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Savage: Browns' draftees from '06 need to step up
Friday, May 18, 2007
By Steve Doerschuk
repository sports writer

Phil Savage stuck out his right thumb to indicate expectations for his 3-4-5 hitters from the 2006 draft. The thumb said, "Up, up, up."

"These next four weeks," the Browns general manager said, "are going to be really big for those three guys."

Savage was talking about what spring practice means for wide receiver Travis Wilson, guard Isaac Sowells and running back Jerome Harrison. They needn't bring the clout of a baseball team's 3-4-5 hitters. But on a football team needing extra juice to jump out of a 4-12 hole, they must matter.

New offensive coaches will judge Wilson, Sowells and Harrison during May and June sessions that are important.

"First impressions go a long way," Savage said. "One, two or all three of them need to come around. You're never gonna have enough No. 1 picks and top free agents."

Wilson arrived saying he was the best receiver in the '06 draft. Then he appeared in four games and caught two passes.

"The No. 3 (wideout) spot is up for grabs," Savage said. "Tim Carter has speed. Josh Cribbs has athletic ability and temperament. Travis Wilson might be the combination of both."

The 6-foot-2 Wilson could give the Browns one of the league's tallest wideout groups along with the 6-3 Braylon Edwards and 6-5 Joe Jurevicius.

Playing time was in short supply for Sowells. He sat for 15 weeks before making an injury-replacement start at right tackle. Now, the 6-3, 325-pounder is being told he can win the right guard opening.

"He's athletic. He's a wide-body who can move," Savage said.

Can Sowells develop the right mean streak?

"He can, relative to the people who are gonna be around him," Savage said. "We'll see."

Harrison likewise didn't see the field much as a rookie. Coming off a 1,900-yard rushing year at Washington State, the 5-foot-9 scooter ranked 10th in the NFL in preseason rushing yards.

After leading the Browns with 232 preseason rushing-receiving yards, he delivered just 107 in the regular season. Jason Wright became the No. 2 back behind Reuben Droughns.

This time around, Harrison might be a key guy in relief of free-agent pickup Jamal Lewis.

"Jerome is seen as undersized, but I talked to him this week, and he weighs 212 pounds," Savage said. "We still have high hopes for him.

"Jason Wright really is a backup who can play special teams. He's a great locker room guy, an A-plus in a lot of ways, but probably an average football player, which as a backup is OK.

"We think Jerome Harrison has more upside than that. He just needs a chance to learn the offense with the new coordinator."

From 1999-2005, offensive players the Browns drafted in Rounds 3, 4 and 5 were Darrin Chiaverini, Travis Prentice, JaJuan Dawson, Aaron Shea, James Jackson, Melvin Fowler, Darnell Sanders, Lee Suggs, Luke McCown and Charlie Frye. Only Frye is still on the roster. Enough said.

It's asking a lot for third-, fourth- and fifth-round players from one draft to make a difference now. But Savage can dream, can't he?

"If those guys can get off to a good start the next few weeks," he said, "I think they'll be in the hunt to really help us."


http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=17&ID=354967&r=13&subCategoryID=

Three nice X-factors. If Wilson can step in as the #3, with his size, there will be some nice targets out there and we'd be able to create some serious mismatches. I'm also excited to see Harrison do some things. His numbers and highlights from college are Bush-esque. Maybe with a line his lack of blocking skills won't be enough to keep him off the field and we can cut him loose a few times a game. Sowells would a really great surprise if he could step in at RG as an athletic pass protector and dominant run blocker. I'm looking forward to watching these guys develop, along with Minter, Hamilton, Vickers and Leon Williams.

It would be great if these guys stepped up,, that would also make the draft from last year look pretty good,, KW, DQ and if these three step up, sure improves the outcome from that draft for sure...

I know that we are reading the comments and because of that, you can't hear the inflections in Savages voice or the tone and manner of what he says.. but I'm telling you, it sure feels as if he is laying the lack of success of these guys last season directly at the feet of Mo Carthon.. Am I just reading too much into this.

DAMAN...

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it sure feels as if he is laying the lack of success of these guys last season directly at the feet of Mo Carthon.. Am I just reading too much into this.

