Questions about draft depth...

by crazyL80 on Feb 2, 2011 11:58 AM EST

I think there is a consensus around DBN that the top two needs to be filled in the draft are pass rush and wide receiver. The question I have is about our needs and how position depth in the draft work together.

First lets consider all of our need (in no particular order):

Pass rush: Without drafting a pass rusher the Browns can't generate enough pressure on opponent QB's like Big Ben and Peyton Manning (who we play in '11) to stop them from making plays.
Wide Receiver: Without a deeper threat at WR we lack the ability to stretch the field against strong run defenses (ie. Pit, Balt... ). By drafting a WR we give Colt a better opportunity to show us his stuff and make plays.
O-lineman: Without drafting a sold OL opponents pass rush will continue to break apart the right side taking away the precious time Colt could use to gain confidence by making plays.
4-3 Personnel: I'm not really sure who's in and who's out but we'll need to make changes in order to be effective and the best way is to draft.
Defensive Back: We might want to consider another CB since we don't know how much slower Brown will be in six months.
Quarterback: There is a chance we might want to pick up a backup QB since Delhomme is probably gone and I have a feeling that Seneca won't stick around too long behind Colt.
Running back: We already have a rookie RB in Hardesty, do we rely on him to back up Hillis or look toward a healthy RB in the draft?

The question is how do the best players available in the draft fit with our needs? I haven't payed very close attention to college ball and I'm wondering who our top candidates in each of our needs are as well as if there is a specific class that has a lot of depth in the draft where we might be able to wait to fill some needs in order to get a stand out in another class. More directly: Which classes have depth? Who are the stand out players in each class? Can we pass on the elite players in a deep class to fill a need in a class that has only a few attractive prospects?

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Comments

I would draft defense again. It may take another year to evaluate the offense as it deploys a WCO flavor while the needs on defense are obvious no matter what system we use.

You didn't get me down, Ray.

by elsandito on Feb 2, 2011 12:11 PM EST reply actions

Every other year, I completely agree. I’ve always promoted the defense-first draft, and I really like your suggesting of evaluating the WCO this season; however, A.J. Green is such a stud that if he is available, we’ve got to pick him up. Such an incredible talent. Also, if we hired a capable staff, we shouldn’t need a year to evaluate the WCO. They should be able to make those decisions before the draft with the personnel we have in place, and address fixes where they are needed now, not next year.

by Don'tByBrownsQBJerseys on Feb 2, 2011 1:23 PM EST up reply actions

100% agree! If Green is there at 6 we have to take him. I suspect he will be gone though and in that case we draft D line. There will be a lot of WR’s in this years draft that are worth waiting till the 2nd round( i know, we dont have much success with 2nd round WR’s). I like the guy from Miami, i think Hankerson is his name?

by lizardking86 on Feb 2, 2011 2:15 PM EST up reply actions

If Green is there at 6 — and doubt he will be ~~- you take him. Don’t hesitate. Much like Detroit’s decision to take Calvin Johnson in 2007. There were a lot of reasons people were saying they shouldn’t take him -~~- they had had bad luck drafting WRs, it was hardly their biggest area of need (there were too many to list), WR’s that early in the 1st is really a luxury pick, etc., etc. But he was too big of a talent to pass up. You can’t draft scared — if you think you can grab a guy like AJ Green, you take him. End. Of. Story.

2010 Official DBN League Fantasy Football Champion.

by TheDriveStillHurts on Feb 2, 2011 4:04 PM EST reply actions

AJ Green <<< Calvin Johnson, I think.

Dawgs by Nature -- where Mike Holmgren, apparently, 'did some good things'.

by golanbatrac on Feb 2, 2011 7:09 PM EST up reply actions

AJ Green <<< Calvin Johnson, I think.

Can’t argue with that knowing what I know today.

But who could?

Sort of like saying prior to the 1998 draft that Peyton Manning <<<< Drew Bledsoe. (And trust me, in 1998, anyone would be happy with someone who turned out as good as Bledsoe.)

2010 Official DBN League Fantasy Football Champion.

by TheDriveStillHurts on Feb 3, 2011 12:20 AM EST up reply actions

Calvin Johnson was a once in a generation prospect. Calvin Johnson on his draft day was a better prospect than AJ Green will be on his draft day. By a wide margin.

