Cleveland Browns Host Part of NFL Rookie Symposium in Berea Again

For the second consecutive year, the Cleveland Browns hosted part of the NFL Rookie Symposium at their training complex in Berea, with rookies participating with kids in the Play 60 youth football clinic. Rookie first-round pick Barkevious Mingo was on hand and spoke to reporters for over eight minutes. Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal recorded the video of the interview below, and also posted a column full of quotes from Mingo.

A couple of the highlights from Mingo included his current weight level and the status of his rookie contract:

Mingo said he still weighs 237 pounds but plans to report to training camp in mid-July at about 240 pounds. "I’ll probably eat a lot of double cheeseburgers," Mingo said. "I’m not that far away [from 240]. I just love cheeseburgers." … Mingo has yet to sign his rookie contract, but he believes it’s getting closer to being completed. "Working on it," Mingo said. "Hasn’t gotten finished yet. But hopefully it will get done soon."

Ulrich also posted a nugget from outside linebacker Jarvis Jones:

"They told me they wanted me here," Jones said of the Browns. "I think everybody told me they wanted me there at their place. … They passed me over for a reason. Whatever reason it was, that’s their choice. They had a choice to pick. I’m just going to take advantage of the opportunity I do have with the Pittsburgh Steelers."

Defensive end Armonty Bryant was also at the Rookie Symposium. He aadmitted that he wasn't looking forward to the Symposium at first, but that since coming, it has been an eye-opener for him. Let's hope that he's not saying it just for fluff and that he actually means it:

"He never got to play an NFL game," Bryant said, regarding a speech given by Maurice Clarett that hit home with him. "So I’m thinking, ‘Who knows? That could be me.’ So I’m not going to do anything right now to mess up that chance.

"You could say back then [before the DUI arrest] I always felt like I was better than the game, I was above the game. But now being around this team, it’s really humbling."

Unfortunately for the rookies, Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown had to cancel the speech he was supposed to give to them on Wednesday. He reportedly has an illness, although it is also being described as fatigue from having traveled a lot recently.