The buzz may be missing from the Browns’ draft, but it’s far from meaningless.
The Browns aren’t a finished product, and this weekend’s draft is the best way for them to improve before training camp. It will be more difficult without a pick until the fourth round (No. 122 overall), but it’s not impossible.
Twenty-one players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame were drafted between the fourth and eighth rounds, including Cleveland running back Leroy Kelly, an eighth-rounder. Johnny Unitas was a ninth-round pick, Roger Staubach a 10th-rounder, Raymond Berry a 20th-rounder and Warren Moon went undrafted.
Looking for modern-day examples? OK.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (four Pro Bowls, three Super Bowl wins) and former Broncos running back Terrell Davis (three Pro Bowls, 2,000-yard season) were sixth-round selections, and Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner (three Pro Bowls, two MVPs) was undrafted.
Luck is obviously a factor in finding a late-round steal, but hard work is imperative. That’s where Browns general manager Phil Savage and his scouting staff come in.
“People think it’s easy, but it’s not easy,” Savage said last week. “It’s a hard task.”
Savage, who lives for the draft, has changed the message to his scouts since trading away the top three picks for quarterback Brady Quinn and defensive linemen Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers. They no longer are focused on the highest-profile college prospects, so Savage has stressed the importance of every pick the Browns will make Sunday afternoon and every player they will sign as an undrafted free agent Sunday night and Monday morning.
He’s used his first three drafts in Cleveland as proof that quality players can be found after commissioner Roger Goodell stops announcing the picks.
Pro Bowl kick returner Joshua Cribbs was signed as an undrafted free agent and Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Anderson was claimed off waivers in 2005; linebacker Leon Williams was a fourth-rounder and fullback Lawrence Vickers a sixth-rounder in 2006; and fifth-round cornerback Brandon McDonald made quite an impression as a rookie last season.
“You can go back and look at that 2005 class and you could make the case that the Browns got the No. 1 receiver (top pick Braylon Edwards), No. 1 kick returner and statistically thus far the No. 1 quarterback in that class,” Savage said. “We need to exhaust every avenue whether it’s through another trade, the cutdowns in August, or waiver claim next September.
“It’s important for our personnel staff and coaches to understand that it never ends. It’s a continuous attempt to try to upgrade the roster.”
The Browns’ list of draft prospects started at 1,000 and has been trimmed to 172.
“We had to cast a wider net not knowing what was going to be available in the fourth round down,” Savage said.
The GM’s research shows that the players taken at 122 over the past few years have averaged a rating of 56 on the Browns’ predraft board. So if a player ranked in their top 40 falls to 122, the Browns will take him regardless of position. If not, they’ll look to fill the needs at cornerback and linebacker, and possibly pick up an offensive tackle, tight end or running back.
Savage said they’ve put the potential picks through the same rigors as Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson and Quinn last year.
“The approach has been the same,” Savage said. “We just moved our radar down. The staff feels like they can meet the challenge of trying to find a few players that can help.
“We know the players at this part of the board better than others. We feel good about it and keep our fingers crossed somewhat that some of the players that we have rated pretty well will be there.”
Whoever is selected will be asked to contribute as a rookie and help the Browns get over the hump and into the playoffs. He’ll also be the face of the 2008 draft class.
“This will be the most celebrated fourth-round pick maybe in the history of the Browns,” Savage said. “This guy’s going to get a parade, be introduced at a Cavs game.
“We gotta make sure this guy can play.”
Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

BURIED TREASURE?

Without a pick until No. 122 in the fourth round, the Browns can only hope that a player or two they like falls to them. With that in mind, here are some possibilities who fit the Browns’ needs and could be available at 122.

• Antwaun Molden, CB, Eastern Kentucky
• Chevis Jackson, CB, LSU
• Jack Williams, CB, Kent State
• Shawn Crable, OLB, Michigan
• Darrell Robertson, OLB, Georgia Tech
• Philip Wheeler, OLB, Georgia Tech
• Bryan Kehl, OLB, Brigham Young
• Beau Bell, ILB, UNLV
• Jonathan Goff, ILB, Vanderbilt
• Ben Moffitt, ILB, South Florida
• Breno Giacomini, OT, Louisville

BROWNS DRAFT HISTORY

Diamonds in the rough

The Browns are without a draft pick until the fourth round after trading their top three picks in separate deals. Historically, the franchise has had some luck finding good players in the latter stages of the draft. Here are some examples:
• Gene Hickerson, OG, seventh round, 1957 (Hall of Famer)
• Leroy Kelly, RB, eighth round, 1964 (Hall of Famer)
• Earnest Byner, RB, 10th round, 1984
• Paul Farren, OT, 12th round, 1983
• Brian Sipe, QB, 13th round, 1972
NOTE: The draft was cut to seven rounds in 1994.

SAVAGE TRACKER

GM Phil Savage is about to lead the Browns draft for the fourth time. Here’s a look at his first three drafts, starting with the fourth round:
• 2005: CB Antonio Perkins (cut); LB David McMillan (special teamer); LB Nick Speegle (cut); DL Andrew Hoffman (cut); OL Jonathan Dunn (cut)
• 2006: LB Leon Williams (part-time starter); OL Isaac Sowells (reserve); RB Jerome Harrison (reserve); CB Demario Minter (cut); FB Lawrence Vickers (starter); NT Babatunde Oshinowo (cut); S Justin Hamilton (cut)
• 2007: CB Brandon McDonald (will compete for starting spot); DE Melila Purcell (will compete for roster spot); DE Chase Pittman (will compete for roster spot); WR Syndric Steptoe (will compete for roster spot)

LATE STARTS

This isn’t the first time the Browns don’t have a No. 1 pick, but — assuming they don’t make a trade — it will be the first time they have gone the first two rounds without a pick. Here are the other years when they didn’t make a first-round pick, and the player they chose in the second round:
• 1965    T James Garcia
• 1974    T Billy Corbett
• 1983    WR Ron Brown
• 1985    RB Greg Allen
• 1986    WR Webster Slaughter
• 1990    RB Leroy Hoard
NOTE: The Browns traded first-round picks in 1985 and ’86 to the Bills for the right to draft Bernie Kosar in the 1985 supplemental draft.

FRANTIC FIRSTS

Browns fans are sure to be bored today, but it was only a year ago when they were on the edge of their seats with the selection of Joe Thomas at No. 3 overall and the trade for the right to draft Brady Quinn at No. 22. That was the seventh time the Browns have had multiple first-round selections.
The others:
• 1952    DB Bert Rechichar, QB Harry Agganis
• 1962    WR Gary Collins, RB Leroy Jackson
• 1970    QB Mike Phipps, T Bob McKay
• 1973    WR Steve Holden, G Pete Adams
• 1978    LB Clay Matthews, WR Ozzie Newsome
• 1994    CB Antonio Langham, WR Derrick Alexander

NFL DRAFT

WHEN: Today, first two rounds, 3 p.m. (ESPN) and 8 p.m. (ESPN2); Sunday, rounds 3-7, 10 a.m. (ESPN)

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.
You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you aren't already registered, click here.
If you are registered, click here to log in.
Need help? Email Us.