Dawgs by Nature -- where Mike Holmgren, apparently, 'did some good things'.

by golanbatrac on Feb 3, 2011 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

AJ Green is not the prospect Calvin Johnson was.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on Feb 2, 2011 9:03 PM EST up reply actions

Johnson was a great pick for the Lions at #2 and is one of the most freakishly talented wideouts in the league today.

Calvin Johnson aside for the moment, Green stands out as THE best prospect at his position for this draft. Unless the front office has a better FA alternative, why wouldn’t we take him at #6?

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice there is. -- Yogi Berra

by JustPlainBrowns on Feb 2, 2011 9:59 PM EST up reply actions

Calvin Johnson is a physical freak

I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
your whole argument is a fallacy!

by bross09 on Feb 3, 2011 2:15 AM EST up reply actions

He’s still a pretty damn good WR prospect. As far as WR prospects go, he might be the best in the last 3 years.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 3, 2011 4:01 AM EST up reply actions

I agree, I just don’t think the comparison to Johnson was apt. Green isn’t that kind of pick.

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on Feb 3, 2011 9:03 AM EST up reply actions

Agree.

Dawgs by Nature -- where Mike Holmgren, apparently, 'did some good things'.

by golanbatrac on Feb 3, 2011 1:28 PM EST up reply actions

In the “of all time” category, no. Relative to the other players in this draft, there’s an argument.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 3, 2011 3:52 PM EST up reply actions

If Green is there at 6 (and doubt he will be ) you take him. Don’t hesitate. Much like Detroit’s decision to take Calvin Johnson in 2007. There were a lot of reasons people were saying they shouldn’t take him: they had had bad luck drafting WRs, it was hardly their biggest area of need (there were too many to list), WR’s that early in the 1st is really a luxury pick, etc., etc. But he was too big of a talent to pass up. You can’t draft scared — if you think you can grab a guy like AJ Green, you take him. End. Of. Story.

[I hate formatting on this site]

2010 Official DBN League Fantasy Football Champion.

by TheDriveStillHurts on Feb 2, 2011 4:05 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Very shitty formatting – but an excellent post. I would also put the DB Peterson in this group – and with those 2 you sprint to the podium with a smile and a hard on.

Note to Bill Byrne "Because you aren´t Texas and you´ll never be Texas"

by realmccoy on Feb 2, 2011 4:44 PM EST up reply actions

Very shitty formatting

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 2, 2011 5:12 PM EST up reply actions

When you put hashes in your post it does that annoying ~~strike-through thing~~.

"Quote goes here."

by Adrock2099 on Feb 2, 2011 5:25 PM EST up reply actions

Not appearing that way in TDSH’s comment to me.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 2, 2011 10:15 PM EST up reply actions

He double posted, it’s in the one above.

by Villeslgr on Feb 2, 2011 11:40 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah. My comment above got mangled.

2010 Official DBN League Fantasy Football Champion.

by TheDriveStillHurts on Feb 3, 2011 12:21 AM EST up reply actions

Got it.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 3, 2011 1:12 AM EST up reply actions

Agree re Peterson. If both he and Green are available (and that IS not going to be the case) then we have a problem. At that point, I probably go with Peterson, just because I think it is harder to find elite CB talent than elite WR talent (though finding elite talent in any area is extremely difficult).

2010 Official DBN League Fantasy Football Champion.

by TheDriveStillHurts on Feb 2, 2011 6:12 PM EST up reply actions

One more thing re Peterson: I think there is a very, very good chance he goes number 1 overall. With all the hype on Revis and the importance of the shutdown corner in the game today along with the fact that I don’t think there are any “sure-thing” QBs, Peterson has a real shot at getting taken 1st.

2010 Official DBN League Fantasy Football Champion.

by TheDriveStillHurts on Feb 2, 2011 6:14 PM EST up reply actions

I really hope that doesn’t happen. I really think he could be a dominant corner and a perennial all-pro

I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
your whole argument is a fallacy!

by bross09 on Feb 3, 2011 2:21 AM EST up reply actions

Well, no way he lasts until us so I have no problem with him going first overall.

