Cleveland Browns Draft Review Rounds 1-2

The NFL draft kicked off on Thursday night and kicked off with a bang for the Cleveland Browns. No not with the top tier playmaker that Browns fans expected, but with a huge trade down in the first round. The Browns made a trade with the Atlanta Falcons sending the number six pick and right to draft Julio Jones for Atlanta's first round pick (#27), second round pick (#59), fourth round pick (#102) and Atlanta's first and fourth round pick next year. In what some have a called a Ricky Williams trade like coup, the Browns had the chance to obtain extra picks to help fill the many holes they have. For fans it was tough to stomach when they passed up on Julio Jones, especially with a young QB who needs weapons. But in the end it was too much for Browns GM Tom Heckert and President Mike Holmgren to pass up.

"We talked about if we thought something was really, really intriguing to us and we could add players, we would do it," Heckert said. "We're not saying we're one player away. We thought it was too much to turn down."

After trading down to pick #27 the Browns were not done yet. This time they traded up with the Kansas City Chiefs for pick #21. The Browns gave the Chiefs their third round pick (#70) from this year to do it. Many fans and analysts expected DE Da'Quan Bowers or OL Gabe Carimi, but the Browns front office threw them a curve ball. They selected DT Phil Taylor from Baylor. Taylor a massive 335 lb Defensive Tackle started his college career at Penn State but was eventually kicked off the team for a fraternity fight with teammates.

"I was young, I made a mistake and I moved on from it, I went down to Baylor and made the best of a second chance and I'm happy to be here right now." said Taylor

He then transferred to Baylor and sat out the 2008 season. Since 2008 Taylor has been a model citizen down at Baylor while also becoming a run stopping lane clogging force for the Bears. Taylor ended his college career with 107 tackles, 5 sacks and an interception. The Taylor pick should not be based off of stats though. He is expected to be lined up next to Ahtyba Rubin on the inside of the Browns new 4-3 defense to help control the run. Phil Taylor may not be the sexy pick Browns fans expected but there is no doubt they needed defensive linemen for their 4-3 defense and Taylor fits that bill.  Whether he is worth the trade up and #21 pick is yet to be determined and probably won't be for a few years.

In the second round the Browns had two picks (#37 and #59). Again Da'Quan Bowers was still available at the Browns first pick of the second round and after saying for the past couple weeks that Bowers knee checked out and was not a concern, again the Browns passed.With their first pick in the second round the Browns selected Pitt Defensive End Jabaal Sheard. A big fast DE who's game is to get to the Quarterback- and that he does. Sheard ended his college career with 141 tackles and 19 sacks. Compare that to Bowers 150 tackles and 20 sacks. Sheard is another players who was involved in a fight during his college career after allegedly throwing a guy through a glass window of an Art gallery and refusing to stop after ordered by police. Again this seemed to be a one time event and he has remained out of trouble for the rest of his career.

"It was just an incident where I made a mistake and I learned a lot from that lesson," said Sheard
On a polar opposite note, Sheard was also recognized and awarded a bravery medal for rescuing an elderly woman from a burning building when he was in high school.

Sheard is expected to line-up next to first round pick Phil Taylor and NT Ahtyba Rubin on Dick Jauron's 4-3 defensive line and provide a pass rush that the Browns have severely lacked since they have come back in 1999.

With the Browns second pick they drafted University North Carolina Wide Receiver Greg Little. Little a strong, great sized former running back who has big play-making ability missed all of last year along with several other Tar Heel football players for taking improper benefits. Little who came to UNC as a running back and was converted to wide receiver by coach Butch Davis to get his play making ability on to the field sooner. Little's measurables (6'3"- 230lbs, 4.5 40yd dash, 27 reps on bench, and 40.5" vertical) make him a huge potential weapon for quarterback Colt McCoy. In Little's first year and only year as a full-time WR in 2009 he had 62 receptions for 724 yards and 5 TD's. He will probably require some grooming but potentially could be a second round steal.

After two days of the draft the Cleveland Browns have addressed glaring holes on offense and defense. How well did the Browns do? Only time will tell; remember last year's second round pick T.J Ward-- a lot of grumbling one year ago. Ask Cleveland Browns fans now what they think. The draft wraps up today on ESPN.

-ANDY-

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