Positives: nasty demeanor in the game. strong lower body strength. great experience (suh and mccoy in the big xii as DTs who he had to face). i believe his style of play translates well to OG.
Negatives: a bit small for Mangini's style of OG unless we go to the more WCO oriented blocking schemes.
Why would we draft a center a year after drafting Mack?
well, we currently need a RG and a backup OC. JD Walton could be both and might slip into the later rounds.
ESPN First Draft podcast today, McShay (yeah yeah we know our feelings about him) thinks the browns are in the market for Dan Williams. Sees him over Odrick, esp if Berry is gone. What I know about Williams is that he is a talent, but runs hot and cold. Anyone actually see any Tenn games this year, and what are your opinions on him? I saw two vol games and only watched/noticed Berry.
"The medium for the bad news was ESPN, which figured. The network represents much of what is loud, obnoxious and empty in sports today."
Why is this? Do you not think he has the mindset to play nose, or can't convert to DE? Outside of what I read on a draft site I know very little about him.
"The medium for the bad news was ESPN, which figured. The network represents much of what is loud, obnoxious and empty in sports today."
brought up this guy before and exciting to know he was checked out by the browns. go case!
Quote: CLEVELAND -- Dan Whalen hoped he saved his best for last.
The Case Western Reserve University quarterback was pleased with his workout for the Browns on Sunday, saying, "I think it went great. Honestly, probably my best one so far. I threw 75 passes on my count and missed on only three or four balls. Hopefully, I raised some eyebrows."
Whalen, who starred at Willoughby South High school before setting multiple records at Case, was among about 25 local-area players who worked out for the Browns. He was the only quarterback on hand. Whalen threw to Ray Small (Ohio State and Glenville), Trey Stross (Iowa and Avon Lake), Rob Parris (Notre Dame and St. Ignatius), Derek McBryde (Kent State and Glenville), and Frank Ross (John Carroll and Canfield).
The players performed in front of the Browns' coaching and scouting staffs, with the exception of President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert.
"They filmed the workout, so I hope they have a chance to go back and watch," Whalen said.
It probably was Whalen's last formal workout before the April 22-24 NFL draft. He's hoping to gain at least an invitation to an NFL rookie minicamp workout if he isn't drafted. If not, Whalen probably will proceed with his career in the Canadian Football League. Calgary owns his rights. CFL training camps open on June 2.
Not pimping, exactly. Jules found this article about our neighbors grandson, Austin...
Bellbrook native, OSU linebacker Spitler getting looks from NFL teams
Ohio State linebacker and Bellbrook native Austin Spitler is climbing up the draft board as we approach this month’s NFL draft. Spitler has created a buzz around the league by grabbing teams’ attention with a solid Pro Day performance last month.
His performance forced teams to go back and watch film of him. Now the linebacker is being put under a microscope by at least 15 teams. The Miami Dolphins brought Spitler in for a visit and Cleveland has expressed interest.
“The draft process has been a whirlwind,” Spitler said in a recent phone interview. “There are stressful moments, but you have to sit back and take it all in. On the other hand, it’s a fun and exciting time in your life.”
The recent attention has raised Spitler’s draft status significantly. It is no longer a question of whether or not he’ll be drafted but rather when. Spitler will likely come off the board in the sixth or seventh round.
Not many people knew about Spitler until this past season and there is a good reason for that.
Spitler had to bide his time on the Buckeyes’ defense working behind three-time All-American and Butkus Award-winning linebacker James Laurinaitis for three seasons. The linebacker could have easily gotten discouraged over the lack of playing time and transferred to another program, but quitting wasn’t an option.
“A lot of people would have taken it personally, but not me,” Spitler said. “I continued to work hard and did whatever was asked of me. I wouldn’t change anything that happened at O-State. It was a blessing in disguise.
“I don’t think I would be the player I am today without James being there and learning from one another. We pushed each other on a daily basis in the weight room, practice field and film room. I think he made me a lot better player and I think I made him a better player because of the competition we had.”
Spitler said there were some difficult moments throughout the three years but he never thought about transferring.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Spitler is a physical, hard-nosed linebacker who loves to hit and punish ball carriers. He shows good versatility, work ethic, high football IQ and doesn’t make many mistakes. Spitler’s strong point is taking on blockers and driving them backwards. He’s perfectly suited for the middle linebacker position but will be asked to do other things in the pros. He will likely earn his living playing special teams early on in his pro career. Spitler was a special-teams demon for the Buckeyes.
I believe players know players best. Former Ohio State linebacker and teammate Marcus Freeman, now an undergraduate assistant coach, shared his thoughts on Spitler.
“Spit is a very good football player,” Freeman said. “I don’t think he received enough credit for the things he did while on the field. He was a guy that we always knew could get the job done. We knew if anything happened to James and he stepped in there wouldn’t be much change. I think he’s going to surprise some team once they get him in camp. He’s definitely a player.” Dayton Daily
A couple weeks ago I said that Kyle Wilson was better than Joe Haden. People said I was crazy. And now:
Quote: Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson's stock has seemed to be on the rise since a very good Pro Day performance in late March. But his stock may be rising even higher than anyone thinks.
