Cleveland Browns 2011 Mock NFL Draft: What We Need
I'm writing this now for several reasons. First, the Browns are now mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, so it is no longer premature to start looking towards the offseason.
Second, I love college football and the draft is probably my favorite subject to write about.
And lastly, because I can. I've noticed in several comments, people saying (I'm paraphrasing) "oh it's too early to start talking about the draft. Wait until after the season is over." So this is for you guys, because I can. Because Bleacher Report gives me the ability. Thanks B/R (no brown-nosing here).
I'm gonna start by making an ass of u and me. I will assume that the Browns are going to finish 6-10 (as I predicted in the preseason when everyone said they would go 8-8). That should put them drafting somewhere between 9 and 13. For this article, I will split the difference and call it 11.
I'm also going to assume for the moment that Eric Mangini will be back as head coach, though I feel slightly less sure of this.
As far as I'm aware, the Browns should be drafting once in every round. They also received an extra sixth round pick from Denver, and will probably lose their seventh round pick to Seattle for Seneca Wallace. So this what I'm going with for the purposes of this mock draft.
Round 1: For The Love Of God, Let's Get Someone Who Can Catch The Damn Ball
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For this pick, it's a toss-up for me. I'm favoring Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon. Julio Jones would also be an excellent choice.
Jones is the more well known of the two, and has height working in his favor, but with Blackmon it's all about production, production, production.
Blackmon broke out this season with over 1500 yards receiving on a team that ran the ball 55 percent of the time. That's ridiculous. He scored at least one touchdown in EVERY game this season, with a first-year starter at quarterback.
He even did it against defenses like Nebraska and Oklahoma. What more could you ask for?
At 6'1" and 208 pounds, he's not a giant by any measure, but adequate in size. In comparison, Julio Jones is 6'4" and 220 pounds.
Jones also saw an increase in production with a run-first offense. He also showed remarkable toughness, playing very well while injured.
Another possibility here would be to draft an elite pass-rusher or an interior defensive lineman. If someone like Marcel Dareus or Nick Fairley were to slip down, it might be worth waiting for round 2 to draft a WR.
Round 2: Shore Up The D-Line
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Wisconsin DE JJ Watt is the perfect fit for an Eric Mangini defense. He was nearly unstoppable towards the end of the season.
This season, Watt had 21 tackles for loss, seven sacks, 10 hurries, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception, and three blocked kicks.
He was recently awarded the Lott Trophy for on-field play and off-field character of defensive players, beating out such players as LSU's Patrick Peterson.
At 280 pounds, Watt may not be as big as coach Mangini prefers his interior lineman to be, but at 6' 5 3/4" he has plenty of frame to grow into.
This is the kind of blue collar, high-character player any fan would want on his team.
Round 3: Playmaking Linebacker
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I'm somewhat torn on this pick as well, but I'm sticking with my guns and going with Boston College OLB Mark Herzlich.
Herzlich may very well have been a top 10 pick in last years draft, but he was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma before last season. He spent the whole year fighting cancer and won!
He came all the way back and played out his senior season with Boston College this year, though he wasn't quite the monster he had been previously, hence the slip of his draft stock. Give him another year or two and he'll be even more of a stud.
In his first three seasons, he had 249 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks,12 broken up passes, eight interceptions, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
His numbers this year were slightly more modest at 64 tackles, four interceptions, and one forced fumble. That's not even a year removed from chemo-therapy.
He's 6'4" and 249 pounds. He has the intelligence and athleticism that could allow him to play both inside and outside linebacker in a 3-4, and we all know how much coach Mangini loves that.
That was the deciding factor for me. I was also considering Michigan State middle linebacker Greg Jones here, but Jones seems to me to be a D'Qwell Jackson clone.
Herzlich is another one of those intelligent, versatile, high-character guys, and any fan would love to have a guy like him on their team.
