Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Cameron Erving (Florida State) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number 19th overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Browns had a productive weekend at the 2015 NFL Draft, selecting 12 players across three days and seven rounds.
Those dozen players were the most of any team in the draft and the highest total for the Browns since 2000.
Included among the picks are a versatile offensive lineman in Cameron Erving; a trio of defensive linemen in Danny Shelton, Nate Orchard and Xavier Cooper; and a pair of cornerbacks in Charles Gaines and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.
The picks brought quantity to the Browns, but more importantly they brought quality as general manager Ray Farmer continues to reshape the roster and give the Browns the type of identity they have been lacking since returning to the NFL in 1999.
“I think we did a good job sticking to the plan,” Farmer said in published reports. “We know what we want to be. We know where we want to go. We know before you build the roof and put the walls up you have to build the foundation.”
While a fair amount of attention has been paid to what the Browns didn’t do — select a quarterback or select a wide receiver with an early pick — now that we’ve made it through the weekend, let’s see what the team did do to work on the franchise’s foundation.
Next: The Best Selection
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Danny Shelton (Washington) poses for a photo after being selected as the number 12th overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
The best selection was probably the team’s first, Shelton, who should go a long way toward solving the team’s issues defending the run.
“To me, there are a lot of different ways to win football games and you just don’t force a situation.” – Head Coach Mike Pettine
The nose tackle from Washington Shelton was arguably the best run defender available, and after finishing near the bottom of the NFL rankings in 2014, coming in at 27th in yards per carry (4.5), 28th in runs of 20-plus yards (16) and 32nd in rushing yards per game (141.6), the Browns need all the help they can get in stopping the run.
Putting the 6-foot-2, 339-pound Shelton in a rotation with Phil Taylor (335 pounds), Randy Starks (305 pounds) and John Hughes (320 pounds) gives the Browns an inside presence to occupy blockers and make life easier for inside linebackers Karlos Dansby, Christian Kirskey and Craig Robertson.
Next: Sleeper Pick
Sep 14, 2013; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (14) before the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
Farmer and the Browns may have walked out with one of the top players in the draft in Ekpre-Olomu, who had a legitimate chance to be a first-round pick before tearing his ACL prior to last season’s Rose Bowl.
That injury pushed the cornerback from Oregon down into the lower end of the draft, where Farmer smartly scooped him up. Of course, that injury also raises questions of whether or not Ekpre-Olomu will ever be the same player he was prior to the injury.
“We definitely think the talent is there and there’s no better kid,” Farmer said in published reports. “We knew he was talented and could play, and he suffered an unfortunate injury and we’re confident that he’ll get healthy.”
While Ekpre-Olomu’s injury means the pick carries some risk, the reality is that any player selected after the fourth round is a risk. But with the Browns also drafting cornerback Charles Gaines to join Joe Haden, Justin Gilbert, K’Waun Williams and Pierre Desir on the roster, the Browns can afford to give Ekpre-Olomu an entire year to recover from his injury.
We understand it can be difficult to preach patience for a team where it seems like next year will never arrive, but a cornerback trio of Haden, Gilbert and a healthy Ekpre-Olomu could be worth waiting for.
Next: Quantity and Quality
Nov 8, 2013; East Hartford, CT, USA; Louisville Cardinals cornerback Charles Gaines (3) reacts with teammate linebacker George Durant (34) after intercepting a pass intended for Connecticut Huskies wide receiver Shakim Phillips (8) (not pictured) in the second quarter at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
One area that stood out among several of the team’s picks is that Farmer looked for players who will help the team on the field, and not give the team headaches when they are away from the building.
“I don’t think we can emphasize it enough that we’re going to build a football team.” – Mike Pettine
Shelton was an academic All-American at Washington and spent time mentoring Polynesian high school students in the Seattle area. Erving reportedly has a close bond with his family. Orchard has a wife and daughter that keep him grounded at home. Ibraheim Campbell comes from a football family and is respected for his personal character.
We may be reading too much into this, but after spending the past year dealing with Josh Gordon’s suspension, Johnny Manziel’s off-the-field issues and Gilbert’s maturity, you can see why the Farmer and head coach Mike Pettine may have put an extra check mark next to the names of certain players.
Next: The Next Carlton Mitchell?
Oct 4, 2014; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington State Cougars wide receiver Vince Mayle (1) makes a catch against the California Golden Bears during the second half at Martin Stadium. The Bear beat the Cougars 60-59. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Many Browns’ fans and media members alike rejoined when the Browns selected Washington State wide receiver Vince Mayle in the fourth round.
