May 20, 2013

McManamon’s Mock: Browns get Michael Floyd and Jonathan Martin

April 11, 2012 by 27 Comments

I don’t necessarily agree with what Pat McManamon is suggesting in his mock draft. I’ve been on record supporting any number of players from Matt Kalil and Trent Richardson to Morris Claiborne. Some have suggested reaching big to get Ryan Tannehill which seems particularly unlikely and unwise to me. Somehow Pat McManamon’s suggestion seems smart to me even though I haven’t considered drafting Michael Floyd of Notre Dame at #4.

Call this the pick I think the Browns should make, as opposed to the one they absolutely will make. Perhaps it’s a reach. Or perhaps it isn’t. A few years back the Colts shocked the NFL world by taking Edgerrin James ahead of Ricky Williams. “How can they do that?” folks screamed. “Because he’s better,” the Colts said. And James was better. He was a better receiver, better all-around player. Same is true here. Floyd is bigger, stronger and as fast at the other top wideout , Justin Blackmon.

It isn’t conventional wisdom to draft Michael Floyd at #4, but as I’ve also said time and again, there is nothing conventional about wisdom. There is no way I actually see it happening because of where draft boards seem to have Floyd located. Still, much like the Edgerrin James vs. Ricky Williams debate, I can’t sit here and scream that I think McManamon is wrong about his slotting of Floyd and Blackmon.

It is an interesting take, especially in a time prior to the draft where there is a lot of groupthink going on.

[Related: NFL Draft: Five 2012 QB Draftees are better than Cam Newton]

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  • Garry_Owen

    Stop the presses!  Someone is actually making sense with their crazy talk.  I could actually get behind this mock draft. 

  • Luke Stavole

    I was at ND with Floyd and knew him as well a little bit through some friends of mine.  I do think he is the best WR in the draft.  He has the skill set to be incredible at the next level.  The only issue that gives me pause is that he does have some behavior issues, including DUI arrests and fighting in his past.   Now I think he can mature and probably will, but it is something that may give teams pause.  I would still be very happy if the Browns drafted him as he has the body and the experience to come in and make an immediate impact on this team.

  • MrCleaveland

    Solution’s simple. If you want Floyd but don’t want to spend a #4 on him, trade down and get him later.

  • BenRM

    I wasn’t there when Floyd was, but the fact that he never played an entire season worries me more than the Triple DUIs

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Craig Lyndall

    That was my take too. It is “thinking outside the box” but not really. This is the kind of thinking we expect premier GMs to do. Hopefully Heckert is a premier GM.

  • 216in614

    How can we trade into the 10-12 spot to take him? Lets not take him at 4. Either move up from 22 or pickup another 2nd rounder and move down from 4. That should be the game plan…

  • saggy

    If, for argument’s sake, the Browns think Kellen Moore is the best player in the draft, this  does not mean they should take him at #4.  You can be ecstatic with him in the 3rd round. 
    basically, I am saying that this is a pointless article because it will NEVER happen.  The Browns would obviously trade down if they were going to take Floyd.

  • 5KMD

    Come on Ben, if you went to ND you should know all 3 weren’t DUIs. His first two were getting into situations when he was drunk underage which pretty much sums up the college experience for most.

    Sure he got caught and was dumb to do those things but he also had a target on him at ND like most athletes do. He’s been clean since Kelly gave him the ultimatum which speaks as much to his maturing as his previous behaviors spoke to his immaturity.

    I’ll agree with the injury concern however. Although, a couple of those seemed to be bad breaks in the way he landed (MSU shoulder injury).

  • BenRM

    It’s more fun to call them Triple DUI’s though :)

    However, I think if he’s able to stay on the field, he is a better talent than Blackmon.

  • @37crookshankave

    Don’t think it will happen, but I’m excited to see the browns get my favorite wr in the draft in any context, I think I would do this if I had the power. Its nice to say you can get him later, trade down but you can’t control trading down you may not have that option.

  • porckchopexpress

    I agree on taking Floyd over Blackmon, I just wouldn’t do it with the 4th pick.  I wouldn’t take Blackmon with the 4th either, so its kinda moot.  If someone between 8-13 wanted Richardson/Blackmon/Claiborne, it would probably net the Browns an extra 2nd and maybe a late rounder. 

    Personally I don’t see the Colts as savy for “taking their guy” over the top prospect.  I question what they lost out on in trade value by not moving down.  Washington got 2 buttloads to move down 3 spots.  Had Indy negotiated with NO they could have gotten a lot of picks moved down to 7 and probably still got James.  If NO takes Williams at 4, Washington and St Louis are probably still taking Bailey and Torry Holt 5,6 and then Indy takes James 7.  Even if James did go they would still have a great player in Holt or Bailey to choose from.  Funny how they were sitting at 4 and had to choose between a dynamic running back, a great DB, and a WR.  It gets weirder when you consider David Boston was the next reciever off the board.  Holt and Boston are physical clones of Blackmon and Floyd. 
    Even stranger David Bostons agents secretary’s maiden name is Blackmon and Torry Holt’s agents secretary’s maiden name is Floyd.  I don’t know about any of you but I’m sleeping with the lights on tonight.

  • http://www.cinpleweb.com/ stin4u

    I honestly think this makes sense. I think you take him over Blackmon even if you can’t trade down. If you look at the teams who could use receivers he has suitors at 6-9 and a bunch of teams beyond that.

  • Garry_Owen

    Right.  If he really is better than Blackmon (I flip-flop like a politician on this), there’s no risk in taking him at #4.  I would love to be able to trade down and still get him if possible, but taking him at #4 still makes sense. 