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Round 4: Value Pick, Sure To Be Second Guessed
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Everyone, including me, will be expecting the Browns to draft an offensive tackle no later than this, but I'm gonna throw a curve on this one.
I'm going with Clemson Safety D'Andre McDaniel.
This is a risky pick, because of off-field issues. In 2008 he was arrested for aggravated assault and battery, but otherwise has always been known as a hard worker and a team player.
This is the only reason his draft stock has slipped so much. He was on Mel Kiper's preseason Big Board.
At 6'0" and 210 pounds, he's got plenty of size for the position. He has well above average straight-line speed, but is a little stiff in the hips, giving him a little trouble in coverage against WR's.
His production is undeniable. Last season, he had 102 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, and eight interceptions playing in a defensive backfield with Eric Berry. This year he has 63 tackles and four interceptions.
He's also a feared enforcer over the middle.
In the fourth round, this guy would bring excellent value, and it really seems like he just made a big mistake once.
Round 5: Another Hog For The Trough
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So I wanted to go with BYU's Matt Reynolds here, but realistically, he probably still won't be on the board at this point. Todd McShay thinks so, but he's an idiot. Mel Kiper calls Reynolds a "boarderline first rounder," but he's an idiot too.
For the sake of being realistic, I'm gonna pick Central Florida OT Jah Reid (you have no idea how hard it was to find a picture of this guy).
At 6'7" and 320 pounds, he's quite a big dude. He's also pretty quick and athletic for a man of his size.
His main strength is in pass protection. He's long and agile and able to re-set his feet against an outside rush.
He's not a mauler when run-blocking, but he stays with his blocks and is able to get to the second level.
He'll be a bit of a project, but has tremendous potential to be a very solid and athletic right tackle.
Round 6 Pick 1: Depth For The D-Line
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I think this would be a great spot to pick up more depth for the interior of our defensive line.
Iowa's Christian Ballard had an excellent year, though I'm sure some of that had to do with the attention Adrian Clayborn was getting.
Ballard plays DT for the Hawkeyes, and recorded 50 tackles and five sacks this season.
At 6'4" and 296 pounds, he still has a little room to add to his frame. I think he could make a fine DE in the 3-4 scheme.
Round 6 Pick 2: Another Horse For The Stable
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I have three players in mind for this pick and they're all running backs. With the uncertainty of Montario Hardesty's health, and the lack of depth behind Peyton Hillis, it might be a good idea to get someone else in the backfield.
The first back I have in mind is Vai Taua of Nevada. Taua is 5'10" and 220 pounds, and ran for over 1,500 yards this season. He has also occasionally flashed the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.
He was named to two all-american teams, but greatly benefited from being in the same backfield as QB Colin Kaepernick. He also had some eligibility issues due to grades that kept him out of last years bowl game.
The second back I'll mention is UTEP's Donald Buckram. After a record setting junior year, Buckram battled injuries for what ended up being a very disappointing senior year.
Last season, he gained 1,597 yards on the ground, as well as another 459 yards in the passing game.
At 5'10" 195 pounds, he's more of a burner with his 4.4 speed. He could be a great change of pace back in contrast to Peyton Hillis' bruising style. He could also spell Josh Cribbs in the return game, or even split out in the slot.
The only negative is the injuries, and we've been down that road.
Last, and my personal choice of the three, is Louisville's Bilal Powell.
Powell was the driving force behind an offense that brought the Louisville program back to respectability this season. He scored 10 touchdowns along with 1,330 yards on the ground. He also added 160 yards and 3 more touchdowns through the air. He averaged 6.3 yards a carry.
Powell has good size at 6'1" and 216 pounds. He isn't a burner or a bruiser, but he runs with a smooth toughness that reminds me of Montario Hardesty, but without the injury history.
I watched him play on TV once this year, and he immediately stood out to me. He wasn't real flashy, but he just seemed to always bounce off or break through. I also got the feeling that he was only starting to realize his full potential.
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