Corey Coleman has chance to be best first-round pick since 2010

Cleveland Browns 2016 first-round draft pick Corey Coleman has a shot to make a difference on this team right away.

The Cleveland Browns traded down twice in this year’s NFL Draft to ultimately select wide receiver Corey Coleman with the No. 15 pick.

Coleman joined three other wide receivers who were drafted by the Browns in an attempt to give a Browns quarterback some talent to throw the ball to in 2016.

But Coleman’s selection could be a turning point for this franchise.

By trading down twice, the Browns committed to acquiring as much talent as possible instead of potentially reaching on a player in the top-10. Signing Robert Griffin III took Jared Goff and Carson Wentz out of the equation, leading to Coleman coming to Cleveland.

The trade down also allowed the Browns to take Coleman, a player the front office loved, at a spot where it was reasonable to take him.

He comes to town with the expectation of becoming the team’s top receiver, and looks to be in position to do so. The general lack of any competitor for the top spot helps Coleman in that regard, but he is also in that position because of his natural skill.

Coleman is entering a situation that is open for the taking, and it appears as if the Browns actually did their research with this pick. That fact, along with his natural ability, gives Coleman the chance to be the best first-round pick since Joe Haden was selected in the first round in 2010. This shouldn’t be too hard of an honor to attain, given who has been taken since then:

2011: Phil Taylor

2012: Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden (cringe)

2013: Barkevious Mingo

2014: Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel (visible cringe)

2015: Danny Shelton and Cameron Erving

Aside from last year’s selections of Shelton and Erving, only Gilbert and Mingo remain on the Browns. Taylor, Richardson, Weeden and Manziel were all busts, with Taylor enjoying some success before injuries got in the way.

Looking at that lackluster list should make fans grateful for this new front office. Taylor wasn’t too bad of a pick at the time, but some of the other selections show the problems that were part of the process.

Richardson was taken No. 3 overall and had his skills questioned by Jim Brown, which is never a good look. Weeden was older than most NFL players when he was selected, while Gilbert had personality problems and Manziel had even more of the same.

Mingo had trouble getting on the field but gaining some weight this offseason should help him, which is also true for Erving, who was bullied last year by opposing defenders.

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Then there is Shelton who lost weight this offseason in an effort to be more durable and explosive on the defensive front.

It is great that these players are making changes to get better, but it would be nice for a first-round pick to come in and produce right away. Think Joe Thomas or Alex Mack.

The front office is relying on Coleman for this outcome as well, or else the system they put in place may lack credibility heading into 2017.

The absence of Josh Gordon will allow Coleman to be placed in the number-one role right away. There will be the natural pressure to perform placed on him, but the coaching staff is not expecting him to put up Pro Bowl numbers this season. He just needs to solidify himself as a reliable target and someone who can remain on this team beyond the years of his rookie contract.