Media Grades the Cleveland Browns Draft
by Chris Pokorny on Apr 27, 2009 11:42 AM EDT
in General News
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PrintGrading the a team's draft can usually be broken down into three steps:
- Right after the draft
- One season after the draft
- Three seasons after the draft
In the first case, the grades are the most unfair since they depend largely on hype. In the second case, the grade might be a little more accurate, but many rookies either underachieve, overachieve, or receive no playing time in their first season. Three years down the road, when you can actually see where the player stands (starter, backup, free agent wire), the grade can be supported with more facts.
Since we can't zoom three years into the future, we'll have to settle for what various "experts" around the league think.
- Best pick: I love the pick of receiver Brian Robiskie in the second round. He will be a starter as a rookie.
- Questionable move: Trading down as much as they did and not quite getting the value they deserved. The Jets got the better of them in that deal for the fifth pick.
- Second-day gem: Sixth-round pick James Davis was a highly rated back a year ago, but he struggled as a senior. There is talent there.
- Summary: I like some of their picks, but they didn't get enough in their trade downs.
Mel Kiper, ESPN - B-
Alex Mack was a good pick at No. 21 and Mohamed Massaquoi was a very good pickup in the second round. I think fellow second-rounder David Veikune was a bit of a reach in that round, but not enough of one to seriously dent the Browns' grade. They didn't get a great receiver in Brian Robiskie in the second round, but he's polished enough as a rookie that he could be a solid possession guy for this franchise.
Creative deal-making allowed the Browns to load up on picks and players from the New York Jets that coach Eric Mangini likes. C Alex Mack was the best at his position, solidifies problem area, but may have gone a tad early at 21. Both receivers, Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi, will contribute quickly and Robiskie may start. LB/DE David Veikune may lack a true position, should get first look as rush end in 4-3 sub package.
John Czarnecki, FOX Sports - C
There's a good chance that Eric Mangini's former employer, the Jets, picked the Browns' pocket. Cleveland didn't get enough value for the fifth overall spot in the first round from the Jets, unless you really love Jets safety Abram Elam, DE Kenyon Coleman and third-string QB Brett Ratliff. Well, Mangini does love those players and that's why he pulled the trigger on the draft's biggest trade. The Rams may not be the best judge, but they passed on these same players.
Cal center Alex Mack should eventually be a starter and the fans had to love Buckeyes WR Brian Robiskie in the second round. Hawaii's David Veikune is a project at outside linebacker, but he does have power and good hands.
Eric Mangini hasn’t made many fans in Cleveland, but this weekend should help win them over. They brilliantly moved down the draft board, grabbing three extra picks and three veterans. This was the perfect strategy for a thin roster in a deep draft without stars. Center Alex Mack, wideout Brian Robiskie, and OLB David Veikune all should help right away. Fourth-rounder Kaluka Maiava could be a steal out of USC.
They didn’t get an A for two reasons: They may regret passing on Mark Sanchez and they didn’t improve their pass rush enough.
Over at Mocking the Draft, they have compiled a general "grade" when collaborating several different sources. According to that grade, the Browns had the 21st best draft, scoring a 2.56 (the same as a C+).
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Could our grade go up if this turns out to be true?
from the National Football Post:
One point that has gone virtually unnoticed is the fact that the Cleveland Browns traded for QB Brett Ratliff (as part of the deal that allowed the New York Jets to acquire Mark Sanchez at No. 5) on day one of the draft. Ratliff not only knows head coach Eric Mangini but also the Cleveland offense, and I think he has all the tools to develop into an NFL starting quarterback. In what was one of the weakest quarterback draft classes in years, did the Browns secretly get their franchise quarterback in the 2009 draft? For the record, I would take Ratliff over QB Josh Freeman any day.
