May 16, 2012

2012 NFL Draft Talk Already In Full Swing, Reports Indicate Colts Set To Take Andrew Luck At Number One

January 8, 2012 By 40 Comments

Reports surfaced this weekend that the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay, has already decided to pick superstar quarterback Andrew Luck out of Stanford. With last week’s ouster of Bill Polian and son Chris Polian, there was a lot of discussion about who was on which side of the Peyton Manning vs. Andrew Luck debate. Some speculated that Irsay’s allegiance to Manning and Polian’s insistence on drafting Luck led to the split.

If reports this weekend are true, however, it appears Irsay is ready to move forward with Luck. Since the draft talk – and even Peyton Manning rumors – have already heated up around here, where does this news leave the Browns?

The quick and easy answer is right where they were yesterday.

After this week’s Holmgren and Heckert press conference on the state of the Browns, all indications were that quarterback Colt McCoy will have to beat out someone new this summer for the 2012 starting quarterback position. It could be Seneca Wallace again. It could be Matt Flynn, who seemed to impress Holmgren. It could be some also-ran free agent. But if draft experts are to be believed, it will be a top ten drafted quarterback.

Almost all major media mockers have the Browns taking Robert Griffin III with the fourth overall pick. Cleveland is supposedly locked into their spot at number four, where it would be too hard to pass up on RGIII. Teams like the Redskins or Dolphins may trade up to the number two spot to grab Griffin, but as we sit here in January, he’s supposedly not going to fall out of the top four.

Tom Heckert, however, admitted that it’s hard to project a spread quarterback in the NFL, and it’s even more risky at the number four overall spot in the draft. RGIII is a spread quarterback. If Irsay and the Colts are still up in the air about how to proceed, is there any way you can throw the kitchen sink at them for the number one pick? Tony Grossi pondered the price for such a move this morning:

I would give up the two No. 1s this year and one next year for Luck. Now, that doesn’t mean instant success his rookie season. But having him in place would enable the Browns to concentrate exclusively on filling out the rest of the team. Without “the guy” in place, a team is just spinning its wheels. Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff once told me when you don’t have “the guy,” you waste time, energy and resources searching for him and you don’t get the other things done.

Irsay and the Colts are already denying the report about being locked into Luck at number one. It’s the first week of January, but the draft posturing already appears to be in full effect. I expect the Browns to be “locked” into about five different quarterback paths between now and April. One thing is for sure, this is the start of the most fun time of year for Browns fans.

Filed Under: Browns
  • Dave

    Draft Blackmon. He strikes me like a Calvin Johnson type and I’m not sure if anyone else watched the browns this year, but they really needed an elite wide out. Second first round pick should be o line or lb/de pass rusher.

    Please note, I’m not very good at this. I wanted the browns to draft a Matthews kid (even if they had to trade a pick) just so I could buy a #57 jersey again.

  • Big Z

    Colt and Seneca will have a competition for the back-up spot if anything.

    RG3.

  • Derek

    If Blacknom isn’t there at 4, I trade down with the Skins and get some more picks. I agree Dave. Blackmon is a replica of C Johnson.

  • 216in614

    I would probably trade all 3 #1 picks for Luck.

    Since I don’t think the Colts will do it. Stick with McCoy.Go after the next sure fire QB. That is not Flyn or RG3.

  • Shamrock

    If Blackmon lasts past the Rams I’ll be shocked but I’d rather have Luck then Griffin. Regardless the Colts should and probably will draft Luck, it makes to much sense. If Washington wanted Griffin that bad and gave up a ransom for the opportunity to puck him then that’s one thing but to trade down from a top 5 pick makes me cringe. You will still have Kalil and Claiborne.

  • Subadai

    Let’s stop w/ the Blackmon/Megatron comparisons. Johnson is one of a kind and will probably wind up as the best ever at his position.

    That said Blackmon is the best WR in the draft. If he gets past StL, which I doubt, we should jump all over that pick. But we should also make all sorts of noise about RGIII too… just to see if I can suck some picks out of Snyder. If he wants to be really stupid – and I mean REALLY stupid, like 1st this year and next and a 2 and 3 this year – we should take advantage.

  • saggy

    um…..
    dear people who have no idea what they’re talking about,

    Justin Blackmon is 6-1. Calvin Johnson is 6-5. That’s not even in the same vicinity. They are NOT the same player.

  • TSR3000

    No trades up or down. Stay at #4. Draft whoever is left out of RG3, Richardson or Blackmon. In that order.

  • dwhit110

    Todd McShay of ESPN
    “I’m not a fan of taking wideouts in the top 10 unless they are in the elite category — think Calvin Johnson and A.J. Green — and Blackmon is not in that class.”

    It’s possible he could be wrong, but that’s the evaluation he made on Blackmon in his first mock draft. It’s strange to me how many Browns fans have already drunk the Blackmon koolaid.

  • Shamrock

    Did McShay say thst a year ago of Green, him being elite? For some reason I don’t remember “experts” being so sold on him. Or maybe it was people on here.

    I like Michael Floyd from ND later in the draft.

  • BrownieBob

    @#7…..Exactly!! Thank you…..People are becoming deluded….does anyone even watch games or just read press?…Megatron STRETCHES defenses…forces double coverage…u can just throw it up and he can grab it in coverage……Blackmon does not and WILL NOT stretch defenses….He is Greg Little with good hands…ughhhhhhh….why is this so hard to see??????……and truthfully the combine will probably find out that Blackmon is closer to 6ft…..Sorry guys…..I am liking the idea of trading both #1′s and next years # 1 to get Luck…..If turns out to be all they say we will then at least enjoy 10 – 15 years of potential playoffs and super bowl runs….I garuantee with McCoy another decade of no playoffs or even winning records….YOU HAVE TO HAVE A QB!!

  • Doc1188

    Do what it takes to get Luck.

  • oribiasi

    @ Shamrock: I don’t mind Floyd but most players out of ND worry me…

  • Foghorn Leghorn

    @ Saggy. Thank you for pointing out the height difference. I dont think anyone realizes how much shorter Blackmon is. If Grossi’s cost prediction for Luck is accurate, pull the trigger and do it unless they like RG3 a lot and think he will just fall to us at 4. Im putting my trust in Heckert with regards to the specific player, but we need a QB this year.

  • Steve Bennett

    Falcons’ loss today puts Browns’ second 1st rounder at #23 or #24, depending on tie-breaker with Lions. It might not seem like much, but that’s a big difference from #29-#32, which is where the Falcons’ thought they might be picking when they made the trade last year.

  • baclap

    “One thing is for sure, this is the start of the most fun time of year for Browns fans.” <<< Sad but true.

    I've said it before and I'll say it again, anything but Richardson will make me happy. Drafting an RB at #4 is dumb unless his name is Barry Sanders. Richardson played on a team with a stacked O-line and a heavy run mentality. Not to mention Alabama had one of the easiest SEC schedules you can get. If we stack up our offensive line and develop a passing game then we can plug any RB in the league into our system and have a sufficient run game.

  • saggy

    @baclap: you wouldn’t draft Jim Brown or Walter Payton at #4 just because his name isn’t Barry Sanders?

  • Roosevelt

    Never draft a RB high. I don’t have the college expertise of some WFNY posters, but I am hoping for some offensive weapons, starting with the QB. If Colt is going to be the next Drew Brees, he has next year’s training camp to prove it, by beating out RGIII. Maybe he’ll have some new receivers from the first and second rounds to throw to.

  • Big Z

    66% of the QBs going into the 2012 playoffs were 1st round draft picks. Every QB except Tom Brady was drafted in either the first or second round (counting Schaub for the Texans, not Yates).

    RG3 will be drafted in the top 5 of the 1st round. Matt Flynn was drafted in the 2nd round. Kevin Kolb was drafted in the 2nd round.

    Colt McCoy was drafted late in the 3rd round and is absolutely, positively not Tom Brady. ‘Nuff said?

  • Baclap

    @saggy cute kid. That’s all I’m going to say to you.

  • Kildawg

    Not sold on RG3 or Richardson. Think its worth it to trade down to a team like WAS or MIN. Looks like 23rd overall is ours thanks to Tebow beating the squealers and G-Men cleaning NFC dirty birds. Before Draft Day Jackson, Dawson, and Hillis need re-signed.