2010 Official DBN League Fantasy Football Champion.

by TheDriveStillHurts on Feb 3, 2011 6:30 PM EST up reply actions

I am still praying.

I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
your whole argument is a fallacy!

by bross09 on Feb 4, 2011 9:36 AM EST up reply actions

I think it ends up coming from Gabbert, Fairley, Bowers and Green.

by Bernie19Kosar on Feb 3, 2011 8:07 PM EST up reply actions

I hope for Carolina’s sake that they don’t take Bowers. I would love to see Cincy take him.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 4, 2011 10:03 AM EST up reply actions

FAIRLEY, not Bowers. My bad.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 4, 2011 10:03 AM EST up reply actions

Why?

by emily522 on Feb 4, 2011 10:22 AM EST up reply actions

Attitude wise…Fairley = Haynesworth

"They kept throwing it at me. I don’t know why. They just kept trying, and I just kept knocking it down." -- Joe Haden

by Kimble_79 on Feb 4, 2011 1:55 PM EST up reply actions

I think Fairley will be a huge bust. I am ok with Carolina getting a great player ahead of us because they are in the NFC. We have to play the Bengals twice a year.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 4, 2011 2:34 PM EST up reply actions

Yep.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 2, 2011 5:12 PM EST up reply actions

I agrizzle for rizzle. My nizzle.

"Quote goes here."

by Adrock2099 on Feb 2, 2011 5:26 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

I agree. There are a few guys in this draft I feel that way over. Green, Peterson, and maybe Bowers. I am not as high as most on fairley as many.

I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
Intensive Purposes? I could care less...
your whole argument is a fallacy!

by bross09 on Feb 3, 2011 2:18 AM EST up reply actions

i would hope that with Mangini gone, we will stop dicking ourselves over when it comes to RB’s.

by discoinferno083 on Feb 2, 2011 4:55 PM EST reply actions

God knows he couldn’t find one this past year, am I right?

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 2, 2011 5:13 PM EST up reply actions

SARCASM....

Yea Hillis was a Crennel guy

by The naome40 on Feb 3, 2011 5:32 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

That is not the consensus in my mind. We need a RT way more than a WR. We could get a solid player at either in FA.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 2, 2011 5:11 PM EST reply actions

The question is how do the best players available in the draft fit with our needs?

By drafting the best values available.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 2, 2011 5:14 PM EST reply actions

I think this is a nice draft to fit our needs or some of our needs anyhoo.

by jaybird6798 on Feb 2, 2011 10:18 PM EST reply actions

not to be snarky … but how many different draft threads do we honestly need?

by talonk on Feb 3, 2011 2:27 AM EST reply actions

It won’t stop till April. Or maybe May. Probably May.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 3, 2011 4:01 AM EST up reply actions

We gotta keep doing draft threads it until we get one right.

At least they seem to be getting shorter.

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice there is. -- Yogi Berra

by JustPlainBrowns on Feb 3, 2011 5:33 AM EST up reply actions

ATP is still going. You can talk Glee with Chris if you like.

It’s not a lie if you believe it.

by Brownie's Year on Feb 3, 2011 7:21 AM EST up reply actions 4 recs

Ouch, just saw this one, lol.

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

by Chris Pokorny on Feb 4, 2011 12:10 PM EST up reply actions

I hate the whole build up to the draft not because of all the threads, and not because of all of the mockable mocks, but because I just don’t watch enough college games to remember the players. I can tell you that there was a LB in one of the bowl games who looked pretty impressive, but that’s about as much detail as I can muster. I fell so inadequate.

I am effing hurdling you and you can't stop me.

by JustBob on Feb 3, 2011 10:05 PM EST reply actions

I ~~fell~~ feel so inadequate.

And I can’t type worth a damn.

I am effing hurdling you and you can't stop me.

by JustBob on Feb 3, 2011 10:07 PM EST up reply actions

Which bowl game

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 4, 2011 10:04 AM EST up reply actions

Don’t recall. I think the only thing that I could add to a LB in a bowl game was that I think he had some red in his uniform. Meant to look him up at the time but got distracted by a football game.

I am effing hurdling you and you can't stop me.

by JustBob on Feb 4, 2011 8:41 PM EST up reply actions