Cleveland Browns Draft Recap

Time for the look back at the Browns draft and finally wrap things up for the 2017 draft.
I hope to have Scott Dryden on the podcast soon for his thoughts on the draft.

Some of these thoughts may come as redundant after my in-draft posts,but others will be new as picks have time to sink in a bit.

Many people disagreed with me before the draft about my take on the quarterback position (more on that below),which was not forcing an early round quarterback because you needed one because it "was so important".
It is very important and clearly the most important on any football team,but the Browns had so many needs that I felt that the team needed players that could make an larger and faster impact than a quarterback that was questionable,just to say that you tried.
That's why I loved the Browns sticking with Myles Garrett as the best player in the draft.
Garrett gives the Browns an elite pass rusher that they have lacked for years and his speed and talent should bring even more production out of Emmanuel Ogbah.
Kudos to the Browns for picking the best player and not reaching for a quarterback,especially when (at least looking at it from a year out) there are three legitimate players that could be top level quarterbacks (Josh Allen of Wyoming,Sam D'Arnold of USC and Josh Rosen of UCLA) available for a team that even with a good draft will be unlikely to be drafting outside the top 10,and maybe not even the top 5.

I was less than thrilled with the Browns trade down with Houston from 12 to 25.
Mainly because the Browns had a chance to choose a huge playmaker at safety in Malik Hooker of Ohio State and passed to get a first rounder in 2018.
Now,to be very fair,that pick may help the Browns maneuver to move up,if needed,to get the quarterback of their choice next season,so it could prove helpful,but this so smacks of the old Browns-trading for a following years number one,passing on an impact player and watching that pick rest in the lower third of the first round.

I was even less thrilled with the pick of Jabril Peppers at 25.
Peppers is touted as a playmaker that didn't make many big plays on defense (unlike Hooker) and as a player that you can do many things with the ball in his hands,except on defense,he doesn't see the ball that much.
Peppers strikes me as too small to play linebacker,lacking instincts at safety,but that doesn't mean he won't have his uses as a returner and gimmick offensive plays.
In other words,a Devin Hester type-except those types usually aren't first rounders.

I do like the talent of the third first rounder-tight end David Njoku of Miami.
Big,agile and talented,Njoku is still learning this game,but has the physical talent to be a difference maker at tight end.
Njoku's blocking needs work,but he's not being picked to block,he's being brought in to be seam breaker and receiver..

The Browns did attempt to address the quarterback position in round two with Notre Dame's Deshone Kizer.
Kizer was thought to be a possible high pick entering the draft,but slipped some.
Kizer has some questions (accuracy,field vision and decision making),but has a strong arm and by picking him here,the Browns won't feel "all in" on him and should the team have the chance to pick one of those three passers next season,it won't be a setback to do so..

The defensive line was addressed in rounds three and six as the Browns took two players roughly rated the same,but off the field reasons made the difference.
Third rounder Larry Ogunjobi of Charlotte needs to get stronger,but should plug into the rotation as an all around defensive tackle,while sixth rounder Florida's Caleb Brantley needs to get legal issues solved or he'll never make camp as a Brown.
If Brantley actually plays,he brings a pass rushing element to the defensive tackle rotation that the Browns currently lack.
Ogunjobi was one of a bunch of players that I would have been fine with in the third round on the line,although I did like Chris Wormley of michigan a little better,while Brantley is a second round talent when motivated and without his off the field issues.
I was fine with gambling on Brantley in the sixth,with the caveat that the Browns release him if his legal case proves wrong doing.
The Browns claim to want to build things the "right way",here is a chance to show the other teams in the division that talent doesn't always come first.

I really liked the tradeup into round four for cornerback Howard Wilson of Houston.
I also liked Desmond King of Iowa,but I saw a lot of Houston games last season and I think Wilson should see plenty of action as a third or fourth corner.
I like the ball skills that Wilson brings to the table and I can see Wilson having the potential to eventually start..

Offensive tackle Roderick Johnson is athletically talented,but needs lots of strength work and technique work as well.
Johnson's size and athleticism made him a worthwhile project in the fifth round and he does have big time experience from his time at Florida State...

I also liked both seventh round picks.
Arizona State kicker Zane Gonzalez holds NCAA records and won the Lou Groza award last season.
Gonzalez has a big leg and will make a move to unseat Cody Parkey as the Browns kicker.
No matter how good your kicker is,I'm of the mindset that your kicker needs to be challenged in camp every year,even if you don't spend a draft pick on a challenger.

