Cleveland Browns: 15 best defensive backs of all time

Greatest defensive backs in Cleveland Browns history: #14. Mike Howell

After a good career playing quarterback for Grambling State, Mike Howell moved to cornerback, as he didn’t believe he could play the position in the NFL. The league was stereotypical about African-American quarterbacks back then.

Despite changing positions, he was drafted in both the NFL and AFL in 1965. He ended up choosing the Browns over the then-San Diego Chargers. By his second season, he was the full-time starter and recorded an amazing eight picks that year.

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Howell was praised throughout his career for his versatility and ability to make big plays for the Browns. Adding his durability to those traits made him one of the top 100 players in franchise history according to Mike Peticca of Cleveland.com.

"“Excellent in pass coverage and solid in run support, Howell was a big-play man in Cleveland’s 4-3 defense. It was a savvy move by the Browns to switch Howell to free safety, where he had more freedom to utilize his sideline-to-sideline play-making ability. Howell was durable, too, playing in all 98 regular season and seven postseason games for the Browns from 1965 to 1971. He intercepted 27 passes, finishing among the NFL’s top 10 in picks in three seasons. His one postseason interception helped the Browns upset the Dallas Cowboys, 31-20, in a 1968 divisional playoff game.” — Peticca, Cleveland.com"

For his Cleveland career, Howell started 84 of 102 games and finished with 27 picks. The defensive back ended his career as a member of the Miami Dolphins but played just one game for them in 1972.