  • mgbode

    Heckert has shown a history of getting past off field issues (Floyd’s DUIs) and injury history (Floyd’s ankles).    And, Michael Floyd looks like he was born to play in the WCO.

    I like Blackmon a bit better because he is tougher in traffic, better at YAC, and doesn’t have the history of ankle issues (which are known to re-occur).

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    Why couldn’t the Browns trade down to six with the Rams for an extra pick and still get Floyd at #6?  Most likely St. Louis takes Blackmon #4 and TB takes either Richardson or Claiborne at #5.  (This is counter to me saying in the past that I’d like to see the Browns make a choice and draft someone at #4 but what the heck.) 

    I always liked Floyd to bad other teams do to now.  Would have loved the combo of Richardson-Floyd with the first two draft picks.

  • Harv 21

    I’m not smart enough to know whether Floyd will be a better pro than Blackmon, but a few quick thoughts:

    1) if the teams right behind us in the draft share that talent assessment, he won’t be there any more if we trade down. So they best be sure that the others really favor Blackmon. Or what am I missing?

    2)  I’m not sure these first round wide receiver peacocks emotionally mature like players at other positions. Do not ask why, just look around, the anecdotal evidence is there. They seem to get bigger senses of entitlement with their first round paychecks. Would want to know that Floyd at least works hard and is uber competitive, not just a freak used to dominating with natural talent.

    3) Despite the risks inherent (see #2) I’d like this to happen just to watch Mel Kiper’s face redden, jugular bulge, and hear him talk faster and faster of draft apocalypse in that staccato certainty of his. Fun.  

  • mgbode

    one thing to note:  if we trade down, there’s a decent chance Floyd will be gone.

    teams in the top10 that could draft a WR and their likeliness% if one of the 2 WRs is available to them (as assigned by me)

    #4 Browns – 60% (if we stay at 4)
    #6 Rams – 70%  (2nd option: OT)
    #7 Jags – 75% (2nd option: DE – though they had a good defense)
    #8 Dolphins – 40% (1st option: QB – wouldn’t be surprised if Tanny is a smokescreen)
    #9 Panthers – 50% (Tied 1st option: DT)
    #10 Bills – 30% (1st option: OT – though Buddy Nix loves skill position guys high)

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    Right the Browns couldn’t go any lower then #6 in all probability I just thought that Blackmon made more sense for the Rams at #4 is all.  I guess St. Louis could always take a gamble that the Browns wouldn’t take Blackmon at #4.

  • Ritz

    Agreed.  If you think he is the 4th best player, take him. Yes he isnt valued as the #4 guy now, but is thought if as top-15.

    Think about it this way: If he becomes an elite reciever will anyone remember that he was taken slightly above his current value? No.

  • BrownsFanSF

    YES!  We have a Belichick thinker :-) .  ESPN/Scouts INC don’t hit 100% on who the best players actually are.  Sometimes the top 5 kids are Megatron, sometimes they are the 3 years of wideouts that Detroit drafted before Megatron.

    If a player in the middle of the first round is better, then trade down, pick up more picks next year and laugh when your kid (for lower price) goes to the pro-bowl and your using their first rounder on another one.

    Of course all of this is dependent on Floyd actually being better/healthier than Blackmon, and our scouts finding the guys that no one else does.

  • steve-o

    I think we’d take Martin at 22 in a heart beat. Floyd was probably put at four to make the mock stand out. There’s no arguing he has the talent to be a #1 WR, but off field issues and injuries can matter a lot, just ask Matt Millen.

  • AScoutingLife

    I like Floyd, but think you can trade down and still grab him. 

  • Jaker

    If we trade down and get Floyd and a second rounder, then I’ll be ok

  • TobaccoRoad

    I’m not a draft expert, but I watched a lot of college football last season and came away thinking Michael Floyd was the best WR in the country.  I would feel better about Cleveland getting Floyd at 4 than Blackmon.  The DUIs are cause for concern, but Blackmon got one too, if I’m not mistaken.

  • Joe Murphy

    I think trading down will be extremely hard. If I’m St Louis I am 100% satisfied knowing I’m going to get to pick Richardson, Claiborne or Blackmon. They have no need to burn a 2nd or even 3rd rounder to move up to #4.

  • Mike

    IF we can trade down for Floyd fine,If we cant get any dance partners and have to stand pat at #4,the best value for the pick would be Claiborne.Its not the sexy move but its the smartest.If weve evolved into a pass happy league,then why not have a premier and young secondary to counteract passing offenses?

  • Jim Brown

       When
    Mike Holmgren claims that Colt McCoy is his guy, I believe him as much
    as people believed John Elway when he stated, matter of factly, that Tim
    Tebow was his guy and he was going to stick with him…lol.   Colt
    McCoy is what the Cleveland Browns are stuck with, until the Browns
    management is able to get an NFL caliber quarterback for their team. 
    What do you get when you put the best NFL line and the best receiving
    corps together with Colt McCoy, that’s easy…a losing NFL football
    team.  It’s not rocket science, and no matter what spin Mike Holmgren
    puts on it, when he tells himself the truth, he knows that currently the
    Cleveland Browns don’t have a single NFL caliber quarterback on their
    team and he knows it.

    To give you a perspective here, Tim Tebow is a 5 times better NFL
    caliber quarterback than any quarterback currently on the Cleveland
    Browns roster!!!!  That fact is pretty sad when you sit down and think
    about it, and it clearly shows how bad the Cleveland management has done
    the past several years!