I hope Ratliff is good. But we didnt take Ratliff to be our franchise guy
by BradyQuinnisBeast on Apr 28, 2009 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Here is a pre-draft scouting report on Ratliff;
The good: Classic pocket passer who continued to improve as a senior. He makes all the throws and stands tall in the pocket. Has good overall accuracy and timing. He has the physical package that will rate him high as a potential pro starter with development. He graded out well over the critical late stage of his career, which probably warrants him a second-day selection. He impressed scouts with his arm strength and smarts. In his final season, he threw for 2,796 yards with 23 TDs and nine picks in 13 starts.
The bad: Needs to refine his game and must show further progress in most of his basic skills. His accuracy is still a concern despite some improvement in ’06. At times, he forces passes into heavy coverage. His lack of mobility is a concern.
Outlook: Late-developing pocket QB with the physical and mental talent to surprise with further work. He must improve his reads and mechanics. His development as a passer, especially in his accuracy and touch, will decide if he can win a backup job. Could be selected on the second day.
by Bernie19Kosar on Apr 30, 2009 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Man, I think a lot of the graders are forgetting about the 3 vets we got. I don’t know how you remove them from the equation.
What other team got no-doubt about it solid NFL starters at 4 positions:
- Center
- #2 WR
- SS
- DL
Not to mention solid depth at QB, CB and WR and some high upside/projects at LB. Maybe its the homer in me, but I’m giving the Browns an A- for sure.
Trade breaks down like this;
Mark Sanchez vs.
Abraham Elam
Brett Ratliff
Kenyon Coleman
Alex Mack
David Veikune
Coye Francies
James Davis
We were able to get 7 players for Mark Sanchez. People that are saying that the Browns were hosed in this deal are crazy. Sanchez will get at least 30 million in guaranteed money from the word go. The Browns probably won’t spend 30 million on all of the above players COMBINED. Did I mention that we have at least 3 starters in that group from day 1. Any team that can get three first day starters out of a draft did a great job.
Couldn’t agree more with Dayton, the Browns made out like gang busters in the Jets trade. That doesn’t even include that I think Francies and Davis may have been our best value picks! Only pick I didn’t like was Robo at 36. Love Mack.
by Bernie19Kosar on Apr 27, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Someone else quoted a Chicago paper as saying the Bears would have picked Robiskie at 49, so the Browns had to get them at 36 if they wanted him. I guess we’ll see how he turns out. I think he can turn in to a sold, possesion-type #2 or 3 reciever, which isn’t too bad.
by Buckeye Brad on Apr 27, 2009 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Interesting. I think that Robo can start on the other side of BE and will see his fair share of one on one coverage. I hope he makes me look like an ass and puts up 50 grabs and 900 yards as a rookie. Go Bucks!
by Bernie19Kosar on Apr 27, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions
well, hang on. “no-doubt about it solid NFL starters” at 4 positions? i’ll give you mack (b/c i’m a homer when it comes down to it, too, and i like this guy), and elam…but neither of those WR’s is a sure-fire 2nd in the league, and this coleman guy sounds like a place holder if ever there was one.
can we amend that to 2 solid starters, a starter (coleman…assuming robaire can’t come all the way back to begin the season), and a probable starter (WR…likely robiskie, but mostly b/c there’s not another warm body to start there)?
i really don’t like the massaquoi pick, and veikune i couldn’t possibly comment on other than to say, 1 year starter at hawaii?
i do very much like the maiava and davis picks. both are high-energy, productive guys who got overshadowed in their senior seasons. each of them is pretty football fast, though their times may not have been world class, and davis was thought to be a first-day guy after his junior year.
by DontCallMeJoey on Apr 27, 2009 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ve heard different views of Massaquoi — many people (including Todd McShay below) thought the Browns got good value with that pick. He’s been described as a physical reciever with good blocking skills, but needs to improve his hands.
by Buckeye Brad on Apr 27, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
I think that Mangini brought in Coleman to start. He had 83 tackles two years ago, so he has done well under Mangini before. I’m thinking it is down to Robaire and Coleman to start, edge goes to Coleman for knowing the defense and he is not coming off an injury. Either way, I think we are now getting a nice D-Line rotation with Coleman, S. Smith, R. Smith, Big Baby, Williams, CJ Mosley, Rubin and Santonio Thomas. I doubt Thomas makes it on this team, but I like where the D-Line is headed.