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that never entered my mind reading this, but who knows...just seems a bit of homer-spun speculation, though...we'd all like to say that these 3 were total nonfactors last year b/c of issues other than their ability to play at this level...just rookies, bad OC, injuries, positional change, etc...and those things definately had some influence, but they've a long way to go on their own before you can solidly pin any major blame on Mo for their development...JMO...

Everybody sees and reads things differently,you may very well be right.As dna said,that thought never entered my mind.
Harrison is interesting.Not knowing much about Wash.St,I'd have to say he wasn't as prepared for the NFL as others at his position.But at 5-9 and 212 pounds he is a load.He's damn near as wide as he is tall.Add in quickness,he could become something special.
Wilson? who knows.Many say because he held out,he got way behind.I don't know,it was only a week.People I've talked to who have first hand knowledge,say he's an extremely gifted athlete,and a great person.We shall see.
Sowells,is he a guard or a tackle?Either way,it's a tough transition for an o-linemen.I don't see him taking the RG spot this year.But,if he does and plays well,I might have to start calling Savage a genius.

Wilson arrived saying he was the best receiver in the '06 draft. Then he appeared in four games and caught two passes.
"The No. 3 (wideout) spot is up for grabs," Savage said. "Tim Carter has speed. Josh Cribbs has athletic ability and temperament. Travis Wilson might be the combination of both."


Holding out for a week hurt him in Rac's eye..it irritated him..although a week isn't a big deal to me..
I saw him in college he has skills..just needs to have a aggressive approach in mini-camp..


Playing time was in short supply for Sowells. He sat for 15 weeks before making an injury-replacement start at right tackle. Now, the 6-3, 325-pounder is being told he can win the right guard opening.

"He's athletic. He's a wide-body who can move," Savage said.


Now I thought he shoulda been in the mix for LG LAST YEAR..but this year just how wide open is that RG slot..??
Some will disagree with me, but I can't help how anyone sees this..U drafted Thomas to be the STARTING LT..well U put him in there..
U tell Shaffer he's going to compete at RT first, then RG ..since RAC LIKES COMPETITION..ley him and Tucker battle it out...loser competes with the others at RG...
The longer they wait to move KS the worse it'll be to learn a new spot..

Why do you think they signed Wright to a ONE YEAR deal?

Yeah Phil's comments don't bode too well for Wright. I still have a sneaking suspicion that we are looking at Vickers as our backup RB and Harrison as our 3rd down back...which leaves Wright/Barclay/Brown fighting for a special team spot, which I'd give the edge to Wright.

Interesting though that Vickers wasn't mentioned by Phil.

The 3-4-5 round guys are the guys you hope become the solid core of your team. It is fairly easy to pick guys in the first two rounds.....but those 3-4-5 guys...a few of them have to turn into good solid NFL players.

The teams that hit on a few of those picks on a regular basis are the teams that usually do well on Sundays.

Actually I get sick of the first rounders holding out..and the NFL should be able to do something to speed that mess up.

Just clicking

I guess I'm the only one that thought that... Oh well,,, I bet I'm wrong then,,

The teams could do it if they wanted but they usually dink around to the last moment to get serious about things.

We should be in talks now.

Was trying to think of another type of " Biz " were Employees have both a Union and individual Agents ! ... Just plain nuts !

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"Jerome is seen as undersized, but I talked to him this week, and he weighs 212 pounds,

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He is seen as undersized because he is listed at 199 pounds, which was fudged up from the 190 or so he actually weighed. If he does really weigh 212 pounds I'll be very suprised. Hopefully what ever weight he did gain went right to his thighs so maybe he can break some arm tackles this year.

Jerome coming out of college was the same size as Emmitt Smith coming out of Florida. Not saying he is Emmitt Smith.....but If he is at that weight and still have his speed...we have a guy that has potential....Personally I LOVE the short Running backs especially those with big strong legs. They can hide behind the blockers and it can freeze a Linebacker for a split second not knowing where he is. So you have the advantage where he gets that splitsecond....and if they are short and have the big legs...they can break through arm Tackles....The thing you have to watch out for is that fine line of how much weight is too much. I mean Jamel White was the perfect example...he kept getting bigger and bigger til finally he was losing his speed....