…the Browns would have the first pick overall in the now three-day NFL Draft. Tampa Bay is right on Cleveland’s heals, but thankfully (?) the strength of schedule has played a factor and has officially deemed the Browns as the worst team.
The Plain Dealer did a pretty lengthy exposé on who the Browns would be looking at if they were in fact to keep that top selection. Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh (Ndamunate!), Tennessee’s Eric Berry, USC’s Taylor Mays and Clemson’s CJ Spiller are a few of the names that have been thrown around the comments at this here blog over the last few weeks.
Just to keep that talk going – and to see if anyone in their right mind is still thinking that Cleveland needs a quarterback in the first round – consider this an open thread of sorts.
Have at it, kids.
Author: Scott
Scott is a co-founder/editor of Waiting For Next Year who resides in Cleveland, Ohio. Feel free to follow him on Twitter or email him at scott@waitingfornextyear.com.Scott has written 2013 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
I still don’t think we know what Brady Quinn (squeals) is capable of were he to have an entire offseason and training camp knowing that he was the guy. Put me down for Berry.
It has to be Suh. The guy is a complete dominator. This is not Courtney Brown folks.
Taylor Mays is soft. Can we please stop discussing him?
Spiller isn’t a #1 overall in my opinion. Browns need no part of a quarterback, because WE’VE GOT OUR OWN DREAMBOAT. Suh or Berry would be good. Spiller isn’t a #1 overall guy IMO, though he’s quite good. Clausen and Mallett will likely be top 5 (if Mallett comes out). Looks like a bit of a thin draft, at least in the top 5 range. Maybe not a lot of guys worth the cayshe.
DREAMBOAT!
Could we get the Timberwolves GM for a few days to do our draft? The only thing that can sustain me through such a long draft would be if we could somehow take 3 QBs.
If were talking about weaknesses the secondary continues to be embarassing. Wright is the only player worth anything. The Browns need a premiere safety and Eric Berry should be the pick.
Suh is an amazing talent and I wouldnt complain about getting him on the team but it doesnt solve our problems in the secondary. Suh would have to convert to 3-4 and if that works great but its a “process” regardless.
CJ Spiller has the talent to be a great back but I think we all know the offense isnt the biggest problem. If Spiller was a sure thing it would be a no brainer but the guy is undersized and isnt a Peterson or Johnson type back coming out of college. Sign a RB in free agency… theyre a dime a dozen and believe it or not we have a decent enough O-line to make decent RB’s look good.
Suh would be a sure bet. Yes, yes, he would. Why are you laughing Gerard Warren? You, too, Courtney Brown.
the Browns need a sure thing, that being said…. take Suh.
Berry or Suh. Both are great and we have so many holes you would hope even the Browns couldn’t screw this up. It’s the later picks that I worry about. Those we are quite capable of screwing up.
Did anyone else notice Brady’s flowing locks eeking out of his helmet? HOW DREAMY. Definately don’t want a QB, even if I thought we needed one (which I’m not sure we do) there aren’t any worth the #1 overall pick. Suh was an absolute BEAST against Texas, but I think we really need an impact LB over a DE. Spillers good, but there will be other RBs to choose from. PLUS IF WE KEEP MANGINI WE CAN HAVE THE #1 NEXT YEAR AND GET INGRAM! YAY!
If the phrase “trade down” is uttered once in this discussion, I claim citizen’s arrest in the form of a week-long ban from commenting to the individual responsible for such idiocy of thought.
SUH. We should not be drafting a QB with our top 5 pick. I don’t think Berry is a top 5 maybe probably more 8-12. After watching Suh dominate Texas this weekend I am more convinced he is the guy we should take.
How can I argue with an entire state? Why, exactly is trading down so spectacularly ludicrous, Florida?
I will officially denounce my fandom if there are even talks about the Browns considering Clausen. The Browns don’t need another overhyped ND QB, we already have one.
Suh and Berry are on my wishlist. Suh seems like a once in a decade type player, but we also have some major issues at Safety so either guy would be a good addition and I don’t think you can make a mistake grabbing either guy. That being said, right now I’m leaning towards Suh, but it’ll also depend on what players may be available in the 2nd.
It would be interesting to draft C.J. Spiller b/c then we’d have the 2008 Clemson backfield of Spiller and James Davis. Don’t want it to happen b/c other good RBs will be available later in the draft.
To be totally honest, I’m actually a little apprehensive about Mangini having the top draft pick. Honest to God, they have to figure out the GM situation before Mangini can use all 11 of them on “his” guys. If they don’t clean house in this draft, it will be extremely disappointing.
For starters, can you tell me the last time any team was able to accomplish such a feat? In today’s economy, it never happens. And, in the rare situations in wich a team is able to trade down, it is almost always the team interested in moving up to initiate the discussion.
