Cleveland Browns: Callaway pick wasn’t bad, it was atrocious

The Cleveland Browns moving up in the fourth round to pick Antonio Callaway out of Florida wasn’t a bad move, it was an atrocious one — which is now proven by the wide receiver himself

During the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns made some commendable moves. One was taking the most productive quarterback in the draft in Baker Mayfield. Another was their selection of Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward as well as the move to get Nick Chubb, the bruising back out of Georgia.

One of their other moves though wasn’t as good. In fact, it was completely terrible. It wasn’t even just a waste of one pick, but two as the Browns traded the No. 114 and No. 178 pick to take Florida receiver Antonio Callaway at No. 105.

The pick wasn’t just terrible because Callaway missed all of 2017 due to suspension. It also wasn’t just atrocious because of the way he completely blew off the draft process by showing up with a dirty test at the scouting combine. It was bad because this team knows better.

More from Browns News

• How the Browns could maximize Nick Chubb in 2023
• Can Deshaun Watson get to Patrick Mahomes level for Cleveland Browns?
• 3 Cleveland Browns who should see an expanded role in 2023 and 1 who should not
• Is Marcus Davenport on the Browns radar in 2023?
• 5 Free agents from Super Bowl LVII Cleveland Browns should target

For years, the Browns organization has seen Josh Gordon suspended season after season for failing tests and he has yet to fully reach his potential — or show up for the 2018 training camp. Callaway at least did show up, but now has since been busted for marijuana possession — something that should surprise no one. He says he didn’t know what was in the car, but that’s hard to accept given his past.

The reason it shouldn’t be surprising is because Callaway has proven he doesn’t care. Sure, some wanted to say because he’s a father now he’s suddenly changed, but his mishap with the Combine was as recent as my last haircut. No person can change that quickly, especially after showing judgment as poor as he did this offseason.

How poor was it? Imagine yourself going to the most important job interview of your life. One where you can become wealthy beyond your wildest dreams and change not only your future but your family’s as well — you know, that family he changed for according to those who supported general manager John Dorsey’s ridiculous pick.

Now imagine going to that interview knowing you will fail a drug test. That would prove you either don’t care at all, or simply aren’t very wise. That’s exactly what Callaway did, and whether it’s a lack of smarts or a lack of concern, I want no part of it.

After missing all of 2017 at the University of Florida, he showed up for his NFL job interview dirty. And the Browns foolishly took him anyway.

Then we were all fed a bunch of lines about him changing (yeah, in two months) and how good he would be. That was followed by him once again showing he cannot be trusted.

This pick was considered risky because of Callaway’s past, but it wasn’t. Instead, it was just dumb because the Browns have been down this road. All Callaway did was prove his supporters wrong once again, but don’t worry, the Browns front office will try in a week or two to tell us all how much he’s changed — again.