Browns Confusion over No. 4 Pick Proves Franchise Is Hopeless

With the NFL draft less than two weeks away, not only are mixed signals coming from Cleveland regarding what the team's intentions are with the fourth-overall pick, but if the latest reports are to be believed, the Browns braintrust is attempting to decide which mistake to make.

In his Monday Morning Quarterback column for Sports Illustrated, Peter King reported that there may be a tug-of-war of sorts going on by the Shores of Lake Erie in regards to who to draft fourth overall, with Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon at one end of the rope and Texas A&M signal-caller Ryan Tannehill at the other.

"

I heard different things over the weekend from people I trust. GM Tom Heckert loves Blackmon and that would be his pick; president Mike Holmgren is still trying to decide with finality if Tannehill is the franchise quarterback worth taking here.

"

King's report doesn't necessarily mean that the Browns have eliminated players such as Alabama running back Trent Richardson from consideration, and trading down remains a possibility, especially given a recent report by Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that indicated that no fewer than four teams have inquired with the Browns about trading up for the pick.

"

With less than two weeks before the NFL draft, multiple teams have called the Browns about their No. 4 pick, league sources told the Plain Dealer,  and there's a decent chance the Browns will trade down.

At least three or four teams in the top 20 have expressed interest in trading up, and the Browns are expected to have some enticing options on draft day.

"

Cleveland's "indecision" could be an example of teams spreading disinformation about their intentions prior to the draft, which has certainly been known to happen.

However, if the team is truly still this undecided about their strategy for April 26, then that's an unsettling proposition for fans of the Browns, and if Blackmon and Tannehill are the "final two" for Cleveland, then that should be more unsetlling still.

For all Tannehill's rising draft stock of late, the 6'4" quarterback remains a player with less than 20 career starts who is clearly not the prospect that Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin is, and Tannehill led off the recent list of "overrated" draft prospects penned by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper.

"

I love Tannehill's upside, and I think he has a great shot to be a good starter, but the market on him has gotten a little out of hand in some respects. Remember, if Matt Barkley, Landry Jones and perhaps Tyler Wilson were in this draft, we're talking about a likelier bet for late-first or second round for Tannehill. Again, he can be a good one, but a lot of it is projecting, because while his physical abilities are so impressive there is much work to be done.

"

As to Blackmon, the 6'1", 207-pound junior certainly assembled an impressive collegiate resume after racking up over 3,300 receiving yards the past two years and winning a pair of Biletnikoff Awards. However, Blackmon has acquired a few detractors of his own of late, including Josh Norris of Rotoworld, who recently included the Cowboys star among his own "overrated" list.

"

He simply isn’t a vertical threat, securing a vast majority of his receptions within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. Blackmon made a living dominating smaller, slower, less physical Big 12 cornerbacks thanks to consistent five- and seven-yard cushions at the snap, allowing quick completions and easy conversions on curl routes. Blackmon's catch radius and ability to adjust his body positioning are major pluses, but he is not an elite prospect in the vein of A.J. Green or Julio Jones. Downfield playmaking ability is a necessity for any receiver worth a top-ten pick. I am not overlooking Blackmon's capacity to use the sideline, or his strength at the catch point, but he is a limited receiver from a skill standpoint and hardly a surefire top-five pick.

"

Meanwhile, Trent Richardson is universally considered the top running back prospect in this year's draft after topping 2,000 total yards for the Crimson Tide last year, and as if the Alabama star hadn't displayed enough on the field, he recently displayed exemplary character off the field by escorting a 17-year-old girl suffering from leukemia to her high school prom, as reported by ESPN's Jamison Hensley.

"

Richardson is accompanying 17-year-old Courtney Alvis, who is battling leukemia.

Alvis was diagnosed last year with the condition, which meant no driving, attending class or going to her junior prom. After a year of chemotherapy, Alvis was determined to attend her senior prom but she didn't have a date. Her uncle used an Alabama connection to get word to Richardson, who then offered to escort her.

"I'm really excited but I'm also nervous," Alvis told WSFA-TV in Montgomery, Ala. "I've watched Trent all the time on TV, and he's going to be coming to prom with me."

"

Why exactly don't you want this kid on your team?

I've been beating the Richardson drum as much as anyone (although it admittedly hasn't been reflected in some of my mocks), and I remain somewhat hopeful that the Cleveland front office will come to their senses and draft the player who would be the foundation of their running game for years.

However, the words "Cleveland front office" and "come to their senses" have shared precious few sentences of late, and dark clouds are brewing that may make for another dismal first round for fans of the Browns.

I'll let one of our own speak to his opinion of that, closing with a fan comment that the Plain Dealer selected as their "comment of the day" Monday.

"

Why would you pick a QB who isn't the best at his position coming out, but NOT pick who is clearly the best RB in the draft? That makes no sense! Tannehill isn't the answer. If you draft Richardson at #4, and either MIchael Floyd or Kendall Wright at #22, you fill TWO key offensive positions probably for at least the next 5 to 7 years.

Unless the QB has the name of Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin in the first round, I don't want him. I'd rather go with West Coast-ready Brandon Weedon in the 2nd round, AFTER picking Richardson and a Wide Receiver in round 1.

"

Let's hope Mike Holmgren is listening, because the thought of hearing Tannehill's name called at fourth overall makes it hard to type through the tears. If that comes to pass, the Browns will just be sent right back onto the carousel of misery, and I, for one, am getting dizzy after over a decade.

Follow @IDPManor