Charles Robinson of Yahoo reported today that Wilson could be the first cornerback drafted, and that many teams like him better than Florida's Joe Haden.
Following up on Robinson's report, Michael Smith of ESPN tweeted that Wilson could go as high as seventh overall, where the Cleveland Browns are drafting.
Per Robinson, teams think Wilson is better than Haden in man coverage, has more lateral quickness and changes direction better.
Our last mock draft had Wilson going 19th overall. As draft day gets closer, his chances of going high in the first round appear to be getting better.
Quote: 2010 NFL Draft, Cornerback Big Board 19th April, 2010 - 9:21 pm Jeff Risdon/RealGM - Updated 4/19
1. Kyle Wilson, Boise State. 5’10”, 194 pounds.
Positives: Very aggressive, physical corner with good strength and speed. Rocked up physique packd with quick-twitch muscle. Has lots of experience playing on an island and likes the challenge. Great hands and feet, very advanced in that regard. Natural cover skills, very quick recognition and recovery ability. Can turn and run with any receiver. Loves to crash the run. Feisty and plucky and not afraid to show it. Ultra-competitive with a motor that does not quit. Has experience as a return man and a gunner on special teams and enjoys it. Demonstrated coachability and leadership during Senior Bowl week.
Negatives: Ball skills are good, not great. Too happy to fight with the blocker instead of shedding to make the tackle. Big, physical receivers (see Seji Ajirotutu of Fresno State) were able to get separation, and he has not faced off against much NFL-caliber competition. Got away with a lot of holding in press coverage, esp. when the receiver crossed his face. His aggressiveness can be used against him by patient offenses.
NFL Comparison: Darelle Revis
Forecast: Top 20 overall pick with Pro Bowl potential
2. Joe Haden, Florida. 5’11.5”, 193 pounds.
Positives: Exceptional athlete loaded with quick-twitch musculature that he understands how to deploy for football. Great reflexes and quick to react and change direction with control and power. Strong in run support and very difficult to block. Closes on the ball with authority and can highpoint the pass better than most receivers. Very smooth with an economy of movement. Has proven very adept in short coverage and can steer receivers off the line when asked. Not afraid to turn his back to the QB and reads eyes very well to find the ball, though he doesn’t pick off a lot of balls to his own man. Has shown some aptitude at blitzing. Confident without being arrogant. Well-liked and respected by his teammates and coaches.
Negatives: Played boundary corner behind a dominant pass rush that made life easier for him. Only average speed, though he does play faster than he timed at the Combine. Will bite on double moves and had some instances (see Ole Miss game) where he got lost when one receiver stayed short and one went deep and other combo routes. Peaked earlier than most athletically and has never had to really work hard to stay on top, though nobody questions his work ethic.
NFL Comparison: A slower, stronger Carlos Rogers
Forecast: Top 15 overall pick, though he’s far from a slam dunk success.
3. Devin McCourty, Rutgers. 5’11”, 196 pounds.
Positives: Excellent all-around corner and football player. Has experience and proven success at both zone and press coverage. Good feet, fluid hips, controls his hands nicely. Exceptional in run support; strong tackler with sound technique and will chase down all over the field. Quick out of breaks and has good form in and out of his backpedal. Sees the play and reads routes quickly. Translates film study to on-field action like a seasoned pro. Has strong hands and can peel off his man when he sees the throw is going somewhere else to help make more plays. Assumed a great deal of leadership and responsibility after Rutgers graduated two NFL players in the secondary in 2009. Very high character, intelligent student. His twin brother dramatically outperformed expectations and made an immediate impact, and Devin is significantly more highly regarded coming out of Rutgers.
Negatives: Not real big, only average size and strength. Not a real dynamic or explosive athlete. Gives up the inside on crossing routes a little too easily. Doesn’t have a lot more upside than what he is already, which some teams see as a limitation.
NFL Comparison: Ronde Barber
Forecast: Fits in the 30-40 overall range and is probably more ready to handle NFL duties than any other CB in this class.
4. Kareem Jackson, Alabama. 5’10.5”, 196 pounds.
Positives: Very quick, well-coached man coverage corner with innate cover skills and excellent instincts. Very physical for an averaged-sized corner, uses his hands and shoulders to steer the receiver as well as anyone in this class. Reads and anticipates routes and has a great feel for what the offense is trying to do. Quickly flips his hips and adjusts to cuts. Can make the acrobatic catch and has excellent ball skills. Confident, competitive, and poised. Highly respected by his teammates and opponents.
Negatives: Looked uncomfortable playing off-man. Steps in the bucket coming out of his backpedal and has a tendency to over-stride on his first step. Receivers that are physical back to him can hinder his aggressiveness (see Brandon LaFell). Needs improvement at tackling and overall run support effort; too often half-heartedly dives and reaches for tackles and is too easily blocked. Body is only average size and could use some weight room work.
NFL Comparison: Ronald Bartell
Forecast: Has major momentum up draft boards at the right time, which could vault him into the latter halfHof the 1st round, but probably belongs in the 2nd.
![[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]](https://i.ibb.co/6WV79RV/Browns-Coach-Sig.png)
