Five year returns from Cleveland Browns, AFC North drafts

Ray Farmer’s 2015 Draft

This article starts with the 2015 draft for two reasons. One is that five years is a very reasonable period to evaluate the draft process and in particular the performance of scouting over the years. The second reason is that this fan does not want to compare the 2014 draft, which really was a disaster on so many levels.

That was the year that they drafted Justin Gilbert, who evaporated into nothingness, allegedly due to drug use. Then they topped that off by trading up for Johnathan Paul Manziel, who wanted to “wreck this league.”  Well, if not the league, he did a pretty good job to wreck this team.

Ray Farmer was not spectacular in 2015, but he was okay. The Browns netted four-year starter Danny Shelton, the Samoan strongman, and three-year starter Cameron Erving, though Shelton played the last two years in New England and Cameron Erving has been in Kansas City for a few years. Gloat all you want about how the Browns were clever to get rid of these players, but they both are wearing Super Bowl rings.

We don’t know why Shelton left Cleveland, but it is believed that he was unhappy with the Browns, either because of the coaching or perhaps just the aggravation of losing. In any case, he was traded in 2018 by John Dorsey.

Shelton was drafted 12th overall, which was too high. There are glaciers that move faster than Shelton, but he was very good at controlling the middle of the line. The Browns stopped the run in 2017 (3.4 yards per carry, good for second in the NFL). Since then, the Browns have been bottom-five, giving up 4.7 yards per carry in 2018, and 5.0 yards per carry last year.

The Browns selected Cameron Erving later in the first round and tried him at left guard, right guard, right tackle and center. He did much better after the Browns shipped him off to Kansas City. He was an acceptable guard for them, though he still struggled at tackle.

Duke Johnson, now with the Texans, ranked as the fifteenth highest graded back in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. He has never missed a game in his five-year career. Ibraheim Campbell is still in the league as an extra safety.

Vince Mayle was cut during training camp, but played for the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens who converted him to tight end.

Randall Telfer had one year a starting tight end, but injuries cut short his career.

Hayes Pullard never played a down for the Browns, but was signed by Jacksonville off the Browns practice squad and started 12 games in the NFL. He was cut by the Eagles last year, and now is a coaching assistant at the University of Southern California.

2015 was not a good draft, but it was made worse by the inability to recognize talent once it was on the team. It’s more disturbing that draftees were quickly dispersed around the league and generally did not stay in Cleveland very long.

After the 2014 debacle, Farmer needed to have a better showing. That plus his tendency to interfere with the coaching staff led to his dismissal. Having failed to “win now” it was back to rebuilding with Sashi Brown.