I agree on Maiava, I think he is a sleeper.
by Bernie19Kosar on Apr 27, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I hope we can stop playing S. Smith because i cant stand him.
by BradyQuinnisBeast on Apr 28, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Ok maybe not “solid starters” but i would have to agree that we got 4 starters.
Alex Mack – will start, most likely at center, possibly guard, but he will start.
Kenyon Coleman – Browns gave up the 5th overall pick and included this guy in the trade. Robaire’s coming off achilles so no telling how he recovers. Coleman started in NY and he will start in Clev.
Abram Elam – see above. But also, we don’t have a SS on the roster. Mike Adams? Don’t think so. Elam starts.
Robo/Massa – If Braylon stays, I personally hope he does, than 1 of these 2 have to will HAVE to start opposite him. Not Patten, Cribbs, Hubbard, or Steptoe. It’s one of these. Sans Braylon than both will start.
So whether they are solid, average, or excellent remains to be seen, but we did get 4 starters out of the draft. More than most get.
So whether they are solid, average, or excellent remains to be seen
you left one very important option out…whether they are terrible. i certainly hope that none of them are, but you can’t just assume that all of these guys will be average or better. also…“getting 4 starters” in and of itself means little for the long-term prospects of the browns. this team was not good last year. it should not be that difficult to start. gotta go deeper than that.
by DontCallMeJoey on Apr 27, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I think its a safe bet that a 30 year old veteran doesn’t fall off the face of the earth in one season. I also think its a very safe bet that either Massaquoi or Robo isn’t “terrible”. The Alex Mack pick has been criticized as “conservative”, but just about everyone thinks he will start in the NFL for a long time—another easy bet against “terrible”. Abram Elam might end up being terrible, but he can’t be a whole lot worse than Mike Adams.
I agree that getting “starters” now (especially guys like Coleman whose ceiling isn’t very high) doesn’t mean a whole lot. Still, all of the draft picks sound like guys who could at least turn out to be good starters in the NFL. Our late round guys even seem to have some upside.
Mangini seems very high on Elam. Peter King had an interesting tidbit in his column today predicting that Elam would become a Pro Bowler
mangini does seem to be high on him, and i saw that stuff in king today, too. i’m confused, though, b/c we offered him a 1 year deal when we signed that offer sheet with him…that doesn’t translate to a very high opinion, if you ask me.
by DontCallMeJoey on Apr 27, 2009 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Isn’t that what Jones got from Philly? Perhaps the impending labor unrest is affecting contracts. Also, there’s no real market for safeties nowadays, at all.
www.lowbrowsophisticate.com
I heard that
also very glad we didn’t just guarantee $40+m to a underacheiving Georgia QB (just $8 to DA :)
by Inverting_Football_Intelligence on Apr 28, 2009 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Anyone in that #1 slot is going to have to shell out big money. Win games, and stay out of #1 overall.
trading down is always an option
by Inverting_Football_Intelligence on Apr 28, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions
wow… had to look that one up
this page is so educational
check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Pioli
by Inverting_Football_Intelligence on Apr 28, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Not really. Good luck finding a team that wants to trade up to the #1 pick. The Browns were lucky that the Jets wanted Sanchez so badly that they were able to trade down for the 5th pick. Trades of top 5 picks in the draft are very rare because nobody wants to pay the big money to the top picks.
by Buckeye Brad on Apr 28, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions
tru… the excessive rookie sals are making top draft picks more of a handicap… I hope the league imposes the rookie caps similar to the NBA
by Inverting_Football_Intelligence on Apr 28, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions
that’s sounding more and more likely as a provision of the new CBA. it only makes sense.
by DontCallMeJoey on Apr 28, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I know Mangini likes Elam. Hard to tell at this point if its because he is really good or because he is decent, knows Mangini’s system, and will be an asset in the locker room.