There is much to like about Mayle, starting with his 106 receptions for 1,483 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cougars in 2014. Those are impressive numbers, even when you take into consideration that the Cougars threw the ball an average of 65 times a game in 2014. (And when you realize that Cleveland’s wide receivers, as a group, only had eight touchdown receptions in 2014.)
“It’s not about taking a guy for any other reason than we think the guy is a good football player.” – General Manager Ray Farmer
Despite those lofty numbers, Mayle may have a problem with catching the ball, as he is credited with dropping anywhere from 14 t0 19 passes last season, depending on who’s information you look at.
But if we are going to hold it against Mayle that put up big numbers simply because he played in a pass-happy offense, then don’t we also have to view the dropped passes, which seem excessive at first blush, through the same lens?
Mayle was targeted 12 times a game, or about 144 times last season, so it is not unexpected to see him have an increased number of drops. He is also a work in progress after playing just two seasons at Washington State, so he is still figuring things out.
No matter what eventually happens with Mayle, judging from the reaction of fans and the media to his selection, he seems to be the heir apparent to join a long list of Browns’ receivers who would have been superstars if only the Browns “given them a chance.”
Next: Go West, Young Man
Nov 29, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Keith Price (17) is tackled by Washington State Cougars defensive end Xavier Cooper (96) during the second half at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Of the 12 players the Browns drafted, seven played their college ball in the Pac-12, meaning the Browns selected almost 18 percent of the players taken from the conference.
Make of that what you will.
Next: The Final 53
Sep 14, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans defensive back Josh Shaw (6) and linebacker Hayes Pullard (10) celebrate stopping Boston College Eagles running back David Dudeck (26) short of a first down during second quarter action at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
The Final 53 – It is easy to look at all these draft selections and get excited about them reshaping the Browns into a powerhouse in the AFC North Division.
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The reality, though, is that the majority of players who make up NFL rosters are drafted in the first three rounds, meaning players like Malcolm Johnson, Randall Telfer and Hayes Pullard may just be footnotes in the franchise’s history book in a few months.
Or does it?
Taking a look at the Browns’ roster as it currently stands reveals that there are 16 players who were rookies last year, meaning that Farmer and Pettine are not afraid to turn the roster over in pursuit of improving the team.
Not everyone will make the final roster this fall, but don’t be surprised to see a large number of the players selected this weekend making up the core of the Browns in a couple of years.
Next: So What Does It Mean?
Oct 12, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan (8) fumbles as he is hit by Utah Utes defensive end Nate Orchard (8) during the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Utah defeated Stanford 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
There is little doubt that Farmer did solid work over the weekend. He made a few months, but didn’t mortgage the future, and overall you can see why the team chose the players they did. And that is not something you can say every year about the Browns and the draft.
“(You have to) give guys an opportunity to demonstrate they can either play or they’re going to fail.” – Ray Farmer
The biggest hole on the remains, as it has for far too many years, the quarterback position, which Farmer was unable or unwilling to do anything about in this year’s draft.
But the Browns were not alone in that regard, as only seven quarterbacks were selected, the lowest number since 1955. So it is not as if the Browns were sitting idly by while there was a run by the other 31 teams on quarterbacks.
Would it has been great if Farmer could have worked out a deal for Marcus Mariota? Certainly. Would it have been nice if the Browns had picked up someone like Garrett Grayson or Brett Hundley? Maybe.
While we’re not totally comfortable with the thought of the Browns taking on the Steelers, Bengals and Ravens with Josh McCown, Manziel or Connor Shaw running the offense, we feel better about it today than we did last Thursday afternoon.
The addition of Erving and the return from injury of Alex Mack means the Browns will once again have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
Running back Duke Johnson can be an explosive player out of the backfield and adds another dimension to a running attack that was one of the league’s best prior to Mack’s injury.
The wide receivers may not be the most dynamic in the league, the top three of Dwayne Bowe, Brian Hartline and Andrew Hawkins are professional receivers who know what needs to be done come Sunday afternoon.
Finally, if Pettine and defensive coordinator Jim O’Neill are what we believe they are, the Browns’ defense is going to give opposing offenses major headaches very soon.
Put that all together and the quarterback group, while not comforting, may be a manageable situation come the fall.
There is still a lot of hard work that needs to be done – no one should dispute that – but what should also not be in dispute is the fact that the Browns are well on their way to getting the foundation that Farmer is looking for in place.