Browns Draft 2010

The first three rounds of the NFL draft are over. Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert have made their picks and I am some what dismayed by their number one pick, Joe Haden. Joe Haden is rated very highly by all of the intellects connected with the NFL draft. He was a very good NCAA player. He has one attribute that has me wondering if he was a good pick, his height. Brandon McDonald was a very good open field tackler and was quick enough to stay with the wide outs but he was to small to defend in the jump ball situation. You know the situation a 6'6" wide receiver splits out and goes deep enough to get the first down or touchdown. The ball is thrown high enough that the receiver can jump to get it but the 5'10" midget playing corner back can't. I hope Joe Haden has springs in his legs to jump high enough because for the past three years I have suffered with McDonald being to short to cover the jump ball. All of the top prospects at corner back were 5'10" or 5'11". The Browns could have waited until the second round to pick up the taller Chris Cook out of Virginia or Jerome Murphy from South Florida, but they didn't.

In the second round the Browns pick up T. J. Ward, strong safety from Oregon another small defensive back at 5'10 and a half inches. Like Haden Ward is known for his open field tackling. The Browns look to be shoring up their run defense but again I don't like the short guys on pass defense. I will have to wait and see I guess.

The Browns second pick in the second round, the 59th pick overall, is running back Montario Hardesty from Tennessee. Hardesty is obviously a Mangini pick. Mangini likes ball players that will run through a brick wall when he tells them to and won't question him. Hardesty was banged up much of his college career and still compiled some impressive stats. He was a team leader as a captain of the team even when he didn't start in 2008. Hopefully he can stay healthy and run inside as well as outside to gain some yards for the Browns.

Our third round pick, 85th overall, is a big name player who possibly because of his size slipped to the third round, Colt McCoy. McCoy is the winningest Quarterback in NCAA history with 45 wins. He is accurate but does not have the strongest arm. Hopefully he can take two to three years of learning on the bench and developing his arm before he has to be called into duty. Remember the Browns have Jake Delhomme at QB now.

The Browns final pick in the third round at number 92 overall is Shawn Lauvao, Offensive gaurd from Arizona State. At 6'2" and 315 pounds he is a big boy that can certainly help shore up the Brown's offensive line. Plus all of those Hawaiian kids do well in the NFL because of their discipline.

Right now it does not look like a bad draft but I am concerned by the lack of height. It will be interesting to see how these players pan out. Is Heckert, Holmgrin and Mangini's first draft together pure genius or a bust, only the season will tell. A defensive backfield filled with midgets does not make me feel confident in our ability to cover the pass. My man Nick Sorenson at back up safety is the tallest DB at 6'3". Abram Elem at starting safety is 6'0". The rest of the DB's are 5'10". In my humble opinion we are way to short in the defensive backfield to play competitively in the NFL. I hope I am wrong, but I doubt it.