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Sorry Chris, I wouldn’t draft Orakpo. I think he’s too stiff to play outside linebacker in this scheme.

by gahnki on Mar 26, 2009 5:13 PM EDT reply actions

The last time I took part in the SB Nation mock draft for the Browns was two years ago (since we were without a pick last season). Then, I passionately took Joe Thomas. I don’t have anywhere near the same passion for Orakpo, at least not yet (i.e. let’s see if there’s a trade on draft day).

Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.

by Chris Pokorny on Mar 26, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

With Crabtree, Brown, and Raji all on the board, i think Okrapo would be a waste of a pick

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Mar 26, 2009 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree…Orakpo had one good year and nobody even knew his name this time last. Too me this says he does not have a proven track record. I don’t like the idea of him being a tweener. I would be much more satisfied with Raji or Crabtree then in Round 2 looking at a Connor Barwin type player (he may even be able to help at TE) plus he is a great special teamer.
Where are the 60 some % that are satisfied and why?

by bellar on Mar 26, 2009 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions

respectfully, i would have gone with raji. OLB is a greater need, to be sure, but i think raji makes a bigger difference, in part b/c his skill at DE helps make the OLB playing next to him more effective.

separately, you say

Given the fact that the Browns have taken a strong interest to Orakpo already (scouting and news reports)

are you hearing that they think highly of him? last i heard/read on this was don banks saying that his sources told him the browns weren’t enamored with orakpo.

by DontCallMeJoey on Mar 26, 2009 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Not having Beanie Wells in the first round kills all his credibility.

by gahnki on Mar 26, 2009 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions

You dont take a RT at #5, and you can fufill the WR need in the 2nd round much cheaper. I’d take the best defensive player available, Orakpo.

by Estonianzulu on Mar 26, 2009 8:27 PM EDT reply actions

Demeco Ryans is a FA next year

on an unrelated note

im not impressed with your performance

by troy145 on Mar 26, 2009 8:36 PM EDT reply actions

C R A B T R E E

by qix on Mar 26, 2009 8:41 PM EDT reply actions

If Curry is gone then I think Crabtree is the most “sure thing” left on the board. He’s dominated college football since his freshman year and has the sure hands and physical abilities to be an elite reciever. I know many people want to go defense with the fifth pick, but I think all of the defensive player left that we really need (Orakpo, Brown, Maybin) come with significant question marks. I really think that Crabtree is a “can’t miss” kind of prospect who will really elevate our offense that is in great need of more playmakers.

by Buckeye Brad on Mar 26, 2009 9:32 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

True this

by Bernie19Kosar on Mar 26, 2009 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Definitely intriguing; at some point though you have to put your foot down though and address multiple linebacker positions. Granted, we have three picks in the top 50, but you never know what will transpire before your selection comes up again in round two. At No. 5, when a player like Orakpo is on the board, whether he’s worth being selected that high or not, it fills the void comfortably. It also gives us the ability to take more of a risk on a flier WR/RB with one of those second-rounders.

With a small pickup, our receiving group could potentially be second best in the division, only behind the Steelers. We’re third in the division when it comes to linebackers, and that’s only because the Bengals have just as many (if not more) issues than the Browns the past several years.

Dawgs By Nature - Covering the Cleveland Browns on SB Nation.

by Chris Pokorny on Mar 26, 2009 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions

If Heinz Ward keeps aging like he is, and we picked up an Eddie Royal-type, it wouldn’t be long till we had the best WRs in the AFC North*.

*Braylon must be catching better than in 08

by rufio on Mar 26, 2009 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions

This isn’t necessarily to say that Orapko is not the right pick (although I voted against him), you have to get value at any given pick. Reaching for a player in the top 5, or top 10, or even in the first round in general is what keeps bad teams bad. Usually it happens with QBs, but it can happen with any other position as well.

With a few obvious exceptions, it’s typically better to take the best player available at any position that could be identified either as a void or as an area that can be improved. You don’t pick a player just for his rookie year, and the need he can fill that year. You pick him for all 3, 5, or 10 years you may have him around.

I don’t like the reach for a hybrid type 3-4 OLB at #5. Take the elite prospect in Crabtree. He’s likely to make a more significant impact over the course of his stay than a less-than-elite type player.

Carmona for Cy Young 2009

by danvail on Mar 27, 2009 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes — we have too many needs to be picking a player based on his position. Take the best player available (except LT and QB) and worry about filling needs later. You don’t reach in the first round.

by Buckeye Brad on Mar 27, 2009 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Sure thing?

I do not think that Michael Crabtree is a “sure thing”. He comes will only 2 years of college ball and in a “spread offense”. That may not translate well in a pro stlye offense, when he is asked to block. This is especially true with the Browns, who seem to want to be a powerful, ball control offense.

by bestSSomar on Mar 28, 2009 5:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Braylon Edwards is a good blocker at WR and no one seems to care. Blocking as a WR is the last thing that would keep me from drafting him at #5.

by rufio on Mar 28, 2009 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Ocrapo Sucks

If Aaron Curry is off the board then the browns need to trade the pick unless they have serious intnentions to draft michael crabtree. Orakpo is not that good and who the hell is even heard of everett brown until two weeks ago. if we are going to draft a linebacker how aboout we draft one that actaully plays linebacker. trade down and get matthews or cushing. espn and that tool kiper jr will not stop talking about how talented these two are at linebackers and would be perfect for the 3-4 scheme in that weakside linebacker to replace mcguinest. the de are not that good. orakpo got dominated in thw bowl game by aaron boone who is a subpar tackle and like i said i never even heard of brown. Kam had one bad year and horrible defensive coordinator to blame for that so why are we so hesitant to give up on him. Ryan and Mangini both like him. lets get guys who know how to tackle and matthews and cushing seem to know how to

by cAVSkING23 on Mar 27, 2009 10:53 AM EDT reply actions

wait…did you misspell “orakpo” as “ocrapo” in your subject line on purpose?! b/c if so, you are funny. that is gold, man…just gold.

by DontCallMeJoey on Mar 27, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes, I’m sure Orakpo and Brown have never tackled anyone before.

by gahnki on Mar 27, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

So you assume a player isn’t good just because you haven’t heard of him before?

by Buckeye Brad on Mar 27, 2009 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions

McGinest played strongside LB, not weakside.