I remember seeing Matthew Dayes,the N.C.State running back against Clemson this year and being impressed.
He's a little small at 5'8,but catches the ball very well and I can see him possibly sticking as a third round back.

I give the Browns a high grade for this draft.
I'm always hesitant for grading because you just don't know,but just for fun,let's go A-,missing an A only because the questions that I have with Jabril Peppers and the dislike for trading down from 12.
Pretty good work for the most part-I have to say I'm mildly surprised and reasonably pleased..

Road Trip:West Virginia

After the hustle of a Browns draft weekend (still will do a recap), the great Joshua-Klitschko fight, and the beginning of a week of graphing, I wanted to squeeze our first road trip of the year into the TRS week.

A quick two-day/one-night trip to Charleston, West Virginia kicked off the road trip season with two games for the West Virginia Power with one against the Lakewood Blue Claws and the other against the Charleston River Dogs.

The trip down with Doug Hopkins with Fred and Mike Landucci featured a stop at Tudor's Biscuit World, which is a very West Virginia thing.
It is very biscuit-oriented (hence the name) and for breakfast, if you don't like biscuits-you are out of luck.
Mine was the "Thundering Herd" as recommended by the cashier, which had a hash brown, egg, and sausage pattie on the biscuit.
I got about halfway through it pitched the biscuit and ate the rest sans breading.

Arriving in Charleston, the previous day's game had been rained out, so it was a doubleheader spent with rain off and on all day.
The Power's employees are very well-versed and kind and make you feel welcome at their home ballpark, which isn't always the case in my own home park.
Customer service goes so far in the minor league baseball business and I remember last season's trip when employees of the team showed us where the best place to autograph was and gave us terrific seats as well.
I was able to mainly work on the Power as most of the BlueClaws had been finished either last year in Williamsport or this year in Hagerstown.

I was able to add another signed card of number one overall pick Mickey Moniak of Lakewood among some Power players.
Other than Stephen Alemais (3rd rounder from Tulane), the Power weren't loaded with high picks, so most of their players had just their West Virginia Black Bears cards, which kept the totals down.

We made it through game one and a little of game two, but with everyone tired from an early start and the rain dampening (see, what I did there) the mood and the coats, we decided to go back to the hotel.
On our way to the parking lot, I saw a white flash go by me and I realized that it was a home run ball (hit by the Power's Carlos Munoz) and flagged it down untouched by the Family Dollar.
Doug and I shared a room and I watched the end of the Cavaliers-Pacers game, which was quickly followed by a nap.
I also saw a favorite from Cleveland TV, Amanda Barren has found a home in Charleston local television.
I always like to "scout" talent on local television when I go on trips and I remember seeing Barren on WKYC in Cleveland thinking she had a big future in that business!
Good to see her on television again.
The phone rang not too long after for dinner.

Black Sheep Burritos and Brews was a short walk from our hotel, although not as short as the desk person at the hotel told Fred!!
I'm not a huge fan of Mexican food and likely wouldn't have chosen this place on my own, but in an attempt to try new things, I jumped in.
It was more of a trendier spot than a Mexican place, but most of the offerings were Mexican-based mixed with interesting items.

I had three tacos, one with smoked trout, one with tempura battered fish, and the final with asparagus.
All were good, but pricey (13.00 for the three), I think I liked the tempura fish battered the best.
I'm not sure I ever have to go back, but if so, I'd be OK with it.
We went back to the hotel and made a quick evening by hitting the bed!

Up early for breakfast (with dinner being at six the evening before, everyone was starved), Shoney's was close and a personal favorite for breakfast.
When Shoney's was in Hagerstown, Shoney's was my breakfast stop (keep in mind, I might eat breakfast five times a year).
Doug and Michael took some pictures of neighboring Captain D's for their good friend David Sloan before we ate.
We returned and checked out of the hotel and had a big day planned.
With checkout being early and time to kill until the opening of the gates for the evening game between the Power and Charleston (how odd to be in Charleston and have the visiting team with the Charleston name), we traveled a bit.

The first stop was Huntington WV, home of the Marshall Thundering Herd and the site of the tragic airplane crash of their 1970 football team and the basis for the film "We are Marshall".- West Virginia should play Marshall every year in football, and basketball, by the way!
Doug wanted to see the memorial to the team and it was easier to find than I expected.

Many times when you go to a college campus, memorials can be hard to find, but this was very centrally located.
After some pictures and a stop at the bookstore, where Fred bought a Marshall hat and I bought the girls two shirts, we were off to our next stop.

