Browns Draft Picks

[Special_K19]

Here's where the Browns should concentrate on picking.
OL
LB
Secondary

[Special_K19]

Jeff Faine
SELECTED BY CLEVELAND , ROUND 1, PICK 21, OVERALL PICK 21
C | (6-2, 303, 5.1) | NOTRE DAME
By Pro Football Weekly

Notes: Redshirted in 1999 but started every game in each of his next three seasons. Decided to leave with one year of eligibility remaining but is on pace to graduate with a GPA over 3.0. Named second-team All-American and was a finalist for the Rimington Award given to the nation's best center.

Positives: A top weightlifter and dedicated, tireless worker. Quick-twitch guy who seems like he gets off the line before the ball is snapped. Uses power in his upper body to deliver good pop as a run blocker. Has the feet and quickness to pass block and can get out on linebackers without difficulty. Can be nasty. Breaks down well and shows good overall technique. Has quick hands and very good balance. Is aware and recognizes well in the passing game. Plays with good technique and tenacity.

Negatives: May struggle with Ted Washington-type tackles. Lacks the size to dominate. Will not blow defensive tackles off the ball in short yardage. Is an average run blocker. Is not a great natural athlete. Could improve his leg strength. Has somewhat short arms and does not get great lockout.

Summary: Durable leader who is on the top of most team's draft boards at the center position and may not be around for Round Two.

* Player biographies are provided by Pro Football Weekly.

[Special_K19]

Chaun Thompson
SELECTED BY CLEVELAND , ROUND 2, PICK 20, OVERALL PICK 52
OLB | (6-1, 240, 4.56) | WEST TEXAS A&M
By Pro Football Weekly

Notes: High school football and basketball player who excelled as a triple- and high-jumper in track. Lettered as a true freshman in 1998. Leading tackler in '99. Fractured elbow in 2000 opener and redshirted. Second-leading tackler in '01. Had 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack in '98; 136-10-3 with three passes broken up and an interception in '99; and 106-17-2-1-0 in '01, when he was second-team all-conference and second on the team in tackles. Started all 11 games in '02 and led team with 104 tackles. Also had 11 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and broke up five passes.

Positives: Has good athleticism and rare speed. Quick and fast with movement skills and work habits. Has range as a tackler, can blitz and rush and rush off the edge. Bulked up by about 12-14 pounds between end of college season to early March without losing speed. Posted 29 reps of 225 at the Scouting Combine.

Negatives: More of a pass-rush, edge type of player. Has questionable football intelligence and is average changing directions. Can be late to react at times, especially when dropping into coverage. Doesn't shed blockers well. Limited assignment player who was rarely asked to cover.

Summary: Opened enough eyes at the Combine to be considered on the first day. A team like the Texans, with many extra picks, could add this player to their 3-4 defense as a rush specialist, where he would be a very good fit.

* Player biographies are provided by Pro Football Weekly.

[Special_K19]

Chris Crocker
SELECTED BY CLEVELAND , ROUND 3, PICK 20, OVERALL PICK 84
S | (5-11, 194, 4.65) | MARSHALL
By Pro Football Weekly

Notes: Played basketball and ran track in high school. High school state champion and second nationally in 110-meter hurdles. College track hurdler who ran the 60-meter high hurdles in 8.12 seconds. Redshirted in 1998. Played every game in '99 as a backup and on special teams, making seven tackles, one pass broken up and zero interceptions. Recorded 56-3-3 in 2000, when he played in all 13 games and started the last seven. Started all 12 games in '01, with one start at cornerback and 11 at free safety, recording 88-10-1. Named first team All-MAC. Started all 13 games in '02, finishing with 126-10-0. Also recorded 51 tackles for loss and two sacks. Team captain. Coaches called him the best cornerback on the team despite playing free safety as a senior. Played cornerback in the East-West Shrine game and showed well.

Positives: Smart, competitive and tough. Very athletic. Fluid. Thinks well on his feet. Good breaking on the ball. Great leadership capabilities. Excels on special-teams coverage units. Shows a good burst. Gives great effort. Quick learner. Smart. Good hips and change of direction. Student of the game.

Negatives: Needs reps as a cornerback. Not very instinctive. Could be more physical.

Summary: Good enough to make a team for his special-teams ability. Best position may be cornerback and exudes the confidence to develop if a team is willing to take a chance.

* Player biographies are provided by Pro Football Weekly.

[Special_K19]

Lee Suggs
SELECTED BY CLEVELAND , ROUND 4, PICK 18, OVERALL PICK 115
RB | (5-11, 202, 4.55) | VIRGINIA TECH
By Pro Football Weekly

Notes: Ran a 4.38 in the spring of 2001 before knee injury. Top high school sprinter with unofficial bests of 10.4 in the 100 meters and 6.2 in the 55 meters. Redshirted at Virginia Tech in 1998. Lettered in '99, when he carried 44 times for 136 yards and two touchdowns and caught one pass for one yard. Missed two games after having his knee scoped. Unanimous All-Big East and co-Big East Player of the Year (shared with Michael Vick) in 2000, when he carried 222-1,207-27, caught 3-44 and one touchdown and led the nation in scoring. Carried 12-99-2 in the first half of Virginia Tech's '01 opener vs. Connecticut in '01 and then tore his left anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus. Had surgery on Sept. 14, 2001. Started 13 games in '02, carrying 238-1,255-20 with a long of 59 and catching 11-126-2. Was named second-team All-Big East.

