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Cleveland Browns NFL Draft Live Blog (Day 1) - Rumors, Picks, and More

By Chris Pokorny Updated

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Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The 2015 NFL Draft officially begins for the Cleveland Browns and the rest of the teams in the NFL tonight at 8:00 PM ET. We've been busy the past few days preparing for our draft coverage and speculating about which players the Browns might be interested in drafting. The mock drafts that are staff completed for the first round can be found here. We also did Cleveland Browns Big Boards, ranking the top 45 players we'd like to see our team draft.

We will have all of your Browns-related coverage on the draft here at Dawgs By Nature throughout the weekend. There will be individual posts about each draft pick that Cleveland makes, or any other significant news. This thread will act as a "live blog" of sorts, with short one-liners about the latest small rumors, picks, or trades involving Cleveland or other NFL teams. You should also use the comments section as your NFL Draft open thread! (Newest updates will be at the top of the live blog below)

Browns NFL Draft Live Blog

[NOTE: There is a new live blog / open thread available here for the first round]

6:50 PM: Boo Devin Smith's mom! Booooooo!!!

6:40 PM: So, we've been hearing all day that the Titans are asking too much for the No. 2 pick:

Here's the thing, though: if the Titans stay put, does that mean they are taking Mariota? What about all the pre-draft rumors that they were going to stick with QB Zach Mettenberger? If they do make a pick and it's not Mariota, can teams then put together a trade package with the Jaguars?

6:30 PM: If you were still fantasizing about QB Philip Rivers being traded to the Browns, you can pretty much forget about that possibility:

5:50 PM: We're getting near crunch time -- a little over two hours away from the start of the draft! We're going to start a new live blog / open thread at 7:00 PM ET. Before we get to that, let's remember something about former Browns GM Phil Savage. Last year, he was the first person to call out the Browns' interest in CB Justin Gilbert, and it came about a week before the draft:

What did Savage have to say this year about the Browns? A few days ago, he projected the Browns to trade up to No. 8 or No. 9 to select the best remaining wide receiver, which would likely be WR DeVante Parker:

5:30 PM: Are things going to go well at the Browns' draft party tonight?

5:16 PM: Here is another pretty cool image, showing the jerseys that will be available for draft picks that come on stage in Chicago. The photo is from Redskins.com.

Uniforms

Starting at the bottom right appears to be the draft order. Uniforms are ordered by the order as if there were no first round trades (i.e. the Browns are at No. 12, but the Bills are still at No. 19). The Browns' picks will have the new brown jerseys showcased.

Here is something that is a little mind-blowing, though: I see 31 teams represented above. Where are the Tennessee Titans?

5:10 PM: If this is true, and if the Browns weren't interested in OLB Randy Gregory, then that means another player of value could fall to them at No. 12.

5:05 PM: This is a cool infographic, but also depressing if you're a Browns fan. It shows first-round quarterbacks drafted since 1998, ranked by number of touchdowns thrown:

4:45 PM: As I expected, the NFL has rejected OT La'el Collins' proposal:

4:30 PM: Before he jumped in to take control of the draft day meeting (I kid, I kid), Browns team president Alec Scheiner posted a photo of the grounds crew busy at work in Berea:

3:48 PM: Oh, no.

3:42 PM: Per the OBR, the Tennessee Titans have been pot stirrers regarding trade options, and the media has been more than happy to run with the stories. That was the hunch I had when ESPN's first report came out about the Browns yesterday.

3:14 PM: This is pretty awesome insight from former Browns GM Phil Savage. It's about the Ravens, but it's fun to see the line-of-thinking for an NFL team, even if it was over a decade ago:

3:00 PM: I love seeing pictures of the draft tables, and this year, thanks to the NFL Network, we actually have a good shot of the Browns' table!

Browns Table

Let's analyze the photo above:

  • The chair shields what color M&M's our table received. Dammit! Cleveland's table does have the next helmet and the darker orange on the typeface, though.
  • The Saints are at the table behind the Browns. They are the only two teams in the draft with two first-round picks, so they can have fun talking about the trade offers they are fielding or considering.
  • To the right of the Browns are the Vikings. I'm sure their representatives can offer a jab like, "Thanks again for passing on Bridgewater for Manziel!"
  • The Redskins are in front of the Browns, while the Jets and Dolphins are diagonal from the Browns.

