Once Again, Browns Not About the Flashy Pick

In the 2009 NFL Draft, the Browns kept trading down in the first round until they finally selected center Alex Mack. Not a flashy pick by any stretch of the imagination, but pairing him with left tackle Joe Thomas has allowed the the Browns to begin solidifying one of the most important elements, if not the most important element, on a football team in the offensive line.

This year, the team’s first-round pick was cornerback Joe Haden and Cleveland’s two second-round picks were safety T.J. Ward out of Oregon and running back Montario Hardesty out of Tennessee. With both picks, the Browns had the chance to make a huge splash and draft a quarterback like Jimmy Clausen or Colt McCoy. Once again, the Browns opted to draft players who will help fill some of the gaping holes on this team. These aren’t necessarily flashy picks, either; with Ward, the Browns passed on safety Taylor Mays of USC, who no doubt was given far more attention than Ward before the draft. With both Ward and Hardesty, the Browns decided to pass on McCoy.

If the Browns are going to draft a quarterback, one wonders if they will go with the solid pick after passing up the flashier players. How about Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour?