NFL Draft Preview - Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns - Romeo Crennel

In less than a week the third new era of the "new" Cleveland Browns will begin . . . there was the failed tenure of Chris Palmer and Dwight Clark . . . then came the knight in shining armor, Butch Davis and his can-do ego . . . now the Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage era begins with their first NFL draft as the head honchos of the Browns . . .

General manager Savage has a decision to make . . . all pre-draft sites point to the Browns taking Utah quarterback Alex Smith . . . however, I’m not sold on this pick . . . first round quarterbacks are a dime a dozen and a risk unless your name is Peyton Manning or Carson Palmer . . . I think it is even a bigger risk taking a quarterback with a pick as high as the third overall . . . this year's draft does not have a stud q.b. to justify taking him at number 3 . . .

Look at some of the quarterbacks who have led their team to the Super Bowl in recent years: Brady, Delhomme, Warner, Collins, Gannon, Dilfer . . . who was that last guy? . . . yeh, Trent Dilfer who is now the Browns quarterback . . . I know that Dilfer and Collins were first round draft choices, but they made it to the Super Bowl after they flopped with their original team was claimed off the scrap heap . . . in this year’s draft, a quarterback would be a good choice if the Browns had, say the 10th or 14th overall pick, not the 3rd overall pick . . .

In what direction does boy genius Savage go? . . .

All signs point that the Dolphins will pick Auburn workhorse running back Ronnie Brown with the second pick . . . . unless Nick Saban is throwing up a smoke screen, this looks like a done deal . . . however, if Saban is bluffing and passes on Brown, then Cleveland should not hesitate and take the Auburn back . . . since returning in 1999, the Browns lacked a true stud in the backfield . . . William Green was a risky pick a few years back because of his off-the-field problems . . .

Also, I am not sold on newly acquired back Rueben Droughns from Denver . . . is Droughns the real deal or is he another by-product of the Denver running system, such as Olandis Gary and Clinton Portis? . . . if Brown is there – take him . . . if Brown is slow to develop, Savage has himself an insurance policy in Droughns and Lee Suggs . . .

Realistically though, it looks like Brown will be a Dolphin . . . so what now? . . .

The Browns could trade down and acquire additional draft picks . . . that may be the smart move . . . this team has a lot of holes to fill . . . they need another offensive lineman and they could snatch an Alex Barron or Jammal Brown in the mid-first round . . . they also need a linebacker and Texas’ Derrick Johnson leads the list . . . he could possibly be taken around the 8th to 11th pick . . . to take him at number three would be a reach . . . Savage could slide down a bit and gamble that Johnson would be there at 7, 8 or 9 . . .

Maybe a trade could be made with Minnesota at number 7 being that the Vikings want either Braylon Edwards or Mike Williams at wide receiver . . . and it is quite possible both could be gone by then . . .

If the Browns cannot work a deal and are stuck with the third pick they may have to look at a playmaker such as Edwards . . . yes Browns fans, you may have to root for a Michigan player . . . since 1999, the Browns have draft a ton of average receivers who turned out to be busts . . . I’m sorry, but Dennis Northcutt and Andre Davis do not strike fear in cornerbacks . . . Edwards would be the first bona fide stud at a skill position for the Browns in many years . . .

If the Browns stay with the third pick, I say take Edwards . . .

In the second round Cleveland can address their need for a future quarterback by taking Auburn’s Jason Campbell . . . Campbell has been impressive since leading the Tigers to a perfect season in 2004 . . . he has also impressed the NFL teams during workouts . . . if Campbell is gone by the 34th pick, then Cleveland could look to build their offensive line by taking a David Baas, Ray Willis or Chris Spencer . . .

They should not consider taking Akron quarterback Charlie Frye just because he is from northeast Ohio . . . reports indicate that Frye has small hands and lacks zip on the ball . . . if Campbell is gone, the Browns should hold off and consider taking former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson or Georgia q.b. David Greene later . . .

McPherson has all the tools to be a stud, but he has a checkered past while in Tallahassee . . . it seems that McPherson finally has his head on straight and could be a steal in round 3 or 4 . . .

Predictions:
3rd overall pick - Braylon Edwards, wr, Michigan
34th overall pick - Jason Campbell, qb, Auburn
67th overall pick - Chris Canty, dl, Virginia
103rd overall pick - best offensive lineman on the board

During the course of the week I will be previewing Saturday’s NFL Draft . . . my next column will be a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers