Too soon for draft talk??

[JewDago]

with underclassman coming out, there's a good chance we could end up with aaron curry. cushing and orakpo's injury histories scare me, as does the fact that texas players have recently had tough times adjusting to life outside of austin.

 

it's also likely we'll be in position to nab a top-flite safety like moore or mays. if we're very, very lucky, we could get patrick chung in round 2, but that would take an extraordinary sequence of events.

[WPB Dawg Fan]

Actually, with 3 top flight S's, Chung may just fall to about 40ish....which is about where we will be drafting without a trade up. Even if we need to trade up a bit..I say we do it.

 

Perfect draft for me:

 

1st rd: Curry

2nd rd: Chung

 

Both are great vs the run. Both are ball-hawks. Both are technically sound. Both have great flexibility.

 

 

[JewDago]

i'd be nuts about that draft, too, but i don't think chung is in quite the class that moore and mays are.

[Guest Aloysius]

I haven't watched Chung closely, but this scouting report seems to sum up the pro's & con's well:

 

Positives: Durable, consistent performer. Enters his senior season with 38 consecutive starts. Well-built athlete. Instinctive defender. Reads the action quickly and is seemingly always around the ball. Closes quickly. Accomplished blitzer. Among the more reliable open-field tacklers in the country. Breaks down well in space and wraps his arms well to secure the tackle. Flashes explosive hitting ability. Versatile athlete who has seen time at cornerback and as a returner. Good lateral quickness and has a smooth change of direction while in coverage. At least adequate speed for coverage

 

Negatives: Perfectly suited to the rover position and may struggle in a more traditional role. A bit smaller than most teams prefer in a run-stuffing strong safety type, but may lack the pure speed to handle the move to free safety. At his best facing the quarterback and running downhill towards the ball. Questionable deep speed. Physical player who can get a bit grabby while in coverage, leading to some holding calls.

[pl4tinum]

1st rd: Curry

2nd rd: Chung

 

Sounds like a good meal

[Guest Aloysius]

Here's an interesting article on USC's Brian Cushing.

 

I didn't know that he initially planned to play for Ty Willingham at Notre Dame, then turned to USC when Ty was fired.

[JewDago]

looking back on the past few drafts, the only impact safeties taken after the first were bob sanders and dawan landry, one of whom is a system player, while there have been impact linebackers taken all the way down to the fourth. here's the list with draft position:

 

2003:

ej henderson, 40

pisa tinoisamoa, 43

lance briggs, 68

 

2004:

karlos dansby, 33

 

2005:

lofa tatupu, 45

odell thurman, 48

channing crowder, 70

 

2006:

demeco ryans, 33

thomas howard, 38

 

2007:

paul posluszny, 34

lamarr woodley, 46

david harris, 47

 

i'm not saying that there are a plethora of linebackers available in each draft that are impact players, just that it's more likely to find one outside of round one than it is to find an impact safety; that should affect our draft strategy.

[Guest Aloysius]

Patrick Willis was taken with the 11th pick in '07.

 

I bring it up because Aaron Curry reminds me a lot of Willis - he may not be as athletic (Willis ran a 4.38 40 at his pro day), but he's probably a more intelligent & instinctive player.

[Guest Aloysius]

Also in '07, the Bucs got a pretty good safety in Tanard Jackson later in the draft (pick #106), but that was partly due to character concerns damaging Jackson's draft stock.

[Guest mz.]

Also in '07, the Bucs got a pretty good safety in Tanard Jackson later in the draft (pick #106), but that was partly due to character concerns damaging Jackson's draft stock.

 

More 'cuse!

 

I think the main reason he fell in the draft was due to the fact he played corner at Syracuse, even though he projected at safety in the NFL by most.

[Guest Aloysius]

I think he also tested positive for marijuana at the Combine.

[Guest Aloysius]

looking back on the past few drafts, the only impact safeties taken after the first were bob sanders and dawan landry, one of whom is a system player, while there have been impact linebackers taken all the way down to the fourth. here's the list with draft position:

 

2005:

lofa tatupu, 45

odell thurman, 48

channing crowder, 70

 

Here are some good safeties taken later in the '05 draft:

 

Kerry Rhodes, 123

James Sanders, 133

Chris Harris, 181

 

 

[Guest Ghoolie]

Maybe a way to defuse all the negativity on these boards is to look ahead to the draft.

 

Predict what pick the Browns might have and who might be there.

 

Who's coming out early? What do we have for trade bait that other team want(hehe).

 

I'm thinking we move up a few picks by offering a few current players.

 

Yeah, Offer the entire bag of shit for a high second rounder.