So let’s keep the conversation real. If we earn the no. 1 pick, we will have to take it.
Suh is the no brainer. If he turns into Gerrard Warren, I don’t care. At least we will have drafted the best player available.
id pass on spiller and find a “big back” like lendale white to use as a stopgap next year, in combination with jerome harrison/james davis. then next year, go after mark ingrahm.
would prefer Suh, but would be just as excited about Berry.
“For starters, can you tell me the last time any team was able to accomplish such a feat?”
The Browns. 2009. 3 or 4 times in the first round.
FWIW, my nfl draft dot com has Cleveland taking Claussen @ the 2 spot in their 2010 Mock draft. Feel free to spew hatered their way.
http://www.mynfldraft.com/NFL-Mock-Draft
I’m talking about the no. 1 pick in the draft. No one will want the financial liability that comes with it.
Suh! Imagine him next to Rogers.
Mays inability to offer anything in the way of coverage reminds me way too much of Roy Williams.
I would settle for Berry, if we mamage to play our way out of Suh.
More depressing Browns pick:
Clausen or Tebow?
I don’t understand the aversion to trading down. If as many juniors come out as are being rumored this figures to be a very deep draft. We’ve got a ton of holes to fill. It makes sense…
I like Suh and I think any other pick we make will be forever compared to his play. That being said, how healthy is Shaun Rogers? How many years does he have left? Where is Ahtyba Rubin in his development? How well will Suh translate to a 3-4?
Eric Berry fills a glaring need.
No thanks on Spiller. Though I wouldn’t mind picking up Dwyer in the 2nd. We need a power RB.
The good part – if there is such a thing – is that Mangini has turned this team into such a mess that there are so many holes to fill that the Browns can just take the player they think is best (defensive line, linebacker, defensive back) and, if the pick is actually allowed to play rather than be inactive all season, there should be no wrong pick. You can’t focus on just one guy and say “he’s the one” because you just never know.
What worries me is when the “braintrust” tries to outsmart everyone and picks Chaun Thompson v2.0 in the second round rather than someone who can actually come in and play. I’m also worried that our coaching staff doesn’t seem to realize there’s no such thing as a redshirt year in the NFL and that draft picks can and should actually play. Oh and the fact that we have the Fredo of the Belichick coaching tree running things.
Other than that, all’s good.
Let’s talk about what we don’t need right away. That’s a shorter list.
QB, Quinn will be ok with a better line and more experience.
Punt and Kick, they are pretty good.
and . . . well, darn. That is a short list.
Tebow’s tear’s heal leprosy. Imagine the immaculate complexions the Browns would have.
No aversion to trading down whatsoever — of course we’d want to trade down. I’m saying no other team in the history of the world would be our partners. Cause that’s the thing — you have to have ANOTHER TEAM willing to swap spots with the Browns … and take on the price tag and pressure that comes with the pick.
Just not happening.
Check out the video of highlights from this weekend’s Texas/Nebraska game at Suh’s official site…
http://suh93.com/
My roommates went to Nebraska and absolutely love Suh. Throw in the fact that we need to improve our pass-rush and you’ve got a lock.
@Clown Baby
I think either pick would send me over the edge, but I would give the nod to Clausen only because I know that if the Browns drafted Tebow, it wouldn’t be in the 1st Rd. Then again, Mangini’s decision-making never ceases to surprise me and I could see him trade down 8 times and draft Tebow as the last pick in the 1st.
Suh. He’s the absolute most dominant player in college football and, while it doesn’t address our major needs in the secondary directly, a pass rush goes a long way to making the defensive backs’ jobs easier. Besides, no matter who we take with our first pick this year we will be back in the top-10 next year; we can get ourselves a ball-hawk then.
How about Sanzenbacher in the second round?
(Hmmm, now wondering if I should label this as sarcasm. . . . Nah, everybody’ll get it.)
Florida-
It hasn’t happened recently but there has only been a one team in the past few years with a coach willing to trade high draft picks for below average safties, 3rd string quarterbacks and late round draft picks.
As everyone else says, Suh and Berry would both be great. Not so high on Mays. He has moments, but that’s the problem – unlike Suh and Berry he only has moments, not the entire games. I think it’s safe to say at this point that the Browns will be top 3, not necessarily top 1. No QBs are worth taking top 3.
@NickPapa, “If Spiller was a sure thing it would be a no brainer but the guy is undersized and isnt a Peterson or Johnson type back coming out of college.”
Uh, Johnson was considered both undersized and not a sure thing coming out of college, if you remember. That’s why he went 24th, not top 10. Peterson was also considered injury-prone. The “sure things” at RB aren’t, really. The last couple who had no real knocks against them were Darren McFadden and Reggie Bush, and look at them so far. You’re right that Spiller is not worth first overall (or top 3).
