No doubt the picks are busts or at least Trent'ing that way
One thing saves this trade down as being a total fiasco and that's the guy we picked in the late 1st: Phil Taylor. He's playing like a Top 10 pick on a very important and difficult to hit on position in this D (ask the Steelers since Hampton has retired). Heckert drafted a guy I'd been happy with in the top 10, but wasted on the huge value and resources he got for trading back, it's a real shame, as that draft was supposed to push us over the top. The 2010 and 11 classes are coming along nicely and looking better and better with every game: Haden, Ward, Taylor, Sheard, Cameron....we're talking some high-end caliber talent here, out of only two drafts. This is a big part of the BASE of this team. Those two drafts also got us some decent/below AVG to AVG starting talent with Lauvao, Pinkston and Skrine.
The 2012 one looks to be a bust overall, but there's still some upside left with some guys like Schwartz, Hughes, Winn and Benji. The 2011 class really took a leap with the emergence of Cameron and the improvements of Sheard and Taylor, so there could be a similar jump for this class next season, especially if you factor in Robertson as an UDFA pickup. Then there's Gordon, who was a "borrowed" pick, but well worth it. All in all, Heckert DID add 6 very HIGH END talents, who are already pretty good and knocking on elite level at pretty important positions (CB, TE, WR, NT, OLB...only SS is a lower value position), amidst his busts and wasted picks. In 3 drafts that equals 2 high end talents per draft AND some decent complementary pieces. There's been far worse draft records over that span (again, ask the Steelers, lol)
This new FO did a marvelous job getting back a 1st for TRich, as that recoups a lot of the lost value of the 2012 draft. The Steelers trade also looks like a real value now (Colts 4th rounder is looking like a wash). I just wish I could have more faith in the group to make them count, as that 1st draft is not looking good right now. Mingo at least has the high ceiling with that sick speed/effort combination, but when you compare him to guys like Taylor or Sheard as rooks, I don't know, he just looks further away as a football player, more of a project...and top 10? I'll give them some slack and a lot of rope here though, since the other guys picked after Mingo aren't exactly setting the world on fire either.
With that in mind, my gripe is more and more with the 68th pick, where we let some serious talent on the board to draft a, so far, very disappointing smallish CB. We will see, it's still 2 years too early to put a stamp on it, but that pick could make look the Marecic pick like a decent one, if he continues to be a healthy scratch or we draft another CB in the top 3-4 rounds next draft.
And please, please...don't try to make this an agenda debate: this is STRICTLY how I see it. BOTH regimes did some very good and bad decisions so far, this is NOT an agenda pissing match post, it's about the Browns and their future outlook, so let it go, I'm totally sick of that crap.