Positives: Has excellent speed. Thick, solid and well-cut body with a good bubble. Very quick and fast with shiftiness and great acceleration. Anticipates, sees holes and cutback lanes. Is instinctive, especially inside, and powerful and breaks tackles. Good lateral movement. Runs strong with low pads. Is a willing and tough blocker, a great worker and a great competitor. North-south, top goal-line runner and non-fumbler with exceptional balance. Will work to finish his runs, breaks arm tackles and gets a lot of yardage after contact.

Negatives: Lacks great hands and does not run good routes. Can get better at blocking. Durability is a concern, since he had major knee surgery on his left knee in September of '01 and his right knee scoped in April of '02 and October of '99. Not really elusive and more instinctive inside. Cannot juke and lacks make-you-miss in the open field. Not a top outside runner and is better in traffic than the open field. Rarely used in the passing game and needs to develop his hands and route-running.

Summary: Suggs can run with speed and power. Had he not suffered a knee injury in 2001, he would be a first-rounder, and perhaps the best back in the draft. He would be a good value in the second round.

* Player biographies are provided by Pro Football Weekly.

[Special_K19]

Ryan Pontbriand
Position: Center
College: Rice
Height: 6-1
Weight: 245
Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas

Cleveland has been going around the country trying out long snappers, and Pontbriand is who they think is the best. This is a case of a team looking to fill a need, doing their homework, and making him theirs.


He has no profile for Pro Football Weekly.

[Special_K19]

Mike Lehan
SELECTED BY CLEVELAND , ROUND 5, PICK 17, OVERALL PICK 152
CB | (5-11, 196, 4.5) | MINNESOTA
By Pro Football Weekly

Notes: High school sprinter, jumper and running back. Enrolled as a running back in 1998 and redshirted. Top backup cornerback in '99. Started 10-of-12 games in 2000 and every game in '01. Had 13 tackles, broke up one pass and had one interception in 1999; 43-8-0 in 2000; and had 44-18-2 in '01. Was a captain in '02, but missed three games because of a bruised thigh, and had 25-6-0.

Positives: Is a captain and a leader. Fine athlete with good speed, range, quickness, agility and balance. Is a character guy. Wants to defend top receivers.

Negatives: More of a side-saddle than backpedal defender who struggles in transition and struggles to locate the ball when his back is turned to the quarterback. Average vs. the run because he wants to pick his spots and cannot kill. Better in zone coverage and with the play in front of him.

Summary: Has not shown the ability to handle man coverage and might be better suited for a safety position if he can add bulk and learn to be more consistent in run support.

* Player biographies are provided by Pro Football Weekly.





A former running back and raised by guardians, he went to school in Minneapolis. If you look at his game in 2001 against Charles Rogers, you might take him in the first round because he shut Rogers down. The Cowboys thought so much of him that they sent their defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer, to work him out. Guess they missed out.

[Special_K19]

Antonio Garay
SELECTED BY CLEVELAND , ROUND 6, PICK 22, OVERALL PICK 195
DL | (6-2, 295, 4.8) | BOSTON COLLEGE
By Pro Football Weekly

Notes: Did not run at the Scouting Combine because of a left ankle injury. Top high school and college wrestler who has competed at the NCAA championships. On the gridiron, Garay played in nine games as a true freshman in 1998. Saw action in every game and started three in '99. Injured his left knee in the 2000 opener and redshirted. Started eight games in '01 before suffering a season-ending neck injury vs. Notre Dame. Was out last spring after undergoing surgery on his neck. Came back in the fall and was playing well until he fractured his right ankle in Game Five vs. Virginia Tech. Prior to the injury, had 34 tackles, 7½ tackles for loss, five sacks and one interception. In '98, had 19-1-0; 61-6-0 in '99; and 57-9-5 and an interception in '01.

Positives: Can be dominating or close to it when he is healthy. Can play end or tackle and might be an ideal 3-4 end. Is very strong with good leverage and can use hands to shed. A power player who can run and a good inside power rusher who can improve with technique and moves. Has enough speed to come off the corner. Hustles and chases the ball.

Negatives: Durability. Has missed 24 games the past three years with knee, neck and ankle injuries. May have trouble passing a physical. Is neither a great edge pass rusher as an end nor a 320-pound inside run stuffer as a 4-3 tackle or nose tackle.

Summary: Is now healthy, and with a clean bill of health would be a top prospect. With so many injuries in the past, however, his long-term health and durability are huge concerns.

* Player biographies are provided by Pro Football Weekly.

[PissedPrincess]

I don't care what PFW thinks K, I care what you think.:D

So..........whaddya think of the draft?

[PissedPrincess]

Stop ignoring me K. :smokin:

I think the Browns did okay. You?

[Special_K19]

I didn't even see this reply.

I was confused with the draft, at first I hated it, but I like it as time goes by.

Faine-He'll be a stalwart at center for years to come and should help the running game immensely.

Thompson-Don't know much about him, but he's a small, fast LB like Butch likes.

Crocker-I was shocked with this pick, we couldn've gotten him lower. But he's a big, fast guy in the secondary and the team was big on him from what I hear.

Suggs-He'll be an absolute steal after sitting out next season to recover from his pending surgery. A tandem of him and Willie Green will put the glory days of Earnest "The Fumble" Byner and Kevin Mack to shame.

Pontbriand-Again, could've taken him a LOT lower than they did, but the Browns thought he was the best long snapper in college and snagged him.

Lehan-A great pick, he's like Crocker in that he is a very fast, big guy cornerback. Could play significant minutes this season.

Garay-This guy could be a HUGE steal if he stays healthy. Everything I hear about him says that he could be an impact player if he stays healthy.

All in all, the Browns filled gaps, but I would have liked to have seen more LBs taken since we cut all our staters from last season. It could mean Jamir Miller is signing with us, I hope.