If we do pick Suh can we please move back to a 4-3? We don’t have squat for LBs and then we’d have two stud DTs with a stable of ends.
I’ve been captaining the Eric Berry to the Browns bandwagon in North Carolina for the last year solid. He would help shore up so many weaknesses on the defense, from run support, to coverage, play making, and just steady tackling.
Of course, having someone named Ndamakong on the team would be fun just to say his name in a menacing fashion whenever he does something good.
Either pick helps the defense- which is what we need in this draft.
@ Florida,
Sure you could find someone to be a partner. Look at teams who are close but one or two pieces away. Teams that will just barely miss the playoffs this year. They’ll trade up for that one guy who will go higher than they have a spot. They barely missed so they’ll be mid first and willing to go up to get one thing they need. I think Dallas will be in this boat come draft time. Even Cincy, or Pitt. In this case I wouldn’t mind trading in division since we need so much help at so many other positions. A number one will sink us like it has so often before.
Or teams that have stupid GMs, (I’m looking at you Raiders).
We’ve missed on so many other number ones, and they are notorious for sinking teams long term, (Detroit) that I would rather go down, get a few guys and hope half work out. Our best first round has been Thomas, and he was a 3 pick.
SUH.
I would be happy with Suh or Berry, but if we should happen to end up with the #1 pick, you have to take Suh over Berry for the following reasons…
1) Supremely talented 300-pounders are hard to come by
2) Putting Suh next to Rogers instantly gives us one of the best D-Lines in the NFL
3) A good D-Line makes the LBs and DBs better
4) Safety is one of the most plentiful positions in the draft every year
5) This dude has people talking about him for the Heisman (AS A DT!). Good for publicity/ticket sales
Is DL really our highest need right now? We need a big-time safety badly and we REALLY need a RB. I don’t know if the RB need deserves the first overall though. I would also pick OL and LB before DL. I think we use a 2nd or 3rd for a DL to fortify what has actually turned out to be a relative bright spot (sans the injuries).
I’ve now read BrianRut4′s comment…he definitely makes some valid points to the contrary of what I posted.
I like Ndama(King)kong as our 1st rounder.
(Now time to make them made) if he fell to the second round, I’d jup all over Brandon Spikes from U of Tebow.
*MAD, not made….dangit.
Also, I could see teams willing to trade up to #1 for the chance to draft Suh this year as is, although stuff happens between the regular season and draft. Just throwing it out there.
@Alex: While I still don’t agree with it, they are project Suh to play DE in a 3-4
I think you have to Suh if you are number one, if we draft later, Berry or Mays, in that order if they are on the board.
As for the first round, I am not sure we can afford to pick an offensive player. We have too many holes on our defense, and a skill player isn’t guarunteed to succeed right away with our offense, and there aren’t any stud lineman worth picking in the top 5. And call me crazy, but I expect a top 5 pick to contribute right away.
Normally, I am in the “draft for need” camp. But not if this guy is on the board. He is a rare talent, and I want someone with rare talent on my team. Suh + Rogers would be a nightmare for opposing offensive lines. We might finally be able to 1) pressure the QB regularly and 2) stop the run.
Besides, no position is ever really a bright spot if it’s full of injured people. We can’t count on everyone coming back from injuries and playing well, but I think we actually can count on this kid to go out and rock people every week.
Berry is my pick as it stands now–safety has become one of those premiere defensive spots, and that kid is just plain great. Suh is certainly growing on me the more I see of him–he just about single-handedly took down Texas last Saturday. I will say this: if Mangini/whomever is head coach next year were willing to switch to a 4-3 (which just makes sense with our personnel, though that’s why I doubt it will happen), I’d say Suh over Berry and let him and Rogers proceed to eat offensive lines alive. If Clausen or Tebow end up in a Browns uni, I’ll be hosting a bonfire at my place to torch my Browns gear–just thinking about it makes me angry. Spiller is not the answer–no RB is unless we plug up the right side of the line first. Please oh please let us get a competant GM in here well before draft day.
Ok, fine. I guess finding a trading partner *could* happen. But if it does, my faith in humanity, as well as my believe that maybe I knew a thing or two about a thing or two, will be shaken to the absolute core.
translation: still think there’s no freakin’ way.
IF the Browns DO go with a quarterback…dear God I hope they avoid Clausen and Tebow…my pick…Jake Locker (if I had to pick a QB in the first round)
I say trade down…..I know, I know. I just hate all the guaranteed money for a kid. With our track record in the draft (J. Thomas excluded) I think it is a MAJOR risk. I couldn’t handle seeing another draft “bust” collecting checks and then leaving town.