This was the one that was the most kitschy, but in many ways, the stop that I was looking forward to the most- The Mothman.
Since being tipped off by Ryan, a few years back about the Mothman, I had been interested in an offhanded way of seeing a huge statue of a mythical creature near the middle of a small town and how seriously they took it.
Point Pleasant was another hour away from Huntington and through some pretty country as well.
Upon arrival, we found the statue and the Mothman Museum easily, but the museum wasn't open yet.
Doug, Fred, and I were taking pictures beside the statue and a lady pulled off the street to ask if we wanted her to take all of our pictures together.
That was very nice and unexpected and goes to show how different the pace and people are away from the more populated areas.

We were starting to get hungry after walking around a neighboring antique store and with Fred wanting Mothman souvenirs, we wanted to eat lunch while the time rolled off the clock.
We asked what was a good place to select and were told that there were more places to choose from across the Ohio River in Gallipolis, Ohio than in Point Pleasant.

The recommended restaurant was Tuscany Cucchini, an Italian setting and the daily special was spaghetti with meat sauce.
That was good, but the best part was Doug and I serenading Michael with "O H I O" all the way across the bridge!

It was time to drive back to Charleston for Michael to meet up with Yankees prospect Blake Rutherford, who signed four balls for Michael, two for Fred, and 2 cards for me (1 for Derreck Chupak), but badly smeared mine of course!
It's all good and the ride home was pretty quiet with a bunch of tired people.
Thanks to everyone for a great time and I think Charleston will have a pretty steady date on our yearly calendar.
Good graphing, some things to do in the area, and nice people as well make it an easy (if not short) and fun trip!

I still have the Browns draft recap, a cleaning of the inbox, and another piece coming this week, so plenty to come!!

2017 Draft:Cleveland Browns Day Three

Remember I told you about having plenty to do on the blog?
Well, after two posts yesterday, I went to the Frederick Keys-Carolina Mudcats and surprisingly had my whole family with me!
Great time and a really good pizza, which surprises here in Maryland whenever that happens.
I also wrote that I had plenty to still write about and I'll start with the final day of the Browns draft.
I'll make further notes on posts to come at the bottom of the page.

The Cleveland Browns traded up twice on the final day of the NFL draft, made some interesting decisions, and just might have wound up with their best draft class in years.
I'll have a total recap with grades later in the week, but for now, let's stick to day three!

Cleveland did not have a fourth-round pick after trading it to Green Bay in the trade to land David Njoku but swung a deal to trade two of their three picks in round five to obtain Houston corner, Howard Wilson.
I loved Iowa's Desmond King here as well, but I watched quite a bit of Wilson last year as I watched a lot of Houston games and was impressed.
Wilson is six foot (nice size for a CB) and has great ball skills (5 picks,15 knockdowns).
I preferred Desmond King of Iowa, but I'm high on Howard Wilson, he needs to work on his tackling a bit, but I think he is going to push for playing time.


The Browns traded up again in round five to corral Roderick Johnson, an athletic offensive tackle from Florida State.
The good news-Johnson won the last two ACC O-lineman of the year awards and his nearly 6'7 frame with long arms shows that he has the potential to develop into a fine player.
The bad news is-his technique needs a lot of work and he needs to spend lots of time getting stronger or he never would have lasted into round five.
Johnson is a project, but one worth working with at this stage of the draft.


Cleveland took a risk in their only selection of round six with the choice of defensive tackle Caleb Brantley of Florida.
Brantley was expected to be a day two pick before an alleged battery incident two weeks before the draft.
If Brantley is cleared of these charges and actually shows up in Cleveland (Sashi Brown says if Brantley is not cleared, the team will release him), he brings a similar-sized player to third-round pick Larry Ogunjobi with a pass-rushing ability more than a run-stuffing type.
This was a risky selection, but I'm ok with it as long as the Browns have some teeth behind their commitment for a team that won't tolerate off-field issues...


The Browns had two seventh-rounders and used the first on the best kicker in the draft in Zane Gonzalez of Arizona State.
Gonzalez was the Lou Groza award winner, hit a long of 59 yards in his career, holds the all-time record for field goals made (96), and hit 82 percent of his attempts. My friend Joe Plum watches a lot of Arizona State games and he thinks the Browns have a good one here.
Gonzalez will challenge Cody Parkey for the kicking job.


Cleveland finished their draft with the next to last pick and grabbed Matthew Dayes, a running back from N.C.State.
Dayes rushed for over 1,000 yards last season and is an excellent pass-catcher out of the backfield.
A bit undersized at 5'8, Dayes has a chance to stick as a scatback and pass catcher.


