Cleveland Browns Draft Preview

The latest new era of Cleveland Browns football starts on Saturday as the Browns will attempt to build again from the devastation left behind by an inept front office.
Eric Mangini and George Kokinis have only five draft picks after former GM Phil Savage's foolish draft day deals last season that brought the Browns zero production from any of the three players(Beau Bell,Martin Rucker and Paul Hubbard) that Cleveland made trades to select.
Cleveland holds their own 1st,2nd,4th and 6th and the Browns also possess the second round pick of Tampa from the Kellen Winslow deal.
The Browns are involved in lots of rumors from trading down from the 5th pick in Round one,trading any or all of Braylon Edwards,Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn.
One would hope that any deals would help fill in some picks on the drafts second day and help make up for the missing third round selection as well.

The Browns need to hit on this years draft or dig deeper into a already large hole.
Here are our opinions on the positions of need.

1) Linebacker
The Browns desperately need a linebacker that can rush the passer off the corner.
Kamerion Wimbley has proven to be unable to do this and the one linebacker that played well last year in D'Qwell Jackson plays one of the inside spots.
Veteran Eric Barton comes over from the Jets at the other inside spot,but he is a short term solution at best.
Alex Hall was hyped as a potential find last season as a pass rusher,but he didn't see the field often after the Browns stumbled.
I still have hopes for Hall,but he cannot figured as a sure thing quite yet
The remaining backers are either disappointments such as Leon Williams,special team types like Shante Orr or newcomers that are stop gap performers such as David Bowens.
This is the position of need-Count on at least one and maybe two linebackers coming to Cleveland on Day one.

2) Wide Receiver
Braylon Edwards was not only bad last season,he could be Cleveland history as soon as Saturday.
As happy as I will be to see Edwards move on,that drives the position in even further south.
Donte Stallworth was a huge disappointment last season and with his off the field troubles may be gone as well.Joe Jurevcious was released during the off season.
Josh Cribbs may be used more in the offense,but the concern is that increasing his playing time could take away from the excellence that he brings to all facets of special teams.
The Browns starting wideouts as of now,if Edwards is dealt would be Syndric Steptoe and aging free agent signee David Patten.
With that bunch,the question isn't Quinn or Anderson,it's dead or alive.
Cleveland should use a first day pick on a pass catcher.

3) Safety
The Browns need help here too as Sean Jones left Cleveland to sign with the Eagles and Brodney Pool is nothing special on the other side.Backups Mike Adams provides help in extra DB situations and Nick Sorensen is a special teams standout,but neither is a full timer in the making.
Corey Ivy is a free agent addition from Baltimore,but is closer to Adams than a real starter.
The Browns need a safety,but unless additional picks are acquired,they may run out of picks to help every position of need.

4) Defensive End
Cleveland is solid at tackle with Shaun Rogers,but Corey Williams was the biggest disappointment of the season to me after the Browns gave Green Bay their second round choice last year to get him.
Williams doesn't seem to fit the 3-4 defense that Romeo Crennel played and Eric Mangini will play and once you get by him,you have only the often-injured Robaire Smith and a bunch of roster filler types.

5) Running Back
Jamal Lewis is out of gas and the silly contract Phil Savage signed him for makes it a bit of an albatross as well.
Jerome Harrison was productive on the rare times that Crennel used him and should be used in the effective manner that Mangini used Leon Washington on the Jets,but Harrison still isn't a full time back.
Noah Herron and Allen Patrick were productive college backs,but neither are the type of back to take command as a starter.
If Edwards gets moved and extra picks are added,a running back would make a lot of sense

Bonus Round
Cleveland could take a quarterback in the sixth or later if they can make a few deals,especially if it involves Anderson or Quinn,
Richard Bartel is the only other QB on the roster,so this would not surprise me at all.

Shawn's top wish list for Round one,if the Browns stay at 5
1) Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry-The best defender in the draft and at a position of need.
Question is does he fall to 5?

2) Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree-Crabtree has the best hands I have seen from the college ranks in a while.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer ran two articles in 12 hours that one stated the Browns loved him,the
other said they wanted no part of him.
Which is the truth?
Beats me,but I do know this,if Curry is gone and Crabtree is passed over,the Browns will regret it.

3) If both of those are gone,I am hoping the Browns trade down.
The names that I am hearing don't thrill me.
Texas DE/LB Brian Orakpo seems like Kamerion Wimbley part II,Lineman Andre Smith,Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe aren't at position of immediate need and the rumors of Mark Sanchez are hopefully just that.
A trade down that could land them a solid linebacker later in Round one and pick up a needed third rounder would make a ton of sense,if Curry and Crabtree are off the board.

Photo Credits
Logo:Chris Creelmans Sports Logos
Curry and Crabtree:Unknown