“In the Ngema tribe in Cameroon, Ndamukong means “House of Spears.”
Has a better ring than “House of Assault Rifles”. Sign me up.
Let’s draft a guy who’s great at his position and then switch him to another position. That always works out well.
If it’s QB, then I Like Pike. Not in the first round by any means, but the kid is impressive.
MrCleaveland, it’s a step up from the current philosophy of drafting guys who are ok/decent at their position (Robiskie) and then switching them to another position (Veikune). Baby steps.
How often are Safeties compared to Ed Reed? I know Todd McShay isn’t right all the time, but him and many others at Scouts Inc. agree that Berry is the best guy coming out of the draft and they would take him with the #1. There are good pass rushers coming out every year in the draft, but how often is there a legitimate play making safety coming out like Berry? This guy is not someone that we can pass on if we have the shot. If he doesn’t come out, then lets get Suh, but Suh wont be doing a lot if the QB can just chuck the ball down field and let his WRs run under it all day.
Also, any word on a ‘strong credible leader’? its like Lerner came out and said that for the bye week then disappeared again? We need a legit guy in the FO to organize this team and draft, or else none of this really matters.
YOU ALL ARE FORGETTING… WHICH ONE IS THE SMARTER PLAYER???
just out of curiosity, whats the going rate for a trade of the #1 overall pick assuming someone wants to trade up. for sake of argument, would SF’s two first rounders (9 and 13 i think) + next years first rounder be valid for the #1 overall? not that SF would do it – im just curious what the going rate would be for a top 3 pick.
If we have the first pick, we need to draft the best player available, not for need. Right now, Suh seems to fit that bill. No one’s ever going to be a “can’t miss” guy, but this dude seems like a real beast. The other advantage about picking a stud D-lineman is you don’t have to worry as much about him adapting to schemes like you would in the case of a safety or linebacker.
The Browns CANNOT take a QB in the first round – that would be a HUGE mistake. Even if Mangini or whoever is picking in April thinks Quinn is garbage, they’re better off signing a journeyman like Kellen Clemens or Kevin Kolb or whoever, than rolling the dice with these questionable guys like Claussen, Bradford, McCoy and Tebow. If they want to draft a QB in the third or fourth round, fine. But this team has too many glaring holes at other positions to waste a high pick on a QB, which as history has shown, is only a 50/50 proposition at best that the guy will even be serviceable, much less worth the gigantic paycheck.
if the browns draft clausen, can you imagine all the extra hair gel they will have to buy for the lockerroom?
Taylor Mays will probably still be available in the second round if we want him. While he is a freakish athlete, he has poor instincts and appears to have little knowledge of the game. Mays, who was once viewed as a raw prospect with unbelievable physical tools has shown his true colors; that he is indeed raw, and more of an athlete than a football player.
Suh is clearly the best prospect in this draft, however, we already have Rogers at NT and we would have to move him out of position. Suh is either a DT on a team with 4 down lineman or a NT in a 3-4 scheme.
McDonald and Wright have both had their chances. McDonald has proven to be nothing more than a nickelback. Wright has been improving, but our secondary still needs a boost. Eric Berry, ladies and gentlemen, is the player that we want. He has pure skill and talent, as well as the acumen required to succeed at the highest level. His physicality is reminiscent of a young Ed Reed. Watch Tennessee’s bowl game vs. Virginia Tech, and you’ll soon see he is by far the best player on the field, as well as most NFL ready.
Now there are a few teams that need to upgrade at QB, and it appears that Clausen is the top prospect as of now. The Redskins look to be suitors for a trade, because quite frankly, Daniel Snyder is always willing to pull the trigger on impulsive deals, and Berry right now is projected to come off the board around the tail end of the top 10. Washington is projected to have the 8th pick, so it food for thought.
Bottom line: Whoever the GM is, please have enough common sense to realize that Eric Berry would look great in Brown and Orange.
They can just borrow the Cavs’s leftovers from WallyWorld
Does anyone really trust Mangini to trade down again. We traded a prime pick last year for a bunch of ex-Jet scrubs. Whose to say Mangini doesn’t trade this pick for more middle of the road veterans that may help win 5-6 games next year (thus, saving Eric’s hide for another year or two) but don’t get us any closer to a Super Bowl.
If we don’t get a premium (i.e. SFs two first rounders), keep the pick.
@jackson
Cause Browns picking first has worked out so well?
I’m hoping Mangini will be no where near the organization by that point, see how he has kept some pretty ok talent on the bench.
