NFL Draft Grades 2010: Grading the Cleveland Browns' Draft Class

Now that the 2010 draft is behind us, it is time to look at the newest Cleveland Browns.

I have broken down every pick and given individual grades, and then calculated them to get my overall grade. 

1. Joe Haden (Round One, Pick Seven)

With Haden, the Cleveland Browns selected the best cornerback in the draft and a guy who come with relatively little risk. I see Haden's ceiling as being a Nnamdi Asomugha or Darelle Revis type, the guy that QBs find every play so they know where NOT to throw the ball.

Haden's floor I see as similar to Eric Wright. He may not be the best of the best (but still VERY VERY good) and might take a few years to develop. After Eric Berry came off the board, Haden was the Browns' next best option (and in fact what I predicted what I predicted). I give the pick a B+.

2. T.J. Ward (Round Two, Pick 38)

With Taylor Mays on the board, this pick surprised a lot of people. Ward is a hard-hitting safety who will make opponents pay for challenging him, and he should be a sure tackler. The biggest problem is his injury history, and because of it many thought he was a reach.

He fills a need at safety with the departure of Brodney Pool and will challenge for the starting job opposite Abe Elam right away. I give this pick a B-.

3. Montario Hardesty (Round Two, Pick 59)

With Jimmy Clausen recently off the board, many (myself included) could have sworn the Browns were trading up here to grab Texas quarterback Colt McCoy. Instead, they surprised everyone by taking Hardesty, a running back.

Hardesty's style is more of a power back, but he has some moves that many power backs don't. I see him as a cross between speed and power backs, and with Jerome Harrison and Peyton Hillis already filling those roles, respectively, Hardesty's style is the only reason to justify taking him so high.

Taking into account what we gave to trade up for him (a third round pick and two fifth rounders), I give this pick a C-.

4. Colt McCoy (Round Three, Pick 85)

As anyone following me on Twitter knows, I was screaming for McCoy as soon as I was done talking about Haden being picked. It was disappointing to pass him at 38 and extremely frustrating to see us trade back into the second to get Hardesty instead.

Unfortunately I had other commitments and missed this pick, but I was very pleasantly surprised to return to see that it did in fact happen! I thought for sure after the Hardesty pick McCoy would be gone, and even if he wasn't the Browns would pass once again.

In my opinion McCoy was the second best QB in the draft (behind Sam Bradford), so to get him in Round Three was a complete steal. This one is easy to grade—the Colt McCoy pick gets an A! (There is no A+ in my grading system.)

5. Shawn Lauvao (Round Three, Pick 92)

An offensive lineman listed as a tackle, Lauvao is expected to play on the inside. A versatile player who can play multiple spots gives the Browns extra depth at several line positions.

I think he was a bit of a reach, and receiver would have been the better pick here. Also, good guards can often be found in the later rounds, so for me this pick gets a C+.

6. Larry Asante (Round Five, Pick 160)

Another safety here. With WR Mike Furrey playing safety at times last year, this pick adds depth and a guy many think will be able to be developed into a solid starter. Also a big hitter, he will probably see time on the field this year as well.

It didn't take the Browns long to select him once the clock started running on this pick, so it's a good sign the team got the guy they wanted. This pick gets a B+.

7. Carlton Mitchell (Round Six, Pick 177)

The Browns waited for the sixth round to draft a WR, but they got a guy who doesn't drop many passes. He's a big guy to compliment Mohamed Massaquoi's speed. Addressing a need, but not adding as much speed at the position as I would have liked. I give this pick a B.

8. Clifton Geathers (Round Six, Pick 186)

With the final pick the Browns grab a 6'8" DE with a pedigree (his brother Robert plays for the Bengals). With his size and amazingly long wingspan, he should be able to get his arms up in the quarterback's throwing path, even if he can't shed his block. For potential in Round Six, I think this is a very good pick. I'm giving it an A-.

With my grading system, this works out to a 3.0 for the Browns' 2010 draft.

Overall Draft Grade: B

I appreciate any feedback, positive or negative.

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