2:48 PM: Big news about an NFL prospect trying to withdraw from the NFL Draft and enter the supplemental draft instead. As for DE Shane Ray, his stock might not have dropped as much as people thought it would:

2:45 PM: I assume that this came from ESPN's Adam Schefter speaking on television:

2:42 PM: Greg Cosell on 92.3 the Fan, talking about QB Josh McCown: "Quarterbacks line McCown can only function in an offense that has dimensions. He can be servicable; the Browns have a much better offensive line than the Buccaneers did. However, Cleveland needs more speed on offense for McCown to be successful."

2:38 PM: Greg Cosell on 92.3 the Fan, talking about QB Sam Bradford: "He was a consensus No. 1 when he first came out. However, with how things went in St. Louis behind a poor offensive line, that started to affect his play. When he's at his best, he could be a top five thrower in the league."

2:35 PM: Greg Cosell on 92.3 the Fan, talking about NT Danny Shelton: "Was born to play nose tackle. When you watch him on film, he actually does make plays down the line of scrimmage. The question with a guy like that is how many snaps does he play, given how many defensive backs teams play these days?"

2:12 PM: A tweet like this shows you why it's almost pointless to get worked up about draft-day trade rumors. What it basically means is that Cleveland (and many other teams in the league) put out "feelers" for possible trades. Out of all those "feelers," only one out of 100 of them might have any form of traction, for all we know, but the "feelers" get reported as gossip.

2:08 PM: It's sounding more and more like the Eagles are the team making the big push for QB Marcus Mariota, while the other interested teams have bowed out because of how steep the price is. Something could still happen to QB Sam Bradford, though, if the Titans don't want him.

1:40 PM: We've saved the best for last, considering how many people think the Browns will get NT Danny Shelton at No. 12 overall. Find out more about Shelton in Zach Miller's Q&A piece with our SB Nation affiliate.

1:02 PM: I'm running off to pick up pizza but will be back around 1:30 PM.

12:52 PM: We always like to spread the love to our fellow Cleveland blogs during our live blogs, so check out some of these features:

-7-Round Browns' Mock Draft (Browns Beat)
-Dawg Pound Nation Live Blog
-WFNY Infographic of the Browns' Draft Woes

12:45 PM: Former Browns GM Phil Savage tweeted about how it'd be difficult to envision Cleveland wanting a guy like QB Sam Bradford at this stage of his career:

Manziel Trend12:32 PM: Last year on Day 1, Cleveland was buzzing all day on whether the Browns would select QB Johnny Manziel to be their future quarterback. This year on Day 1, Manziel is still trending, but for different reasons -- it's about whether Manziel is still in the team's plans.

My personal stance on Manziel is that we should continue rolling the dice on him and hoping for the best. We're not giving up on CB Justin Gilbert already, are we? Manziel obviously plays a more vital position, one that teams have to get right. The positive reviews he's received since his return from rehab are encouraging, but he'll need to put in months more of work before the reigns can be handed back over to him. I still believe Manziel could be the quarterback of the future for this team.

On top of that, I don't think Mariota is a "we can't pass this guy up!" type of quarterback. We can't sell the farm for him to create an even bigger mess.

I wouldn't be too upset if we came away with QB Sam Bradford, as long as the price did not exceed one first-round draft pick. Although he's been injured, Bradford can be a really solid quarterback. Unless there is an agreement that he'll agree to an extension, which I don't even know if you can pull off in the fury that is draft day, I don't see the deal happening.

12:12 PM: As always, when Jay Glazer talks, we listen. According to his sources, the Titans are going to need to get a deal with ridiculous value in order to cough up the No. 2 pick. In other words, No. 12 and No. 19 from the Browns won't do it. I hope that's a good sign, because I wouldn't want the Browns to do that deal (for Mariota). If they even went beyond that for Mariota, I'd go into a tunnel of depression for a little bit.

12:05 PM: We're past the noon hour -- less than 8 hours away from the start of the NFL Draft! Remember that the draft is taking place in Chicago, IL this year, which means a new set up and venue:

11:42 AM: The player whose draft stock is rising apparently is RB Melvin Gordon, but according to John Middlekauff (former NFL scout), he and OL Cameron Erving will go in the Top 20 of the draft:

The news is relevant to Cleveland for two reasons: first, they own two of the Top 20 picks, so one of those players could be tied to them. Second, if they aren't tied to Cleveland and both players are drafted ahead of our selections, then that could bump down a player the Browns might value more.