Jackson – agreed. I dont mind the idea of trading down, I just dont trust who is doing the trading. I love the IDEA of what Mangini did in last years 1st round, just not the actual execution. If we are left with Mangini calling the shots again (God forbid) then just go for the best available player – Suh or Berry. Its the other 10 picks we have that I am more concerned with. They will determine the bulk of what we will look like for the future.
Berry or Suh. Top of the draft RBs have a sketchy history, we have a serviceable QB (I think), and the D needs the most help.
I agree with the commenters who said that we still need the most help at LB (wouldn’t Rey Maualuga look good in Brown and Orange?), but you draft the talent that’s there. I don’t know of any LBs I’d take in the first ROUND, never mind with the first pick.
We’ve got 11 picks this year, but it’ll still be 3-4 years before this team is a contender…if we’re optimistic.
The goal on the lakeshore is watchable, which is why at the end of the day picking D is what we most need. That means Suh or Berry.
Anyone who’s hating on Clausen b/c he’s an ND QB is an idiot. I hate SC, but I still would have wanted Palmer or Leinart in Orange & Brown (…I might have been off on Matt though).
That being said, there is NO WAY the Browns go QB in this draft. Even if you think Quinn is the worst QB in the world and doesn’t deserve another snap, it is obvious to everyone that our needs are greater at all other positions.
Also, if we can avoid a Gholston-esque pick from Mangini, that’d be cool.
Also, can we trade all but our 1st overall pick for the 2nd overall pick? That way, we don’t need the Suh / Berry debate.
TIM TEBOW IS A COOL GUY AND WE SHOULD DRAFT HIM BECAUSE HE DOESN’T AFRAID OF ANYTHING.
Anyway..What are the chances of changing to a 4-3? I understand Mangini said he’d never make the change, but if we had Suh and Rogers as our DT’s, Corey Williams could become relevant again at DE, and Wimbley wouldn’t have to man up vs tackle’s all of the time, it’d be a front seven to be reckoned with.
I know it seems crazy to change a defensive scheme for one guy, but its not just for one guy. We have the personnel to play in a 4-3 now, why don’t we make the switch?
I think it is interesting that the Browns are just God awful on offense but just about every commentor here is stressing defense. Me included.
Ben, our front office can’t possibly that bad that we would want another team to make that decision for us, are they?….Now I’m sad.
@ Mark – as the last game and the Detroit game showed, they can be pretty brutal defensively, though in defense of the defense they are an extremely banged up unit that at times has played admirably (and of course the offense has been inept for all of those performances). More importantly, the elite talent at the top of the draft is on defense not offense.
Plus (to piggy back on AMCs last statement) the defense could really help out the O by creating turnovers, getting the other team off the field faster, creating better field position, etc, etc. I would love to see an elite defense in Cleveland like there was in balitmore for so many years. BTW- looking at Baltimores Great defenses, it seems that obviously scheming and coaching by Rex was part of it, but they had great LBs and a great Safety, along with OL that ate blocks. We can get our great Safety in Berry… just sayin. If we do get Suh, I think our coaching staff would still try to force a 3-4 D, and it would not be very effective.
Also, does anyone else really want to see a year of Jerome Harrison as a starter? I think he can be a productive back if given the ball. He showed it in Cincy when J-Lew was out and again with his recieving yesterday. And we still have to see what Davis has. I dont think the browns really need many key spots on offense other then the OL. I’d like to see our young offensive skill positions develop together and see if they can start working through their kinks.
for all who think Suh cannot play in a 3-4:
Please go back and watch tape on Richard Seymour when he was in NE.
then, go watch the VaTech, Mizzou, Iowa State or TX games against Nebraska this year. Suh is an absolute monster and should not be passed on for any reason other than we get word that Berry and Haden will definitely be that at #9/#13 (SFs possible 1st rounders) and we have a deal Suh for BOTH of them (which would also save us $$$).
Even then, I might lean Suh.
I don’t know why everyone is such a Suh hater. He would be a perfect fit in Ryan’s defense. However, I thing Taylor Mays should be taken to help fix the depleted secondary. We don’t need a RB because we have James Davis, Harrison, and Jennings. I hate USC but they do provide great players.
Agreed with Florida, there is no one willing to trade down to the first position. The only possibility would be the 3 team trying to get in front of the 2 team, or some similar scenario. No one is going to try and jump 8-10 spots up because of the money guaranteed to the first pick, and the picks that would have to be given up. IMO, best case scenario, is St. Louis finishes 3 and wants Claussen. If we could grab another pick at the top of the second, drop to 3 where we’d be able to grab Suh or Berry, whoevers left, and then grab Dwyer or a RT at the top of the second with our added pick, I think we’d be well on our way.
And I know it’s not the premise of this article, but I hope to whoever that we don’t end up with the 1 overall. 3-5 range is much more conducive to gaining picks/moving back, and the guaranteed money will be 40-60% of what the top pick gets. Winning 2 out of the last 4 (KC and OAK) would accomplish this. If only Jamarcus were still starting……
Suh. No question. You cant take a safety 1-3. We are in no position to draft by need. Suh will be a fixture for years with or without Rogers.
Look what’s happened to the steelers D now that polamalu is out. They get shredded.
Watching the game yesterday I realized how bad we need a safety. Rivers was throwing lobs downfield it was a joke.
Who is more valuable to baltimore? Ngata or Ed Reed? I think Reed.
There will be enough of a market to move down from Suh. We need a LB and a RB nearly as bad as a safety.
The 49ers have two first round draft picks. If the season ended today they would hold the #10 and #14 picks. Based on the trade value chart those two picks are worth 2400 to our 3000. To reach the number one pick we would need to get both those picks, their second, fourth and sixth picks.
What do people think about moving down to ten, getting Taylor Mays at ten, maybe a tackle like Bryan Bulaga from Iowa at 14 and stocking up on additional picks?
Also, for those wondering who would move down, Suh is the kind of player that Singletary would be salivating over and there is a chance we can get a Ditka Ricky Williams type scam on him.
Tim Tebow does work with orphans!!!
I would love to see us find a way to get Berry and Brandon Spikes. That would help two of the MANY holes this team has. I agree with other posters who are saying NO QB in the first round. I’ll take an OL and a WR or two in the later rounds as well. Spikes will be an animal in the NFL.
Living here in TN and not being a Vol fan I am still impressed with Berry, the kids got top flight skills. I worry about taking a DT or NG, very few dominate like they do in College and the money they will make as #1 have to worry about their weight.
I like Suh for sure. That kid is the real deal, and lets not forget that if Mangini gets canned, the new coach could intitute a 4-3. Rogers, and Suh on the interior with Wimbley as an end would be a great d line. I also like Berry, but would only want him if Suh is off the board, unlikely. To address the RB need, I am dead set against ever drafting a rb in the top 10, even if it is AD. HE is playing great right now, but RBs don’t win super bowls, and they are the most fragile and replaceable position in the league. this isn’t fantasy football. I would look later round and see if we could find someone slipping like Blount.
trade our 1st round pick for Gholston!!!!!!!!!!!
I dont necessarily think Suh won’t be effective in a 3-4, but our D may be even still. The point of the DL in a 3-4 is to eat blocks, not to make big plays. The LBs make the plays in a 3-4. If we get a pass rush with 3 down linemen, thatd be nice, but what happens when they start leaving 7, 8 people to block. We dont have the kind of skill to match up outside. Our LB and secondary are so bad that there could be 3 people running routes and 2 would be open. Even now, our DL does basically what it needs to in a 3-4. When our D was healthy we did a decent job stopping the run, and even against SD we had some good stops, but the secondary gets ripped apart. We need to have Berry come in and help the secondary.
@ Eric- A great RB can definitely help you to win a championship. I would say not 1 player is the difference to winning or not, but if you have a good, or decent OL, then taking a RB in the top 10 wouldnt be bad. Now, this year I don’t see any standout RB that could be coming to the draft, but next year Ingram could be a guy to keep an eye on (assuming we fix our RT)
If we don’t trade down, I am officially boycotting NFL football for the rest of my life…
i hate to say it but you must trade down. you can get who you want at the #7 slot. save the money. Ingram comes out next year.
if you must draft at number 1 – i want colt mccoy. seriously.
Saggy – Not if you want Berry or Suh
um. . . isn’t suh kind of a bad fit, what with us running a 3-4 and all? where would he play?
For those that want to trade down – have you not read above? It’s not really the Brown’s call to trade down…they need someone who wants to trade up.
Suh would be a great addition at #1. Then they need to stay focussed on the line..but on the other side of the ball. They have unreal horrible line play all season on the right side and need big time help there either through free agency or the draft. Then they can look at backs (both running and defensive) and WR’s/DB’s.
Lineman aren’t sexy picks, but when you have next to nothing, you have to build from the ball out.
It doesn’t matter who the Browns have in the defensive backfield next year – no one can cover dudes for 5 seconds in the nfl..and that is what the Browns pass rush requires of their DB’s…and the same goes for the QB situation.
Look at Matt Cassel this year – last year he wins 11 games as a Patriot with a team that has play makers and a line that blocks…this year, he’s doing horrible on a bad KC team that has no running game/line/or WR’s.
I don’t see the Browns picking any higher than second. Either way they get Suh or Berry, which isn’t bad, at all. I don’t see why they would take a QB with a high pick, at this point. They’re broken down to the bare foundation. They need to build a solid team (i.e. strong OL with a running game and a strong DL that can stop the run) and then go after a QB if Quinn isn’t the one. The book is obviously closed on DA.
To me, this draft is quite thin in the top spots. I dont really see any sure picks besides Suh. Lets think about this, Suh is one of the most dominant d-lineman anyone has seen in a long time. He could do one of two things: 1.)help Shaun Rodgers on the line and we could have a very stout defensive front or 2.) take #92′s spot next year if he continues to have off season issues with the browns and he ends up leaving (hopefully that does not happen!!). Either way he would be the guaranteed pick to make the biggest improvement to our defense, and quite possibly our whole team. Note to Browns Front Office: Please don’t screw this one up!
I say take Suh or Berry (and not trading down–not with 11 picks in the draft) because they are the best players available. But let’s put the Browns’ defense in perspective.
I’m not saying the Browns’ defense is great; it’s not even good or average. But the Browns ain’t 1-10 because of their defense; they’re 1-10 primarily because they have the most atrocious offensive unit I’ve ever seen in the NFL. You can’t win if your offense can’t score and the Browns can’t score with any type of consistency whatsoever. I’d also be willing to bet the Browns’ defense has played as many downs as any other defensive unit in the league.
Suh or Berry would make us better immediately, but I can think of some offensive players that would as well. And I believe the Browns’ offense is much more to blame for our current state of affairs than the defense, no matter how culpable our D may be.
What offensive players could make us better immediately that aren’t QBs? No one drafts RTs at the top of the draft, it just doesn’t happen, so who do you have in mind exactly?
Agree with you, Ike. There are so many holes on both sides, though, that we’ll be fine with best player available unless it’s a LT who will stick at left tackle, basically. I don’t think any RB/WR/QB this year is more talented than Berry or Suh, so we should take one of them over any of the offensive players, especially skill players. With our thousands of picks we have the ability to trade back up to the end of the first round, where trades to happen. I’m not saying we should, but if, for instance, we pick Suh and there’s someone stellar falling through a bit, we can make a move. We’d better be using all those non-top picks to grab LBs, CBs, a RT, possibly a RG, RBs, and more. I lack confidence in Mangini’s picking ability for some reason, though.
I think the O has struggled for a few reasons. It has as much to do with being young, inexperienced and in particular to Royal, and St. Clair, old and not worth ever playing as due to its awful coaching (play calls, personnel choices, etc). Also, the D has had an almost bend but dont break personality to it. They haven’t had a lot of turnovers, and rarely have direct 3 and outs. We do have a lot of young players that have shown glimpses of promise on O. We cant really say that about the D.
TIM TEBOW!
…Relax. Im just kidding. Or am I?
I don’t understand the love for Suh. Is he a beast? absolutely. However, we have no need for him. We have a prow bowl nosetackle already in rogers. Picking him up would be pointless unless Rogers recent injury puts him out for his career. We won’t switch to a 4-3 (if we were going to, why didnt we this year, with corey william who had 8 sacks as a 4-3 dt in 2007?). That means we have nowhere to play Suh. However, we need a safety. Berry is an all-pro. Whoever thinks he is an “8-10″ pick has never seen him play. He is clearly the Browns choice.
Suh is the best player available and Rogers only has a few years left. We do need help in the secondary, but where don’t we need help? I say we don’t draft a QB until we get the rest of the team in order. Build a better line, decent receivers, and a good defense. Sound familiar? Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Minnesota, Chicag… well, it doesn’t always work.
Suh but then also get Thaddeus Gibson from the Buckeyes and play him, Rogers and Suh in the front 3. Amazing.
say what you want about Tebow. I don’t know if i have ever had more respect for a player. the guy comes out and doesn’t guarantee victory but guarantees that he’s gonna work his tail off every day and be the best he can be. He doesn’t get into trouble and he’s always a gentleman. He may not be #1 pick material but he can play on my squad any day. guy has heart.
I think the first thing we need to get out of our head is not to draft for need. We have lots of needs (Any position on D … and well most positions on O as well… everything except Long Snapper I guess), so all the Browns should really do is draft the best player available. If they’ve determined that’s Suh or Berry, great. Then we go from there.
Trade Rogers for a 1st or 2nd rounder. Grab Suh. Use additional 1st or 2nd rounder on best player available.
By the time the Browns are even close to competing for a playoff spot Rogers will be close to being done. Trade hime now and get some real value for him.
Does anyone have a list of how many picks we have in each round?
For all the people who are saying “you cant draft Suh because we already have rogers”, i dont think you understand how a 3-4 works. DEs in a 3-4 are glorified DTs. Suh is the same size as the guys we currently have playing DE, but is faster and more athletic…
Ndamakong Suh…6’4″ 300
Kenyon Coleman…6’5″ 295
Robaire Smith…6’5″ 310
Corey Williams…6’4″ 320
Alos, Suh plays plenty of DE at Nebraska in a 4-3. He is very similar to Justin Tuck with respect to his versatility, but Suh has an even higher ceiling.