  • Steve Bennett

    @Big Z “Matt Flynn was drafted in the 2nd round.”

    Flynn was drafted in the 7th round, pick 209.

  • Alex

    …and with the 22nd pick in the NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns select…???

  • Mike C

    Take Richardson with #4. Hillis looks to be gone and we have no depth at RB (too injury prone). Take WR Mohamed Sanu with the other round 1 pick. He will turn out better than the other WR’s in this draft. Address Right tackle in Round 2. Fill in rest of the needs with free agency. Unfortunately, I don’t see a QB available in draft or free agency that will be a long term help. RG3 is not an NFL QB.

  • Big Z

    @Steve

    Yeah, just noticed that. For some reason I read stats for Brian Brohm.

  • Steve Bennett

    @Kildawg I think that the Falcons had the tiebreaker with the Lions, so with the Broncos still in the playoffs, the Browns have pick 22, not 23, in round 1. I’m not sure about that, though.

    Dimitroff would never admit this, but if he had known that Julio Jones would cost him this year’s 22nd pick, he would have thought twice about making the trade with the Browns last year. The chances of finding a quality player, who makes an immediate impact, are much greater in the low- to mid-twenties than in the high twenties or early thirties. Dimitroff was gunning for the Packers with that pick and I bet didn’t dream that his team would lose (badly) so early in the playoffs.

    Think about the types of players Heckert can get in this draft, barring a trade: #4 – a player better than or comparable to Haden; #22 – a player comparable to Taylor; #37 – a player comparable to Sheard. With role players or trades with the 3rd and 4th round picks, Heckert could infuse this team (offense, hopefully) with some serious talent.

  • Seth M

    With the 25th pick of the draft, the Steelers select….
    Loving it!! Tebow did it again. Virgins beat rapists any day of the week

  • Blueballz02

    We should draft Lorin from OU!

  • TOJ

    Exactly!

    Blackmon Megatron
    McCoy Brees
    Browns Winning franchise

  • Lonnel1973

    Have you guys been folling the Cleveland Browns? In the last 10 plus years no pocket passing qb has been successful in cleveland! Seneca Wallace has posed the most threat to our rivals, and he’s to short and old! RG3 will have the most success! Forget about rb’s, no runningback will have long term success against Bmore, Pitt, and Cincy!!!

  • Anonymous

    A Greg Little with hands would have been a huge help this year.

  • Haas

    Exactly.  If anything, the best comparison that I can come up with for Blackmon is Terrell Owens, hopefully minus the attitude.  TO is a bit taller, but they have the same build.  They both have the ability to be a possession WR or a deep threat.  And they both have no problems going across the middle of the field.

  • Anonymous

    sadly, our FA has to shape our draft and not the other way around (hate having the draft last)

    if we go get Flynn, then we are out of the RGIII running.  If we don’t, then RGIII is our most pressing need (and StL and Minn can field offers from us, MIA and Wash).  If we decide to just pick BPA at #4, then things get a bit easier (but would we then ‘reach’ for a Nick Foles in round2 if we have no other ‘new’ QBs?)

    lots of moving parts still going right now.

  • HenryDawg2369

    Floyd is terrible.

  • HenryDawg2369

    Schaub was a 3rd rounder, Flynn a 7th rounder, Dalton and Brees were high 2nd rounders. That said, I agree with your overall point.

  • HenryDawg2369

    You’re way off on RG3, but your other 2 picks are excellent. We may be able to get Sanu with the 2nd rnd. pick.

  • Anonymous

    THANK YOU

  • Anonymous

    Making up facts! my favorite kind of argument. 

  • http://twitter.com/dj_2 DJ Meeks

    Exactly. Love Blackmon’s speed, hands and guts, but he’s no Megatron who can bully his way into position for a catch.  However, if he’s there at 4 (and Kalil is gone), CLE has to take him.  He would instantly be the best consistent offensive weapon on the team.

  • Mikejones12382

    The best every at his position?  You ever hear of a guy named Jery Rice?