I still have to do a full grade of the draft, my trip to West Virginia, Inbox cleaning-lots to do!!

Devils win the draft lottery!

As I attempted to grab a nap after the conclusion of the NFL Draft and the thrilling Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko bout,the NHL held their draft lottery.

The NHL does their lottery a bit differently than the NBA,so it seems to be easier to climb in the draft or fall than in the basketball lottery.
Had the draft order been determined by record,the Devils would have drafted in the fifth position and when you crunch the numbers,the Devils highest chance by percentage (33 percent) was to drop one spot to sixth.

The Devils had won the lottery once before when the rules were different and the winner could not rise more than four spots at the time.
That victory moved the Devils from eighth to fourth and resulted in the selection of Adam Larsson.
In this one,it was going to take luck and the Devils had just that-as they won the lottery and will
select first in the June draft.
The Devils have never owned the first pick in the draft,although the previous incarnation as the Colorado Rockies,they did have the top selection once in 1979 and selected Rob Ramage,who had a long career with several team,but just missed being a Devil as he was traded to St.Louis in the off-season before the first season in New Jersey.

New Jersey is expected to take one of two players ranked highest by the various scouting services.
I don't claim to know nearly as much about hockey prospects as football or basketball,so on these things I tend to gather the opinions of others and then apply that to the Devils needs.
The two prospects that stand ahead of the rest is Canadian center Nolan Patrick,who's game has been compared to Jonathan Toews and Swiss center Nico Hischier,who has brought Pavel Datsyuk to mind.
Patrick is reported to be the safer and more solid choice,while Hischier is the flashier with more upside,so either player could be the choice.

It's too bad that this draft couldn't have been similar to the last two with the type of prospects that could have transformed an organization like Connor McDavid or Austen Matthews,but either Patrick or Hischier will be a foundation piece of an organization still in the middle of a remodeling stint.
These things take time,but being lucky enough to gain the top pick in the draft is an major step forward in that process and should the right player be selected,it could speed the redevelopment of a franchise that is still in need of top line talent...

Joshua Stops Klitschko-Boxing Challenge

Lots of news today and I'll try to get to it over the next day or so,as the Browns finished their draft,the Devils won the draft lottery and a cleaning of the inbox all need to be addressed,but first....

In one of the best heavyweight fights in years.Anthony Joshua rallied from behind (on my card,at least) to stop Wladimir Klitschko in the 11th round at London's Wembley Stadium to retain the IBF heavyweight title and add the vacant WBA belt as well.
Joshua knocked down Klitschko twice in the 11th after starting the round with an uppercut that would have finished most fighters,but didn't drop Klitschko,however that punch sent the fight Joshua's way.
Joshua seemed to be on his way to a earlier knockout when he sent Klitschko to the floor in the fifth,but a overconfident Joshua allowed Klitschko to recover and by the end of the round,it was the Ukrainian that was landing more punches and seemed to be the fresher combatant,
That theory proved true,when it was Joshua that went crashing to the floor in the following round six from a Klitschko right,but Klitschko didn't go all out for the kill and allowed a staggering and stung Joshua to survive.
The fight was a strong action fight,which was unusual for Klitschko,who based his career on boring,yet efficient victories and had the 90,000 person crowd screaming with delight for most of the bout.
I had Klitschko ahead 95-93 (6-4 in rounds) after ten,but had Klitschko survived the eleventh,Joshua would have certainly been ahead with a 10-7 eleventh round.

The fighters are contractually committed to a rematch,but I'm not sure that is a great idea.
This gallant effort by Klitschko might turn out to be the final top effort that he has in him and even though he was ahead on my card (and one official card) after ten,the knockdowns would have certainly cost him a decision  and I'm not sure a rematch has a chance of swinging back his way.
A rematch would draw money and interest,but I have a feeling that it has little chance of approaching this fight.
Klitschko would be well suited to use this fight as his swan song.