Either way, it looks like he is going to fill what was a glaring need and can hold down the job for a couple of years so that we can let players fall in to our laps instead of having to fill that extra need. Definitely happy to have him.
Still on the Eric Berry bandwagon.
if they didn’t, today, at least sound like guys who could turn into good starters then we’d have major problems.
i’ll concede the point that it’s unlikely that coleman goes from serviceable (i’m not willing to go higher than that) to awful, but in no way shape or form is either robo or massaquoi a “very safe bet”. we’ve seen too many 2nd round WRs on this team to assume that.
i’ve heard good things about elam, but no one’s actually told me what it is that he does well.
by DontCallMeJoey on Apr 27, 2009 8:08 PM EDT up reply actions
well, receivers are always something of a risk. There have been many examples of guys who came out of college as “the next big thing” and fell on their faces in the NFL. Still, I think any conservative analysis would indicate that these guys have as much upside as risk. Also, it strikes me that the greater risk for receivers is the high-profile flyer who gets to the NFL and discovers that they can’t just blow by people, and that they have to make route adjustments, and the playbook is complex. It might well be that the least risky receivers are people like Robiskie – good route runners, good hands, students of the game, very predictable. They won’t be the T.O. kind of star, in either the good or bad way. Rather, a solid choice.
you’re definitely onto something with the value of a guy like robiskie. i would even say that he’s more likely than not to be an above-average pro #2 WR. so, while rufio is probably right that one of robo or mass is a safe bet not to be terrible, the WR position is way too fickle to assume much more than that.
by DontCallMeJoey on Apr 27, 2009 8:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Coleman led the league in tackles for a defensive lineman only two year ago. I would not put his ceiling at serviceable
well, being that he’s 30, and that season came two years ago, i’d argue he’s on the decline…and it is not clear, as of now, that the RDE job is his over a recooperating robaire
by DontCallMeJoey on Apr 28, 2009 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah. I’m not saying they are pro-bowlers, but all 4 are starters on the Browns and probably the vast majority of every other team.
On Massaquoi, I have seen too many diverging scouting reports on him- some say he is physical and will block, others say is frail and can’t break any tackles- seems contradicting, no? But I can’t fault them for going WR again. I mean, really, do you want Syndric Steptoe seeing significant time EVER again?
I completely agree with you on the Steptoe issue. You have to think that the coaching staff looked at video and thought “man, if we have to play this guy on any kind of regular basis we’re in trouble.”
Yes, this is why I have absolutely no problem with drafting two WR’s in the second round. That was an area of great need.
by Buckeye Brad on Apr 28, 2009 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions
I’ve been right with you on this the whole way. I mean, the more I thought I about it, after the Jets FA LB signings and the Stallworth thing, WR actually was more of a potentially-debilitating hole on this team than at LB.
by Ryan Kelsey on Apr 28, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ve been vocal about my desire for building with a defense. I do feel somewhat satisfied with the free agent signings and the big trade on draft day, that we have allowed ourselves to build some depth on defense for the first time that I can remember. While I would still like to get another superstar on D to go along with Rogers, I don’t think that player existed in this draft. I think the Browns saw an opportunity to create solid depth at the WR position with guys that don’t have as much of a bust risk.
While I also would have liked to draft a running back earlier, my observations lead me to believe that the RBs in this class weren’t all that special and that the guy we got in round 6 may not be all that worse than someone we could have taken in round 2.
Overall, I am very satisfied with the draft. These are the kind of drafts we need to build on, solid even if unspectacular.
*One final note, I am one of the few it seems that is thankful we passed on Rey M. I think his reputation precedes his ability, and do not want to be the team that catches falling players on draft day
I’m also not upset about passing on Rey. If that many teams passed on him then there must be some red flags there which we don’t know about. As I said, we’ll be seeing him twice a year so we’ll know if that was the right move.
I would have liked a running back also but of course we didn’t have enough picks to fill all of the holes. I really was hoping for Beanie with the 21st pick but I don’t know how much of that was the Buckeye fan in me. Deep down, though, I knew this team had more important holes to fill than running back. Hopefully we can get a servicable year out of Lewis/Harrison and maybe Davis will show that he’s worth carries.
I think Mangini felt comfortable with the guys he brought in to fix the defense for a year so that’s why he focused on offense for the draft. This team does need more defensive playmakers and long-term solutions but those will have to wait for next year’s draft. Who knows, maybe a guy like Abram will turn out to be a Pro Bowl player like Peter King predicted he will. Lord know, it’s time for the Browns to get some luck with players.
by Buckeye Brad on Apr 28, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions
i have no beef with the mack pick, nor do i have any problem with passing on rey.
i just happen to disagree w/ the statement that mangini implicitly made with this draft: the defensive talent is solid (relatively), and the offense is in MUCH worse shape. even with the free agency and trade acquisitions, i thought that there was an opportunity to make a needed upgrade to the defensive talent meaningfully (matthews, barwin, e. brown…just off the top of my head), both in an absolute sense and as a marginal matter over the offensive players we ended up taking took (robo and mass…as i said, i like mack).
i’m glad we didn’t take a RB, as i believe that davis in the 6th is a vastly more valuable pick than any of the top-2-round rb’s. donald brown may yet prove me wrong, but none of those guys were good enough for us to pick them.
it’s time for the Browns to get some luck with players.
this is the understatement of the century.
by DontCallMeJoey on Apr 28, 2009 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions
The knock on Rey Muauluga was that he wasn’t bright enough to QB a defense.
The Rams passed on him because of his off-the-field troubles. By the way, I wanted Rey on draft day. Now I hate him. I love the draft…
by Bernie19Kosar on Apr 28, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Thats the thing- there wasn’t just one knock on Rey Rey. He didn’t have a high football IQ, wasn’t good in space, doesn’t defend the pass/can’t play 3rd down, has some off the field flare ups, seems like a head case, etc., etc.
He is big, pretty fast and can hit very hard. That’s flashy, but ultimately he has too many flags to pick him in the first round, and even the top of the second.
by Ryan Kelsey on Apr 29, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
The one thing I wish they would have done was sit tight at #19 and take Maclin. Granted, that probably (likely?) means we wouldn’t have gotten Mack early in the 2nd round once Eric Wood went at #28, so I can’t have my cake and eat it too. I’m assuming the marginal impact Mack is expected to have over Fraley is larger than what they expected Maclin would have over a guy like Robiskie.
You know Selig? Ombudsman.
This. But also:
Mack + Robiskie > Maclin + 3rd best C in draft (?)
by Ryan Kelsey on Apr 29, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions
I’ll agree with that. Eric Wood may have been there at 36, though, and I had him at the 2nd best C in the draft. I think Wood shot up a lot of boards because he was the only other guy behind Mack who looked any good. I don’t like Max Unger as a center. Caldwell was ok.
Mack is the kind of guy you want at G or T in a zone blocking scheme (a la Denver), and I think there are a lot of those OL, so his value wasn’t that high to me.
Glad we used a 1st on Mack and not Wood.
FWIW, here is Todd McShay’s analysis of the Browns’ draft:
Best pick: WR Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia (second round, No. 50 overall)
Worst pick: WR Brian Robiskie, Ohio State (second round, No. 36 overall)
Bottom line: While teams don’t usually like to take centers so early in the first round, it’s unlikely Alex Mack would have been off the board in the next few picks had the Browns not traded up to No. 21 overall to get him. You can’t fault them for bringing Mack into the fold, but they had other priority needs, including wide receiver and a pass-rush upgrade that could have been addressed there. Cleveland got its receivers in the next round, though I think Robiskie was a reach because he likely won’t turn into anything more than a possession-type No. 3 receiver. I expect Massaquoi to emerge as the bigger playmaker of the two. I also liked the way the Browns hunkered down on Day 2 and found versatile, instinctive playmakers like DE David Veikune, LB Kaluka Maiava and DBs Don Carey and Coye Francies.
