Browns vs. Dolphins: CB Joe Haden Deserves Rookie of The Year Consideration

When the Cleveland Browns were ready to select their player with the seventh pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, rumors were rampant that they would pick a cornerback not named Joe Haden.

The Browns chose Haden over all others, and usually when a team picks a player in the top 10 of the draft, the player is a starter quickly in his rookie season. 

Haden was a different case, with veteran cornerbacks Sheldon Brown and Eric Wright manning the starter spots for the first half of the season. Haden came in on three corner sets and in nickel packages.

Then in Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wright went down with an injury and the door opened for Haden to take over as the starter in Wright's absence.

Haden has taken his opportunity to start and never looked back.

From Week 10 through Week 13, Haden has registered an interception in each game and has a total of five on the season.

Also, he is a tackling machine and quickly turning into a ball hawk, always being around the ball to either pick it off of bat it down. He leads the Browns with 15 passes defended.

Currently out of all NFL defensive rookies the Detroit Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh has been the front-runner for the rookie of the year award.

Haden's name now must be included with Suh's since Haden is making a huge impact for the Browns defensive secondary. He is now showing the NFL that he was worthy of a top 10 pick, regardless of all the heat he took from critics about his speed pre-draft.

In what was one of his best games as a professional football player, Haden finished up the Week 13 game against the Dolphins with five total tackles, four passes defended and an interception.

On a side note, starting safety Abram Elam continues to be a playmaker since the Browns' bye week and led the Browns in tackles versus the Dolphins and registered his third interception of the season, too.

(Also posted on Dawg Scooper: A Cleveland Browns Source)