 

 

Dude, Phil Sewage................ Phil Sewage..................... Phil Sewage

 

Are you inhaling fart gas or what?

 

Sewage gave you Dilfer mentoring Charlie Frye

 

Sewage gave you Gimpslow, while pasing on a real QB AND giving up a high second round to do it,.

 

Sewage gave you Edwards.............................

 

Draft? Dude, we suck in the draft.

 

Lerner needs to die or sell the team. I prefer that he die but that's my personal opinion. There is some hot poon in his family and maybe we could see them at the wake.

 

THE BROWNS WILL NEVER HAVE A WINNING TEAM WITH LERNER OWNERSHIP.

 

 

[JewDago]

good call on kerry rhodes. can't believe i missed him. as far as the other two go, they're likely about the quality that chung is, which is adequate, albeit unspectacular.

 

i'd like a sean taylor type of player, and while that type of player doesn't come around every year, i think that mays and/or moore could be that guy.

[Guest Aloysius]

good call on kerry rhodes. can't believe i missed him. as far as the other two go, they're likely about the quality that chung is, which is adequate, albeit unspectacular.

I agree.

 

i'd like a sean taylor type of player, and while that type of player doesn't come around every year, i think that mays and/or moore could be that guy.

Could be.

 

I'm just frustrated because I thought Sean Jones would be that guy.

[Guest Aloysius]

Pitt RB LeSean McCoy announced that he'll be returning for his junior year.

 

Though it's usually wise not to put much faith in an announcement coming this early, McCoy's reasons seem legit:

 

McCoy said he doesn't think he's ready for the NFL life -- meaning the business aspect of football -- and he enjoys being a college student. He knows the Panthers will likely be a highly ranked team next year and would love to take a run at a Big East

 

[...]

 

"I feel I am not ready yet. Right now, I'm in school, I'm enjoying myself, I'm not pushing to go anywhere."

If he turns around & declares for the draft, GM's will have a lot of doubts as to whether he's mentally ready for the NFL. So I think he ends up staying in school.

[Guest Aloysius]

From PFW:

 

Northern Illinois DE Larry English has been an enigma for evaluators passing through the program, with scouts stamping a wide range of grades on him this fall, ranging from the first to the seventh rounds, but he has natural burst and quickness off the edge that cannot be taught and likely will go sooner than later. Expected to test well in postseason workouts, some evaluators are even saying he could fit into the back end of the first round a la Anthony Spencer with a good Combine workout. He racked up two sacks on Tuesday night against Kent State, forcing a fumble on one that a teammate, fellow DE Craig Rusch, picked up and rumbled 60 yards for a score. The sacks etched English’s name firmly in NIU’s record books with a school-best 31½ career sacks.

[Guest Aloysius]

From PFW:

 

Northern Illinois DE Larry English has been an enigma for evaluators passing through the program, with scouts stamping a wide range of grades on him this fall, ranging from the first to the seventh rounds, but he has natural burst and quickness off the edge that cannot be taught and likely will go sooner than later. Expected to test well in postseason workouts, some evaluators are even saying he could fit into the back end of the first round a la Anthony Spencer with a good Combine workout. He racked up two sacks on Tuesday night against Kent State, forcing a fumble on one that a teammate, fellow DE Craig Rusch, picked up and rumbled 60 yards for a score. The sacks etched English’s name firmly in NIU’s record books with a school-best 31½ career sacks.

[damajuki]

Hey draft gurus, what are you guys hearing about ND's David Bruton?

 

I didn't pay much attention to him before but he seems to have had a breakout year for a bad D.

 

What's the word on him and where's he project? Looks like a big guy that can cover some.

[Guest Aloysius]

I haven't watched him play this year, but reports are that he's expected to go in the Round 4-5 range.

 

One of the biggest questions is how fast he'll run his 40 at the Combine: I've seen projections ranging from the mid-4.4's to the mid 4.6's.

 

If he gets his time under 4.5, his draft stock could surge.

[damajuki]

I haven't watched him play this year, but reports are that he's expected to go in the Round 4-5 range.

 

One of the biggest questions is how fast he'll run his 40 at the Combine: I've seen projections ranging from the mid-4.4's to the mid 4.6's.

 

If he gets his time under 4.5, his draft stock could surge.

Thanks, Al.

 

Dude looks like a player to me based on this year. Big, good hitter, good size and speed.

 

Only thing I can tell about him that could be a negative is that's pretty long, a bit lanky. Doesn't seem smooth but as a safety that might not matter much.