Alex Boone played for OSU, not Aaron Boone.

Ideally, a 3-4 has two awesome OLBs who are good at rushing the passer, like Phillips and Merriman in SD.

by rufio on Mar 27, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm lukewarm on Orakpo

I won’t be mad if we take him..but I do think for a top 5 pick he is quite risky. Not a good year to have the 5th pick.

by homerun21 on Mar 28, 2009 2:07 AM EDT reply actions

What If

Since we are at best making educated guesses, and since there are still potential trades in the air (Anderson, Quinn, maybe Edwards), how might (our assumed) Browns draft strategy change if the Browns:

a. Traded one of the QBs for a 1st (2009) and a 4th (2010)?
b. Traded one of the QBs for a 2nd (2009) and a 3rd (2009)?
c. & d. (replace ‘one of the QBs’ in a. & b. with ’Edwards.)

I’m not sure how close those trade values are to reality, but I figure that a 1st, 2nd, or even high 3rd round pick coming our way in 2009 would have to change the face of the draft board.

If the Browns have that extra pick (or two), would it increase the liklihood that they would go for “best player” over “need player” in the first round?

One other question to consider is: If the Browns can get another 1st rounder, do they have the cap space this year to sign them both?

by JustBob on Mar 28, 2009 12:15 PM EDT reply actions

for what it’s worth, nfl.com has the browns taking curry in their latest mock draft

by DontCallMeJoey on Mar 30, 2009 12:07 PM EDT reply actions

Have u all ever read National Football Post’s mock drafts, they are a joke. They have had us taking stafford in the past and they never have us taking a receiver in the first two rounds. they even had Larry English going in the top 10 one time

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Mar 30, 2009 11:04 PM EDT reply actions

I hope the Browns take the best player available. If Crabtree is there I think he’s the guy (unless Curry is available, which won’t happen). IMO, rrecieving options are nearly as big a need as pass rush. Sure we are weaker at LB, but our WR/TE positions are filled with questions too.

Think about it.. If we took Crabtree and he turns out to be as goods as say… Santonio Holmes and Braylon plays more like 07, we are going to be set at WR for the next 5 years, only needing to add role players. I’d say the chances of Crabtree being a very good player and Braylon rebounding with a solid season are very likely.

I’ll be honest, outside of the OSU/Texas game, I’ve seen very little of Orakpo and it does concern me that he was handled by the likes of Alex Boone, who I feel is very average. If we had a late 1st round pick I’d be all for snatching him up but I feel 5 is just too high for him. Really, after Curry I think the 5 spot is too high for any of the OLBs that have been discussed, that includes Maybin and the USC guys (Matthews and Cushing).

I’d probably also be good with us getting DT BJ Raji from BC. Him + Rogers = unhappy running backs. If he and Orakpo are both there at 5 I take Raji. Heard good stuff about Peria Jerry from Mississippi but don’t really know much about him.

by mgtbfb on Mar 31, 2009 11:20 AM EDT reply actions

Where does Santonio Holmes come into this

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Mar 31, 2009 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I just used Santonio Holmes as an example of how Crabtree could turn out. I said if we took Crabtree and he produced on the level of a Santonio Holmes and then if Braylon rebounded and played more like 2007 we would be set at WR for years.

Not saying we are getting him.

by mgtbfb on Apr 1, 2009 9:00 AM EDT up reply actions

I think there are better comparisons for Crabtree’s ceiling, but it doesn’t change anything about what you are saying.

by rufio on Apr 1, 2009 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, but he was the 1st “2nd tier” type receiver I could think of. I didn’t want to make some unrealistic prediction like Crabtree/Edwards would have Bolden/Fitzgerald type seasons for years to come.

Any rookie receiver that puts up 7-800 yards has done well IMO.

by mgtbfb on Apr 2, 2009 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions

I probably just have a simplistic view, but I think the idea of Raji and Rogers on the same line sounds great. It seems to me that so many blockers would have to be dedicated to stopping those two that the rest of the front 7 would have a field day.

by JustBob on Mar 31, 2009 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions

yea and if we could take Connor Barwin with our 36th( he ran a 4.47 on the 40 during his pro day) our front 7 would be like Frosted Flakes. Grrrrrrrrrrrrreat! sorry that was corny

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Mar 31, 2009 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I think some team will become enamored with Barwin and take him before the end of the 1st. I would be really excited if he and/or Larry English were there at 36. Trying not to get my hopes up.

by rufio on Apr 1, 2009 8:48 PM EDT up reply actions

The more tape I watch of Orakpo, the less I thinkhe has the first step to reach the corner and get after the QB. He doesn’t play as strong as his weight room numbers indicate, and I don’t think he has the fluidity to play OLB in a 3-4.

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Apr 2, 2009 12:48 PM EDT reply actions