As for Joshua,he has options in the event of the rematch not happening.
The big fight would be against the conqueror of Klitschko in the troubled Tyson Fury,which would be for the lineal title (since Fury won it from Klitschko),would draw another huge crowd and make massive money.
The problem is that Fury is unreliable and even if the fight is made,it has a decent chance of never taking place.
WBC champ Deontay Wilder would make sense as two former Olympians with punching power and questionable chins might make a great fight and unify three of the titles together.
The problem there is that Wilder prefers to talk about big fights and then fight collections of no-hopers and against the one decent opponent that Wilder faced (Bermane Stiverne),that opponent lasted the distance and Wilder seemed to be happier to box rather than punch.
WBO champion Joseph Parker would have fought Joshua already,as he was the number one contender for Joshua's IBF belt,but after the WBO stripped Tyson Fury,Parker had an easier path to that title (a close decision over Andy Ruiz for the vacant strap) and took it.
Also as bad as the opposition of Deontay Wilder's has been,Parker's has been arguably worse to date.
What might be best for all would be for Wilder and Parker to face off while Joshua fights Fury (or someone else in the very possible event of a Fury dropout).
That would make the winner very valuable with two titles and make an eventual Joshua fight even more of an event.

In the boxing challenge,I earned two points for the Joshua KO with Ramon Malpica getting one for the Joshua win.
I lead the boxing challenge at 53-43.

Boxing Challenge

One fight in the boxing challenge and it is a massive one as Anthony Joshua defends his IBF heavyweight championship and the vacant WBA title is on the line as well vs the former and long-term champion Wladimir Klitschko in London's Wembley Stadium in front of 90,000 people..

This is looked at by most as the coming out party for Joshua,who looks to enter the first top notch name on his resume' against Klitschko.
Klitschko enters the ring with huge questions-mainly those that note a 17 month layoff after a dreadful effort in his title losing effort vs Tyson Fury that saw him unable to get the right hand off and look slow and washed up.

This could be a rocket fest or it could be very dull with Klitschko doing plenty of grabbing and clinching,but no matter how exciting the fight is,it will have historical significance.
Either Anthony Joshua establishes himself as the top heavyweight and his era begins or Klitschko pulls off the comeback of a lifetime with all the things against him to regain his status as the best heavyweight in the world.

In the boxing challenge,I hold a 51-42 lead over Ramon Malpica.

R.L:Joshua unanimous decision
TRS:Joshua KO 8

2017 Draft-Cleveland Browns Day Two

Day two for the Cleveland Browns saw them shoot for the moon in round two and play it safe in the third round as the Browns added two new players in the NFL Draft on its middle day.

Early on in the draft process,there were some that drooled over the tools of Deshone Kizer of Notre Dame and some even had Kizer rated as the top quarterback prospect available and certainly a first round pick.
However as time moved on,Kizer began to fall down boards as questions about Notre Dame's losing record,lots of interceptions and a perceived lack of 4th quarter success began to cause a slide.

Cleveland had traded their pick in the second round to Green Bay in the deal that landed David Njoku,so their pick was the pick that was added from Tennessee in a 2016 draft day swap.
Deshone Kizer might be a steal as the quarterback that might have the best arm in the draft (Patrick Mahomes might differ) and he has the physical tools and skills that remind some of Steve McNair.
Here's the problem,Kizer is the youngest quarterback in the draft,has issues with accuracy and has been accused of having issues in seeing the field with the results being interceptions and throws that make you wonder.
Dane Brugler tweeted that everything that he wanted from a quarterback is on the tape of Kizer,but there just isn't consistency.
Now,I've noted that I wasn't thrilled with the quarterbacks in this draft,but at this spot this could be a steal and it is a low risk high reward pick.
In the first round,I might have wondered,in the second,I love the pick.
Plus one of the things I have been opinionated on is the Browns taking a QB in the first round,committing to that player and perhaps passing on a franchise style passer in the 2018 draft.
Picking Kizer in the second isn't high enough to look over that type of player,but talent wise,Cleveland grabbed a first round talent in round two...


In the third round,the Browns tabbed Charlotte defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi.
Ogunjobui was one of several linemen that I had rated roughly the same,but the Browns decided that they needed depth and that makes sense.
Without a fourth rounder,the Browns might have had to move on Ogunjobi faster than they may have wanted to.
Ogunjobi will likely plug into the tackle rotation with Danny Shelton,Jamie Meder,Xavier Cooper etc.
Ogunjobi is reported to be a solid tackle with the ability to provide a pass rush up the middle.
Not the sexiest pick on the board and maybe not even the flashiest at his position that was available at the time of the selection,but we'll see on this one.


Wrapping Up

A for Deshone Kizer-Well worth the chance in round two with the skills that he could possibly eventually use.
Give the Browns credit for taking a risk when the price for that was reasonable and for being patient enough to not to push their luck in round one..

B- for Larry Ogunjobi-A solid defensive lineman that has the potential to be very good with some luck..

I'll do a post later with the final day's picks and coverage of Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko