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Sports & Recreation > Hindsight is Always 20/20 ...
 

Hindsight is Always 20/20 ...

Year One:

In 1999, The Cleveland Browns were gearing up for their first NFL Draft. The organization was returned to Cleveland through an expansion team after then owner Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore in 1995.

After signing only 15 players from a dreadfully thin free agent pool, the Browns looked to the draft to acquire future playmakers. However, they didn’t necessarily make the best picks. I understand that you’re not going to get a hit every time you step up and make a pick, but the Browns batting average was in the low .200 range.

In a draft class that included Donovan McNabb, Edgerrin James, Ricky Williams, Torry Holt and Daunte Culpepper, the Browns drafted a white kid. Can’t say that I blame them for using the number one pick to acquire Tim Couch, but was he really good enough to turn down a deal for all of New Orleans’ picks?

The Saints were “highly” interested in Ricky Williams, and offered the Browns all of their 1999 draft picks (including a #7) to draft him with the #1 pick. Cleveland rejected the deal.

It makes little difference, because they apparently didn’t know what to do with the picks that they had. Cleveland had 5 picks in the first three rounds, and history shows that they were wrong on 80% of them.

Here’s how it went:

-Tim Couch QB Kentucky (drafted #1; last played in 2003)
-Kevin Johnson WR Syracuse (drafted #32; currently on injured reserve with Detroit)
-Rahim Abdullah OLB Clemson (drafted #45; on his way out of the CFL)
-Daylon McCutcheon CB Southern California (drafted #62; still on Browns roster!)
-Marquis Smith S California (drafted #76; made his last tackle in 2001)

Just for fun, here’s a look at five guys that the Browns passed on:

-Donovan McNabb QB Syracuse (available with #1 pick; five time Pro Bowler)
-Dre'Bly CB North Carolina (available with #32 pick; two time Pro Bowler)
-Peerless Price WR Tennessee (available with #45 pick; Pro Bowl alternate)
-Joey Porter OLB Colorado State (available with #62 pick; three time Pro Bowler)
-Dexter Jackson S Florida State (available with #76 pick; Super Bowl MVP)

Ouch.

Now I fully understand that scouting college players for the NFL is not an exact science. I understand that it can be difficult to tell which players will translate best at the next level, but to pass on these guys for those guys... wow.

Year Two:

In the 2000 Draft, the Browns found themselves with four picks in the first three rounds. They had the first pick overall, and could have used that pick for any number of players, including: LaVar Arrington, Jamal Lewis, Plaxico Burress, Brian Urlacher, John Abraham and Shaun Alexander.

Instead they chose Courtney Brown, who was the all time sack leader at Penn State, and the highest rated prospect on most scouts’ boards. Whether bad scouting or simply bad luck, Brown missed 33 games in four years due to injury. He was released by the Browns in 2005.

Year Three:

The new organization’s third draft in 2001 was a painful exercise. First of all, we passed on LaDainian Tomlinson. That’s right. We. Passed. On. LaDainian. Tomlinson.

The Browns front office must have felt there was depth at running back later in the draft, (James Jackson?) so they decided to draft a defensive tackle instead. That DT was Gerard Warren.

In a draft that featured defensive tackles such as Richard Seymour, Marcus Stroud and Kris Jenkins... we draft a man that we would cast away four years later, for a 4th round pick.

The second and third rounds of the 2001 draft weren’t much kinder. We picked Quincy Morgan, the wide receiver from Kansas State and James Jackson, a halfback from Miami. We could have used those picks to draft Chad Johnson and Steve Smith, two of last year’s top wideouts.

In the 4th round, we picked a cornerback named Anthony Henry. After all, we already picked a running back, no reason to take a look at Rudi Johnson. Who cares if he’ll have 1500 total yards and a dozen touchdowns in 2005, we needed immediate help, right?

Year Four:

William Green, the Browns’ first pick of the 2002 draft is unique, he’s still on the team. Granted, he’s the third running back on the depth chart, and last year he made more tackles than he did first downs, but at least my #31 jersey is still technically valid.

Despite the fact that Green will probably always be remembered as a bust, it wasn’t the worst pick in the world at #16. It’s easy to point out that we could have drafted De’Shaun Foster or Clinton Portis in the second round, but Green was considered the top back in the draft, and 33 other teams passed on Portis and Foster.

Of course we stubbed our toe again in the second round, when we took WR Andre’ Davis over Antwaan Randle El, Antonio Bryant and Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch.

I certainly can’t complain about our fifth round pick, MLB Andra Davis, but isn’t it kind of insulting that we drafted Ben Taylor and Darnell Sanders in the fourth?

Year Five:

2003 was a weak draft class to begin with, and we picked #21, so it’s tough to come up with criticism. The only glaring flaw would be our drafting Jeff Faine two spots ahead of Larry Johnson, but head coach Butch Davis banked on Lee Suggs being the steal of the draft in the 4th (whoops!).

Year Six:

The biggest “Butch Botch” of the 2004 draft came before we made our first pick. Apparently, Butch thought that Miami (FL)’s TE, Kellen Winslow would bring more immediate impact to the team than Miami (OH)’s QB, Ben Roethlisberger. Or maybe he truly thought he had the answer in Jeff Garcia. Either way, he was desperate to pick Winslow at any cost. So desperate, that when the Lions threatened to draft him at #6, Butch traded his #7 and his #37 to move up one spot.

According to the draft value trade chart, he overpaid by 430 points. To illustrate how bad of a trade this was, he could have traded his #7, his #106 and his #161 and still have overpaid. Not to mention the fact that he probably could have ignored them and still drafted Winslow seventh.

Year Seven:

What a difference a year makes. In 2005, under the keen eye of new GM Phil Savage, the Browns added 3 players on day one who all saw significant playing time as rookies. Our first round pick Braylon Edwards only played in 10 games, but caught 32 passes for 512 yards and 3 scores. Second rounder Brodney Pool was solid in the secondary racking up 32 tackles, a sack and an interception in limited playing time.

Quite possibly the steal of the entire draft came in round three when the Browns picked the QB out of Akron, Charlie Frye. In only five starts, Frye passed for over 1000 yards and led the Browns to victories in two of their last three games, all the while displaying unteachable instincts that make franchises thrive. Despite the fact that he was taken #67 overall, Frye had the best completion percetage and QB rating of all rookie quarterbacks, including the #1 overall pick Alex Smith.

Year Eight:

In 194 hours, we’ll know who the Browns’ 2006 first round pick is. With the 12th pick in the draft, and with holes on both sides of the ball, it’s almost impossible to predict who the Browns will take. Likely choices if available are: Haloti Ngata or Broderick Bunkley on the D-line, running back DeAngelo Williams, Winston Justice, the monster tackle from USC, or he may choose to reach for one of the “tweener” DE/OLBs like Kamerion Wimbley or Manny Lawson.

With 9 picks (so far) in this year’s draft, any number of trade scenarios are possible. It’s likely that the Browns will use their extra 4th and 5th round picks to move up a few spots in the second and third rounds. Or they could try to move up a few spots in the first round if a must have player is still on the board. Regardless of what scenario plays out, last year’s draft gives me faith that all of our first day picks will be solid contributors by season’s end.

posted on Oct 5, 2007 11:06 AM ()

Comments:

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