A Look Ahead: Predicting the Future for the Cleveland Browns' Rookies

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

With training camp just a few weeks away, questions continue to swirl around the Cleveland Browns.

Who does coach Eric Mangini intend to start at quarterback this year?  How will the team's offense fare under first-time coordinator Brian Daboll?  Could the Browns possibly get any worse than they were last year?

While these inquisitions are important, there's another question which has me very intrigued:

With a brand new crop of rookies in Cleveland, and an overall lack of standout talent to compete with them, just where exactly will these newcomers stand on Mangini's depth chart this season?

It's no secret as to how Mangini treats rookies.  Unlike some coaches, who give their trainees a season on the sideline in order to give them time to learn, Mangini has been known to give some rookies a starting position right off the bat. 

In his first season with the Jets, Mangini started quite a few of his draft picks, including linemen Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

So, back to the original question, what are Mangini's intentions with his first batch of Browns newbies?

Nobody will know for sure until the final depth chart is released, however I thought I'd try and make some predictions regarding the Browns' 2009 rookie class and just how much action they can expect to see this year.

Alex Mack (Center, University of California)

As of now, most Browns fans know Alex Mack as the underwhelming first-round pick the team made after spending about two hours trading down.

Mack certainly wasn't as heralded as some of the other players available at the time, however this may have had more to do with the fact that centers aren't exactly as marquee as linebackers or receivers. While his selection had many people scratching their heads at the time, it wasn't long before there was a collective change of heart.

By drafting Mack, Mangini took his first steps in creating the run-first offense he planned for Cleveland.  In order to build an offense which focuses on the running attack, Mangini recognized the need to add youth and bulk to an offensive line which took a step backwards in 2008.

Since joining the Browns, Mack has impressed quite a few people both with his display of strength and power on the field and his willingness to learn the offensive schemes as quickly as possible. 

Even during his opening press conference with the team, Mack told reporters he intended to begin studying the Browns playbook immediately following his meeting with the local press.

As for predicting his spot on the 2009 depth chart, I firmly believe Mack will be a starter.

While it has been noted how Mack could play both center and right guard, my guess is he will be replacing Hank Fraley as the team's starting center.  Fraley helped to solidify this prediction when he told the local media about how he believed it was his job to help Mack become an effective starter, regardless of whether or not it cost him his starting position.

This statement is both admirable and slightly relieving.  The AFC North boasts plenty of defensive all-stars, especially nose tackles Haloti Ngata (Baltimore) and Casey Hampton (Pittsburgh). 

Fraley certainly had his fair share of troubles against opposing defenses last season, and while he was very reliable when it came to helping fans forget the failed LeCharles Bentley project, his time may be running out as a starter.  

It's in the team's best interest to see how well Mack fares against the vaunted AFC North defenses as quickly as possible.  He'll be sure to see plenty of difficult tests this season, but it certainly looks as though he boasts the size and skills needed to succeed.

Final Prediction: Starting Center

Brian Robiskie (Wide Receiver, Ohio State University) 

While not as impressive as wideouts like Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, Brian Robiskie is certainly a player to keep an eye on. 

Apparently, several players within the division feel the same way.

Recently, ESPN.com writer James Walker conducted a survey with 32 anonymous players in the AFC North.  Each participant was asked who he believed would be the division's breakout player in 2009 (players were not allowed to vote for themselves or fellow team members).  Robiskie finished fourth on the list, the highest of any rookie.

So, while he remains untested, Robiskie already has a few defenders keeping an eye on him. 

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