Draft recap

OK the draft is over and we can all calm down. After the initial impression -- who the heck did they just pick!?!? -- I think the Browns draft was fine, and it is not hard to see the logic behind each of the picks (even if you don't agree with it). Let's take a look at each pick and see how that player may fit in and affect the team:

Jeff Faine C: Immediate starter, and there's little question about this. He will be expected to be an average center from day one and develop into a rock on the offensive line. How this affects the rest of the line is another story. Last year's 3rd round pick, Melvin Fowler C, becomes the backup and will see most of his time at guard. Fowler may even start at guard, but my guess is that he will spell O'Hara and Stokes. Verba and Tucker remain the tackles. The wildcard is how much playing time Joaquin Gonzalez and Qasim Mitchell earn. In the end, Faine becomes the replacement for Wolabaugh and the rest of the line should develop as previously scheduled.

Chaun Thompson: How Thompson will be played is likely to depend on whether the team resigns Jamir Miller, who, if he signs, may see more time at DE than before. Thompson seems fit for a similar role, though he may have the speed to play more pass coverage. The Browns clearly believe in this guy much more than the draft pundits, and he'll be expected to make a regular contribution and start within a year or so. I think we'll eventually see a LB core of Bentley, Davis/Taylor, Miller/Thompson with Boyer and Gardner getting a lot of playing time. We are unlikely to have a dominating presence here, but the unit will be much better than what the naysayers are predicting.

Chris Crocker CB: Crocker is expected to switch to CB from safety. He has some speed but his 40 time wasn't that fast. There seems to be a lot of conflicting imformation about Crocker. Right now, I think the team starts McCutcheon and Henry/Sanders, but a veteran cornerback has got to be high on the team's shopping list. Little and Griffith seem to be the likely starters at safety. Jameson has some potential, but I think he and Crocker play backup roles until they show something.

Lee Suggs: Will redshirt the upcoming season. There's a bit of an uproar over this pick but it's a good move, and could turn out to be a great move. The known quanitites of Green, White, and Jackson will remain the running backs this season. In 2004, the team could potentially have a great stable of runners with Green carrying the load, White (if he resigns) dashing and catching passes, and Suggs playing short yardage and spelling Green. Two more positives: 1) in 2004-2006 the Browns will have a 1st/2nd round talent at a 4th round price. 2) this guarantees depth at RB for several years, meaning the team is well-stocked at the skill positions. The offense has a chance to be something very special over the next two years.

Ryan Pontbriand LS: Drafting a long-snapper in the 5th round is insane. That said, the team did have a need and they filled it. I'll give credit to Butch for having such faith in his scouting system and the players already on the roster. But letting Keuhl, who was by all accounts a fine performer at this positon, go in free agency was a mistake and perhaps caused the Browns to make a minor mistake drafting a long-snapper so high. But this is also a case where the team did not have a 7th round pick, felt they'd get decent players with their other two selections, and had a team need here. I don't have anything more than a minor complaint about this.

Mike Lehan CB: Sounds like he can contribute, and has size and some speed. Most likely he'll displace one of the other DBs currently on the roster. Like a lot of picks at this stage in the draft, he has a chance to be good but that is far from a certainty.

Antonio Garay DE: A pretty good gamble, as he's reportedly very tough against the run when he is healthy. Our D-line has some talent, and if his injuries are behind him Garay will make a nice addition to the defensive line rotation. Getting a player who is more geared towards playing the run is a welcome addition.

All in all, I think the Browns stayed true to their needs. It would have been nice to get a linebacker who was more ready-for-primetime, but in a draft weak at LB the team opted for the guy available with the most athleticism. If Faine is an anchor, Thompson plays regularly, and Crocker pushes for playing time then I will be happy. We could get a little more production out of this draft this year, and we could get a very good RB in Suggs next year. While other teams got the headlines this draft, the Browns stayed the course. As usual, time will tell how well the team did.