11:40 AM: The team to watch today will be the Philadelphia Eagles. We've already seen that head coach Chip Kelly doesn't give a damn how unconventionally he assembles his roster. This morning, there are rumors that defensive lineman Fletcher Cox could be available in a trade.

Although the Eagles might just use Cox as an additional piece to give to the Titans to move up to No. 2, let's consider for a second whether the Browns could end up with him. Perhaps the Browns could trade both first-round picks for QB Sam Bradford and Cox, giving the Eagles the ammunition they need to move up to No. 2 overall. Or, maybe Cleveland only gives up one first-round pick and get Cox, along with draft picks. Just something to ponder about for a second.

11:18 AM: NFL.com's Andrea Kremer has the luxury of being in Berea leading up to the draft, and she had the chance to speak with head coach Mike Pettine. Here are a few nuggets from his segment:

  • The Browns have not given up on QB Johnny Manziel.
  • Yesterday, when asked about moving up in the draft, Pettine said, "you move up in cases of extreme value" which means you are getting a "slam-dunk, blue-chip player who is going to start for you for 10 years."
  • When asked if that player was QB Marcus Mariota, Pettine said, "opinions on Mariota are varied inside this building."

10:55 AM: There's always something to poke fun at.

10:30 AM: In case you missed it (and how could you?), yesterday, the rumor mill heated up again that the Browns were making a push to trade up for QB Marcus Mariota. It started with ESPN's Pat McManamon and people ran with it, while other reporters contested that while Cleveland might be interested in him, the price is more than they are willing to pay. Following up on that, Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer tweeted the following this morning:

10:22 AM: You can also add CBS Sports' Dane Bruglar to the list of people mocking the Browns to take NT Danny Shelton at No. 12 overall. He agrees with Kadar and has the Browns taking WR Breshad Perriman at No. 19 overall.

Bob McGinn, who covers the Packers, is well-connected in the league and thinks the New York Giants could pull off an early surprise in the draft by selecting RB Melvin Gordon at No. 9 overall. As for the Browns? He's the first one who differs, saying they will take OLB Randy Gregory at No. 12 overall and WR Nelson Agholor at No. 19 overall.

10:12 AM: Historically, SB Nation's Dan Kadar and ESPN's Mel Kiper have been the Top 5 mock drafters in the business. Here is who each of them, along with ESPN's Todd McShay and the NFL Network's Mike Mayock, have Cleveland taking in the first round in their final mock drafts:

  • Dan Kadar: NT Danny Shelton (No. 12) & WR Breshad Perriman (No. 19)
  • Mel Kiper: NT Danny Shelton (No. 12) & WR Nelson Agholor (No. 19)
  • Todd McShay: NT Danny Shelton (No. 12) & RB Melvin Gordon (No. 19)
  • Mike Mayock: NT Danny Shelton (No. 12) & RB Melvin Gordon (No. 19)

As you can see, everybody has jumped on the Shelton bandwagon. Mayock and McShay selecting of Gordon at No. 19 would put a damper on the day for me -- there are other positions of priority we could address there. Here is what Kiper had to say about his projections for the Browns:

No. 12: Why they take Shelton: Not only is he the best available player here, but he hits a clear need. Cleveland needs to stop the run, and Shelton makes them better in 2015.

Why they pass: They're in position to move up, so perhaps they make the leap for Mariota or even Cooper. They could also get one of the top O-linemen here if either falls.

No. 19: Why they take Agholor They didn't address WR last year, and with Josh Gordon out of the picture they need immediate help. Agholor has the route-running, hands and speed they need.

Why they pass: Yet again, they know there will be a few really good WRs available when they pick in Round 2, and perhaps they've already traded this pick anyway.

10:00 AM: Let's start off with some quick primer news for tonight. The first round of the draft takes place THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH at 8:00 PM ET. The Browns have 2 picks -- No. 12 overall and No. 19 overall, which could change if a trade is made. Cleveland will surely be in the rumor mill all day long when it comes to trades, which would presumably involve either QB Marcus Mariota or QB Sam Bradford.

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Cleveland Browns' 2015 NFL Draft

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