Dawg Pound Daily
FanSided

Cleveland Browns: Top 20 All-Time first-round draft picks

By Randy Gurzi

CLEVELAND - NOVEMBER 25: Offensive lineman Joe Thomas #73 of the Cleveland Browns talks with teammates prior to a game against the Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns Stadium on November 25, 2007 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns defeated the Texans 27-17. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND - NOVEMBER 25: Offensive lineman Joe Thomas #73 of the Cleveland Browns talks with teammates prior to a game against the Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns Stadium on November 25, 2007 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns defeated the Texans 27-17. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 20
Next
NFL
NFL. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

RB, Oregon State. 1950 (No. 13). 16. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 832. KenCarpenter. player

Cleveland Browns top first-round draft picks All-Time No. 16: Ken Carpenter, RB, Oregon State

The Browns were officially a football team as of 1946 when they joined the All-America Football Conference. That league ended in 1949 and after going an impressive 47-4-3 in the AAFC, Cleveland headed to the NFL.

In their first season in the league, the Browns had the No. 13 pick in the draft and selected running back Ken Carpenter out of Oregon State. A big part of why Carpenter makes this list is because he has the distinction of being the first player ever chosen by the Browns in the NFL Draft.

Like the last two players on our list, this Carpenter also spent minimal time in Cleveland, as he was with them from 1950 to 1953 before going to the Saskatchewan Roughriders for a six-season stint in the Canadian Football League. He had a great career with them but wasn’t bad with Cleveland.

He even made the Pro Bowl in 1951 when he rushed for 402 yards and four touchdowns while adding another 183 yards and two scores off 12 receptions. These numbers won’t blow people away, but the game was much different in the 1950s. On top of his contributions as a running back, the first-ever first-round pick of the Browns also served as a strong punt returner.

Carpenter returned to the NFL for one last season in 1960 and had a career-high 29 receptions for 350 yards with the Denver Broncos.

Home/Browns All-Time Lists