You’d think that a draft ‘expert’ like McShay would know that the Browns traded down to take Mack, not up, and that Veikune was a day one pick.
And I’d rather have a solid possession receiver like Robiskie at 36 than take a risk on a one dimensional LB like Maualuga.
I have to say that I don’t see the knock on “possession receivers.” Draft analysts act as if the only valuable receiver is one who is a TD threat every time he catches the ball. In fact, these possession guys make a valuable contribution in the NFL. The Browns can use a guy who has solid hands, runs great routes, and isn’t afraid to go over the middle. The offense sorely missed Joe J. last year – there was nobody to fill that role. Edwards is the bigtime receiver: potential to bust any play, or to simply drop any pass. High risk, high reward. I think there’s room for a guy who is low risk/medium reward – like third down catches.
by drjeo on Apr 27, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Here is a look back at the 2006 NFL Draft;
Kiper gave us a B.
1st rounder: Kamerion Wimbley DE Florida State University
Has taken a step back every year since his rookie year. Other players that the Browns liked were Haloti Ngata and Broderick Bunkley.
Could have taken Antonio Cromartie or Davin Joesph
Overall not a bad choice, hopefully Ryan can turn Wimbley into the rookie playmaker we saw.
2nd Rounder: D’Qwell Jackson, ILB Maryland University
Wasn’t a huge secret that the Browns were in love with Jackson and the Browns traded up at took him at 34.
Could have had; Marcus McNeil and Rocky McIntosh
Overall DQJ was a great choice. He has been productive since he stepped on the field for the Browns. A starter since day one and outside of maybe Ernie Sims, DQJ may be the best LB in this draft. Great choice.
3rd Rounder; Travis Wilson WR Oklahoma University
We took the self proclaimed “Best WR in the draft” with pick 78. He sucked.
Could have had: Jerious Norwood, Owen Daniels, Max Jean-Giles
Overall; Ugh. Wilson was a bust from Day one. He has 2 career catches and is now with Dallas according to Yahoo.com
4th Rounder; Leon Williams ILB/OLB University of Miami
Williams is still with the Browns and has had some level of success. He is good on ST and can fill in at every LB position. I think that Ryan and Mangini will like this kid.
Could have had; Leon Washington and Elvis Dumervil
Overall; I like Leon. I think that with a fourth rounder if you can get a defender that can play numerous positions and help out in ST and give you an occasional start is a win.
4th Rounder; Issac Sowells OG Indiana University
I watch more BigTen football than any human should. Sowells never made an impression on me. He continued with his spotty play as a Brown. To but it bluntly, he sucks.
Could have had; Brandon Marshall (That hurts.) and Barry Coefield
Overall; Sowells sucked. Was never a NFL caliber lineman.
5th Rounder; Jerome Harrison RB Washington State University
Ghost. I think we can all agree that Harrison has talent, yet can never seem to get on the field. I am hoping that Mangini who did a lot of things with Leon Washington can do the same with Harrison.
Could have had; Dawan Landry
Overall; Good choice, I think that Harrison will have a bigger role on this team, and if you get a guy that can be apart of an offense in the fifth round, thats a good pick.
5th Rounder; DeMario Minter CB University of Georgia
Hurt his knee in rookie mini camp and never played for the Browns.
Could have had; Omar Gaither
Overall; The injury was tough luck, but he never played a down for the Browns.
6th rounder; Lawerence Vicker FB University of Colorado
Love Vickers. He has been one of our best players on offense and was screwed out of a Pro Bowl spot two years ago. He is a sledge hammer in the run game. He has questionable hands but is always worth a laugh when thrown the ball.
Could have had; Antione Bathea
Overall; Could not have gone better. Vickers is a elite FB (I know they are a dying breed) and is a great get at this point in the draft.
6th Rounder; Babatunde Oshinowo NT Stanford University
Remember when the Browns could never find a NT? That sucked. Long live Big Baby. This was the pick the Browns recieved when they flipped picks in the first round with the Ravens. They took Ngata, we got Wimbley and Oshinowo. Damnit.
