The Browns addressed several areas of need with their selections and appeared to get lucky when Texas quarterback Colt McCoy fell into their lap in the third round. Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. thought picking injury-prone safety T.J. Ward of Oregon early in the second round was a stretch and trading a third-round pick and two fifth-round picks to Philadelphia to move up to obtain talented-but-injury-prone Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty in the second round probably was a case of overplaying one's hand.
But long-suffering Browns fans had to be heartened by the team's effort to shore up a leaky secondary. The selections of cornerback Joe Haden of Florida, safety Larry Asante of Nebraska and Ward should help. It's good to see the team draft some hard-hitting players who deliver the lumber and punish opponents for a change.
Getting McCoy in the third round after most draft experts expected him to go high in the second round was a real break for the Browns, who took a big gamble if they were really enamored with the winningest quarterback in NCAA history. Holmgren said McCoy getting drafted in the third round should help in that he won't face the higher expectations of first-round selections. Holmgren also indicated McCoy will not be expected to start but will be groomed for the future during the 2010 season.
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Another area of concern was addressed with the selection of wide receiver Carlton Mitchell of South Florida. ESPN analysts noted that some football people see similarities between Mitchell and Brandon Marshall, a receiver from a smaller school who went on the big success in the NFL. Mitchell finished seventh among wide receivers at the combine with a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash.
The Browns bolstered their offensive line with the selection of Arizona State guard Shawn Lauvao in the third round. The native of Hawaii had an impressive performance at the combine, ranking among the leaders in the bench press (33 reps) and placing first among all offensive linemen in the 20-yard shuttle (4.51 seconds). Though he probably will play guard in the NFL, he was versatile enough to play some tackle at Arizona State.
The Browns' final selection of defensive end Clifton Geathers of South Carolina is something of a project pick that could pay off down the line. His brother, Robert Geathers Jr., will be starting his seventh season in the NFL this fall as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. Clifton, who is skipping his senior year in college, is listed as 6 feet 8 and weighs 280 pounds. Last season he registered 41 tackles -- 8 1/2 for loss -- and three sacks with a forced fumble for a Gamecocks team that faced tough competition in the Southeastern Conference. While his production might not have matched what his talent and size would suggest, Geathers has tremendous upside potential.
Information from Stats Inc. contributed to this post.
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