The Browns are in an awesome position in this year's draft. Since the top two slots are already spoken for, the Browns now essentially own the second overall pick.
The Vikings are now saying that they are open to trading their third overall pick, and I believe they're sincere. But there's enough to go around, and the number of star players plus the Browns position one slot lower/cheaper undermines them somewhat.
Those stars are the overrated Blackmon, Kalil, Richardson, the overvalued Tannehill, and Claiborne.
A note on Claiborne's rediculous Wonderlick score: This guy has a well-documented learning disability, and everyone who knows him regards him as pretty intelligent. When I was in junior high, I knew a guy who was in the "retarded" home-room, but was smart. In fact, he was a smart-ass. But he couldn't read, or learn to read, and he didn't see numbers right either.
Claiborne is similar. As I understand it, he correctly interprets the diagrams in playbooks, and learns orally better than most of the rest of us. I don't believe that his Wonderlick will cause him to slide even one slot.
After all, he projects as a press/man cornerback, and even if he WAS a dumbass, it wouldn't make much of a difference. See the man, cover the man.
But I digress.
The Browns could use a running back, but it's not a desperate need, as some clowns are saying. Former wide reciever Chris O.'s hundred yard performances are regarded as flukes. Why? He's been referred to as slow. That's crap. And now a converted wide reciever can't CATCH? The guy from Green Bay is nothing special, except as a reciever. Armond Smith is by far the fastest of the group, and is only entering his second season.
This guy is a certified hom-run hitter with borderline world-class speed. His biggest problem was fumbling, and then he's also pretty small and may have trouble blocking. Certainly not an every-down back, but certainly not a bumb, and I get sick of everybody writing these guys off after their rookie seasons. If Smith stops fumbling, he can be one of the scariest guys in the NFL.
Hardesty...well maybe...let's not talk about it. Dumb move by Tom.
Would Richardson make a big difference? Hell yes! Is running back a huge need? Hell no.
So Richardson isn't critical, plus could still be available after a trade-down. Further, there are several really good West Coast backs who will fall much lower: Especially Wilson. Add him to the committee and there's a big upgrade.
Wide reciever IS a glaring need. That's as in X or Y--not slot. The Browns could use Wes Welker, but have decent slot guys, okay?
Blackmon? Not at four. Regardless of his clock-times, his game-speed isn't comparable to either of last season's top two wide recievers. His hands are good, but not great, and there are questions about his ability to separate at this level. He's unquestionably an excellent reciever, but not at fourth overall.
Micheal Floyd, in fact, shows better potential for a West Coast scheme, and he, too, will be available after a trade-down. Kendall Wright, despite his smaller size, might still be able to play outside here.
Matt Kalil is awesome, but to draft him at four to play right tackle would be idiotic. The second-best left tackle would be there after a trade-down, and the FIFTH-best is ready to step in and start at right tackle. Might even be better there than the more athletic dancing bears who will have to protect blind sides.
Note: David DeCastro is awesome, and can play right tackle as well as guard. Randy Cross called him maybe the best offensive line prospect in this draft, including Kalil.
Claiborne? Definitely WORTH number four, but that's not much of a NEED in Cleveland.
Ok well, the rare objective observer sees Brown not losing, but having lost, a step. If he starts at cornerback next season, it's going to be a problem. Sheldon Brown, like Scott Fujita, is fading fast. Get used to it.
So there is a need at cornerback. However, with Buster Skrine and Dimitri Patterson, it's not at all urgent. Skrine is hugely underrated, and Patterson has emerged as a solid, if unspectacular player. A better pass rush made everybody look better.
Further, there are several ALMOST-Claibornes in this draft. This draft is pretty deep in cover corners. While it's nice to dream about Hanford and Minnie revisitted, and the domination that would enable, offense is far more critical in 2012.
After reading and listening to more expert analysis (and the ignorant kind too), I now sincerely doubt that the Browns would draft Tannehill fourth overall.
The "urgency" at quarterback is non-existant. McCoy did as well as he was allowed to do. He did look shaky sometimes--he did make mistakes and was innacurate throwing on the run. But Gannon, Miller, and Brandt have tried to tell everybody that this will happen to ANY quarterback who is constantly getting the snot knocked out of him.
While due to his stature and arm, the odds are against Colt emerging as a true franchise quarterback are fairly long, the odds of him becoming a very good system quarterback given an average running game, decent recievers, and average protection are very good.
The Browns could easily net a third round choice, and perhaps a fourth next season, to move down just two slots in a trade with the Rams. They could get a second and more from Miami to move down to 8.
Even at 8, they could for sure land David deCastro, Cordy Glenn, Micheal Floyd...they'd have a shot at Richardson, and maybe even Claiborne! How can anybody say that ANY of these guys wouldn't be huge difference-makers? How could anybody in their right minds be upset with that, when with that high second round pick they could get:
RB David Wilson, Cordy Glenn (his projections are all over the map), OT Jonathan Martin (will be awesome at right tackle), well-named DE Whitney Merciluss (an EVERY-DOWN certified quarterback-killer), or some other stud that we can't see (but Tom can)?
This second round is full of instant impact players and starters. The best WEST COAST wide reciever in this draft is rated number two. The best RIGHT tackle might just be the top GUARD, and they have Pro-Bowl potential all the way to six. The most promising running back behind Richardson is ranked by most number four or even number five! The FIFTH-rated cornerback will probably start immediately and be pretty damn good.
Trading down isn't just smart. It's common sense. They'll get an instant impact player at number 22, and they could trade down TEN slots and STILL get a major stud at 14!
If the Browns can trade down, maybe a lot, and maybe more than once, Tom Heckert can fix this team for a long time to come, all in this one draft.
TRADE DOWN.
I HAVE SPOKEN.
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