Could have had; Courtland Finnegan
Overall; Cool name, but he sucked.
7th Rounder Justin Hamilton FS Virginia Tech
He played in 10 games in 2006 for the Browns mostly on ST. Nothing special but I remember him being a decent gunner on punts. He is now with the Redskins.
Could have had; Marques Colston (went 252, only four from undrafted.)
Overall;
No biggie. Helped on ST. What more can you ask of a 7th rounder?
Draft Grade B-. DQJ and Vickers really pull this grade up. DQJ may be the best player taken in the second round (DeMeco Ryans and Ryan McNeil). This draft produced 3 starters in Vicker, DQJ and Wimbley. Throw in two key reserves in Leon Williams and Jerome Harrison and this was a pretty good draft for the Browns. If Wimbley can return to being the sack master he was as a rookie, this grade goes up to B+/A-.
Fantastic recap, thanks for doing that. Wilson and Sowells were definitely the worst part of the draft. I always give passes to 5th round and lower, because there you are just trying to find depth, developmental projects and of course the hidden gem. Most teams strike out here too, so if I’m grading top of the draft it would still be a solid B, because Vickers fantastic pick in round 6 and DQJ still a very solid LB. But if Wimbley gets more than 10 sacks this year the grade jumps to A.
I don’t know that we know what Vickers hands are like. He hasn’t seen a catchable ball since Anderson became QB.
by e.c. matter on Apr 27, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Here’s a good recap of the Browns’ draft from collegefootballnews.com (a must-read for college football fans, by the way). These guys know about every college football team and player so I trust their opinions and they have a nice run-down on every player drafted. They really liked the James Davis pick in the sixth round and are high on Mack (like everyone else).
one of the better analyses I’ve seen. Also interesting comments from the 2008 draft. Not too much has been said about Beau Bell, but he could be someone who could play a significant role this year. Too bad he never saw the field last year.
Yeah, they have great analysis about anything related to college football. Good point about Beau Bell; maybe Mangini saw something in him on film and ranked him better than any of the LB available in the second round. Hopefully we’ll get to see a lot more of him this year.
by Buckeye Brad on Apr 27, 2009 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions
i kind of take the opposite view on bell…mangini has picked up the two LBs in free agency (barton and the other guy whose name is escaping me) and took veikune and maiava w/ draft picks. i feel like bell must not be showing a ton.
i heard a quote from a scout on bell — i realize it’s TOTAL hearsay and thus only worth very little, but it’s funny — that i thought was worth repeating: “i’d rather have beau bridges than beau bell”…
by DontCallMeJoey on Apr 27, 2009 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions
If I remember right, Bell surfaced mid-season as a special teamer and immediately forced two turnovers.
This caught my attention:
Martin Rucker, TE Missouri
The ultra-productive Tiger star was used in a variety of ways including on fake special teams plays and occasionally as a runner; he’s that kind of an athlete in a 6-5, 251-pound body. He hasn’t had to be a consistent blocker and he’ll drop a ball or two, but he has the experience to grow into an H-back role and become a go-to target.
I can’t see Rucker as a halfback. Too tall.
The Browns website has him listed as 6’-4" and 260 lbs.
The Giants have Brandon Jacobs listed as 6’-4" and 264, so I obviously don’t know what I’m talking about. If 6’-4" works for Jacobs, it could work for someone else.
the addition of depth to the DL was pretty huge. i don’t think you could get a 3-4 DL who could contribute immediately after the 3rd round, ditto for a safety. strictly by a numbers standpoint that makes the initial trade fairly even IMO. who knows what ratliff’s future is though.
based on the talent we’ve acquired, it looks like a ball control offense that takes time off the clock by running, and moving the chains as needed with passes on 3rd down. the emphasis on special teams suggests field position will be crucial, and with the upgrade on the DL, the upgrades at linebacker will take an extra bump upwards, which should also help the secondary.
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