[Solon16]

Aloy.....I think you'll be suprised how high Josh Freeman (qb) KSU goes in the draft...if he comes out....with all the pub on big 12 QB's this year....he might go the highest....you cannot teach 6'6 250 QB, with rifle arm.

[Guest Aloysius]

Freeman's another guy I haven't seen much of, but Tony Pauline at SI isn't too high on him:

 

Josh Freeman/QB/Kansas State: The Wildcats' rifled-armed passer is drawing comparisons to Jamarcus Russell in size, pocket stature and ability to fling the ball a country mile with ease. Freeman lags behind Russell in that he shows a fraction of the poise under pressure and command of the offense the former No. 1 pick displayed at LSU. Only a junior, Freeman is expected to enter the draft, which scouts feel would be a mistake.

Though Freeman probably could use another year of development before heading to the NFL, I can understand why he's going to declare for the draft. Not only is this year's senior QB class extremely weak, but Wildcats' head coach Ron Prince has been fired. A senior year spent adjusting to a new coach & system could actually damage Freeman's draft stock.

 

If he declares, the guys at nfldraftscout expect Freeman to be drafted in the Round 2-3 range.

[Solon16]

Freeman's another guy I haven't seen much of, but Tony Pauline at SI isn't too high on him:

 

 

Though Freeman probably could use another year of development before heading to the NFL, I can understand why he's going to declare for the draft. Not only is this year's senior QB class extremely weak, but Wildcats' head coach Ron Prince has been fired. A senior year spent adjusting to a new coach & system could actually damage Freeman's draft stock.

 

If he declares, the guys at nfldraftscout expect Freeman to be drafted in the Round 2-3 range.

 

I say he goes in first if he comes out...n e way...my ideal draft for Browns is Rey mauluaga with first pick Kendall Hunter RB from OSU in second...maybe best available safety....

 

[Guest Aloysius]

I could be wrong, but I don't think Hunter's draft-eligible (he's only a sophomore).

 

Also, the guy's pretty tiny (5'8", 190). If we go RB in Round 2, I'd prefer a big, physical guy to tandem with Harrison - someone like Shonn Greene.

 

A small school kid from Liberty named Rashad Jennings could also be in the running, depending on how fast the big man (6'1", 232) runs his 40.

[JewDago]

here's a scouting report on jennings:

 

2009 NFL Draft Prospect Scouting Report:

Rashad Jennings, RB, Liberty

Jennings originally committed to play for Pitt but did not qualify. He played the 2005 season for the Panthers, rushing for 411 yards on 86 carriers (4.8 average) and one touchdown. In 2006 he transferred to Liberty University where he started nine of eleven games, recording 1,020 rushing yards on 179 carriers (5.7) with 10 TD. He also caught six passes for 56 yards. Jennings was voted to the Big South Conference First Team. He then followed his breakthrough campaign of 2006 with a similar impressive 2007 season. Although he only played in nine games gaining 1,113 yards on 191 carriers (5.8) with 15 TD. He also caught 13 passes for 276 yards and two TD, earning the Conference's Player of the Year Award.

 

Jennings is a big and strong back. Is deceptively fast (4.60) for his size. A true downhill runner, Jennings does not "dance" around the pile. Great leg drive. Very tough to bring down inside. A workhorse-type of back. Very productive back. Does not turn the corner. Will get caught from behind.

 

This would be the Matt Forte of next year's draft. A workhorse back who would carry the load on the next level. In a weak running back class, Jennings (with a good post season) could sneak into the second round.

 

he sounds pretty good to me, a little bit like jamal lewis but maybe with a bit less breakaway speed.

[Solon16]

I say he goes in first if he comes out...n e way...my ideal draft for Browns is Rey mauluaga with first pick Kendall Hunter RB from OSU in second...maybe best available safety....

 

Then Best safety ...Hunter's bad ass

[Solon16]

Then Best safety ...Hunter's bad ass

 

 

Might take a look at stroughter in da second from the ha ha

" beavers " if he is available ...he is a playmaker at wr but safety bigger need

[Guest Aloysius]

Here's some great highlight footage of Aaron Curry:

Curry vs. Clemson

 

against Ole Miss

 

destroying Virginia

 

I've seen Curry compared to Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, and Patrick Willis. If you watch these clips, you'll definitely see why.

[Solon16]

Here's some great highlight footage of Aaron Curry:

Curry vs. Clemson

 

against Ole Miss

 

destroying Virginia

 

I've seen Curry compared to Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, and Patrick Willis. If you watch these clips, you'll definitely see why.

 

Don't get me wrong...I'd love Curry but Haven't seen him play ILB....WE have a crater size hole in the middle.