This is a no-brainer.
Hang onto Quinn. Build an offensive line on the right and fill in the defensive line. Suh would be a great compliment to Rogers. Give Francies time on the field. We have young play makers on offense if the QB is given time. Pick up a linebacker to fill things out in the early rounds of the draft as well. This won’t make the team championship caliber yet but will be a excellent foundation for the following year’s draft.
The game comes down to uncontested time in pocket. The more time a QB has in the pocket without pressure, the more time he has to pick you apart. Build the offensive line to keep the pressure off Quinn.
Fill out the defensive line to keep the opposing QB running for his life. That means switching the defense to a 4-3 scheme. Dump the 3-4. Finding the linebackers to fill that out is going to be tough. With Suh and Rogers pinning their ears back and two other linemen taking up blockers, every QB in this league will have something to fear. Do the math. It’s going to be difficult to double team Rogers and Suh with two other linemen in the mix. There’s just not enough blockers.
Suh all the way. Football is won and lost in the trenches my friends. Look what happens when Brady actually has some time to throw the ball. On the opposite side, a great D Line opens up the way for the LB’s.
This Suh is a force.
I can already hear all of CB Stadium yelling in unison: “Suhhhhhhhhh!” as he sacks Big Ben.
I agree with Brad in ATL, Get a 1st of 2nd Rounder for Rogers, Draft Suh and then go with the best player available. Although his value is still high, Rogers doesn’t figure into building for the future.
What offensive players could make us better immediately that aren’t QBs? No one drafts RTs at the top of the draft, it just doesn’t happen, so who do you have in mind exactly?
@ Jack:
Disclaimer: I am NOT advocating using our 1st round pick on these players, but these are just offensive players whom I believe would make the Browns’ offense better immediately. Or, at least offer an improvement upon the Browns’ current players at that position. I also omitted any QBs because I think the Browns need to build around Quinn.
CJ Spiller (RB) – I love Jerome Harrison and James Davis but Spiller is the real deal. You might argue James Davis is better but Spiller came into Clemson and immediately stole carries from Davis. Again, I don’t think we should necessarily pick Spiller, I’m just sayin.
Jonathan Dwyer (RB) – Living in Atlanta, I’ve watched (on TV and in person) countless Georgia Tech games over the past two seasons. Dwyer is an AFC North running back, plain and simple. He can run outside, he can run between the tackles, almost never goes down on first contact and can tote the rock 20-25 times a game. This is the kind of back you want in November and December.
Golden Tate (WR) – Lost in all the talk of Clausen going pro is that Tate is also going pro. For my money, Tate is at the very least as good as any WR on the Browns roster right now. I’ll repeat, at the VERY least.
Dez Bryant (WR) – The NCAA made him ineligible the last half of the season but if you saw him play, there’s no doubt he’s the most complete college WR in the country. He’s 6-2, 217, can go deep, across the middle, you name it. Reminds me of Andre Johnson on the Texans.
Ed Dickson (TE) – You’ll get to see this kid in the Rose Bowl against OSU, but he’s probably the best pass-catching TE in college today. If you’re going to build around Quinn, you’re going to need a good TE. And I like Evan Moore too, but don’t tell me the Browns couldn’t use a TE.
Russell Okung (OT) – You’re right, nobody drafts RTs at the top of the draft; that doesn’t mean Okung wouldn’t be an upgrade over John St. Clair (who wouldn’t be?). This kid is a teammate of Dez Bryant’s and is projected as a top 5 pick (first offensive lineman taken).
Suh. If he is gone Berry. A RB for the 2nd round pick (there will be 4 that go in the 1st to 2nd round. Dwyer would be my pick if there considering that Spillner will be gone. A RT for the 3rd round.
Can we pick a new owner with our pick? Pretty please??
@Ike
Agree with you that my comment came out wrong. What I was trying to say is that there are no offensive players worth the price we’d have to pay them in the top 5 outside of Okung, who we wouldn’t take because we have Thomas at LT, therefore putting Okung at RT. Of course there are offensive players that would improve us, just none worth the money in the top 5 IMO. As far as WRs, I say let’s give last years guys a chance, and go with one of the two RBs you mentioned in the second (Dwyer should still be around), and if both are gone go RT or Dickson as you mentioned, or maybe Gresham if he’s still there. I’ve personally seen Gresham in action as I live in OKC, and someone is going to get a steal of a player because of his injury.
anybody from BAMA,ROLLTIDE!!!