Cleveland Browns Need to Get Draft Right This Time

Browns' QB Tom Brady lines up under center. He takes the snap and fakes a handoff to Brian Westbrook. He pumps the ball and then lets the pass fly. It is a perfect pass right to Steve Smith. Smith takes it to the house for a touchdown!

If only.

If things had gone differently for the Browns in their 10 NFL drafts since their return, the following players would be on their roster:

QB - Tom Brady (2000 Draft)
RB - Brian Westbrook (2002)
WR - Steve Smith (2001)
WR - Chad Johnson (2001)

Instead of these studs, the Browns got the following duds instead:

QB - Spergon Wynn (drafted 16 picks ahead of Brady)
RB - William Green (drafted 2 rounds and 75 picks ahead of Westbrook)
WR - Quincy Morgan (drafted 3 picks ahead of Johnson and 41 picks ahead of Smith)

So it goes for the Brownies. There seems to always be plenty of excellent players on both offense and defense that could have been better served with their first-round picks. Is this continual onslaught of horrible picks just bad luck or bad scouting?

Here are all of the first round picks since the Browns' return in 1999 (overall pick # in parenthesis):

1999 (1) Tim Couch,  QB, Kentucky - Currently: out of the NFL

Hindsight is always 20-20, but was Tim Couch really the best player the Browns could get with the top pick in the 1999 draft? To be fair to the Browns, the QBs in the 1999 draft class were awful. Only Donovan Mcnabb would have been better for the Browns; that is assuming that he would have even been successful in Cleveland.

2000 (1) Courtney Brown,  DE, Penn State - Currently: out of the NFL

After a few worthless seasons for the Browns, Brown was shipped to Denver. He was not good there either.

2001 (3) Gerard Warren , DT, Florida - Currently: on the Raiders

Warren had some productive games for the Browns, but became a distraction. He also went with Courtney Brown to the Broncos before being traded again a few seasons later.

2002 (16) William Green,  RB, Boston College  - Currently: out of the NFL

His best season game as a rookie and that's no compliment to the guy. Green is the worst first round pick the Browns ever made. He played four seasons for the Browns and then never saw the field again in the NFL.

2003 (21) Jeff Faine,  C, Notre Dame - Currently: on the Buccaneers

Faine had flashes of greatness. Well, flashes of goodness. He was sent to the Saints after just three seasons.

2004 (6) Kellen Winslow,  TE, Miami (Fla.) - Currently: on the Buccaneers

When healthy this guy can play. However, stupidity and a bad attitude plagued him.  The new Browns regime felt he was too much of a drama queen and traded him to Tampa Bay.

2005 (3) Braylon Edwards,  WR, Michigan - Currently: on the Browns

Edwards is amazing...when he catches the ball. His amazing 2007 campaign is proof that this guy has skills. If Braylon can start catching the ball, he won't look back. I think the Browns got this pick right.

2006 (13) Kamerion Wimbley,  OLB, Florida State - Currently: on the Browns

Wimbley recorded a ridiculous 11 sacks in his rookie year, but kind of cooled off in the following two seasons. This guy is made for the Browns' 3-4 and once he gets some help he will be even better. A plus: he hasn't missed one game since entering the league.

2007 (3) Joe Thomas,  OT, Wisconsin and (22) Brady Quinn,  QB, Notre Dame - Currently: on the Browns

This Browns' draft almost made me cry—and not for the reasons that they usually do.  Joe Thomas was a brilliant pick at No. 3. Everyone had the Browns taking Quinn at that spot. Quinn fell further down the board as he chomped on his gum. The Browns traded with the Cowboys to get the No. 22 pick. They took Quinn. So, the Browns got a franchise tackle and QB in the same draft. Well done.

So, with a new regime in town can we expect to see the Browns get the first round right this year? The Browns need to bolster their defense; either a defensive end or linebacker will do. With Donte Stallworth's legal issues, drafting Michael Crabtree might not be a bad option either. They need a running back that can take over for Jamal Lewis.

This draft class will set the tone for the Kokonis/Mangini administration. This draft class is almost more important than what they even do during the regular season. This draft class will make or break the Browns for years to come.