Cleveland Browns Draft Board (4th-7th Rounds)

By Jason Jones



The Cleveland Browns have a very intriguing situation going into this weekend's draft. It may seem like a poor situation in the eyes of the fans. I do not believe that Savage and his scouting staff would agree. It may be a reach, but it seems that the Browns inability to draft well in later rounds is due to not spending as much time on said later rounds. For example: Babatunde Oshinowo. However, since the free agency period rendered trades that lost picks in rounds 2 and 3, the staff has spent all of their time working on prospects in the 4th-7th rounds. As they have done, so have I. There is a small chance that they could trade up in the draft. Do not fool yourself, if they trade up, it will be higher in the 4th or maybe into the back end of the 3rd. Do not expect a blockbuster that will put the Browns into the first day...not going to happen. (just for fun, there is a rumor circulating that since Herm Edwards wants to acquire starters, they may consider packaging a deal to the Browns with a 1st [17th] and a 3rd for Derek Anderson). The following is the draft board as I see it for players the Browns could be interested in, based on need, players available, potential moves by position, and upside. If there is a player not mentioned...chances are, he will either be gone by the end of the 3rd, does not fit the Browns well, or just is not as good as advertised. The BOLD players indicate the players I really would want if I were making the picks.

1. Bruce Davis-OLB-UCLA
2. Shawn Crable-OLB-Michigan
3. Ali Highsmith-ILB-LSU
4. Philip Wheeler-ILB-Georgia Tech
5. Jordan Dizon-ILB-Colorado
6. Andre Woodson-QB-Kentucky*
7. Kevin Smith-RB-Central Florida
8. Jacob Hester-FB/RB-LSU
9. Frank Okam-DT-Texas
10. Antwaun Molden-CB-Eastern Kentucky
11. Mario Manningham-WR-Michigan**
12. Kevin O’Connell-QB-San Diego St
13. Dexter Jackson-WR-Appalachian St
14. Jeremy Zuttah-OG-Rutgers
15. Mike McGlynn-OG-Pittsburgh
16. Marcus Howard-OLB-Georgia
17. Stanford Keglar-OLB-Purdue
18. Zach Bowman-CB-Nebraska
19. Jamar Adams-SS-Michigan
20. Beau Bell-ILB-UNLV**
21. Eric Young-OG-Tennessee
22. Tony Hills-OT-Texas
23. John David Booty-QB-USC
24. Peyton Hillis-FB/RB-Arkansas
25. Owen Schmidt-FB-West Virginia
26. Tyvon Branch-CB-UConn
27. Orlando Scandrick-CB-Boise St
28. Barry Richardson-OT-Clemson
29. Allen Patrick-RB-Oklahoma
30. Craig Steltz-SS-LSU
31. Paul Hubbard-WR-Wisconsin
32. Chauncey Washington-RB-USC
33. Kirk Barton-OT-Ohio St
34. Jack Williams-CB-Kent St
35. John Carlson-TE-Notre Dame
36. Oniel Cousins-OT-UTEP
37. Kenny Iwebema-DE/OLB-Iowa
38. Jack Ikegwuonu-CB-Wisconsin***
39. Marcus Griffin-FS-Texas
40. Jonathan Hefney-FS-Tennessee
41. Ryan O’Hara-Central Oklahoma
42. Adrian Arrington-WR-Michigan
43. Adarius Bowman-WR-Oregon St**
44. Robert Felton-OG-Arkansas
45. Ben Moffitt-ILB-South Florida
46. Caleb Campbell-SS-Army****
47. Dwight Lowery-CB-San Jose St
48. Adam Kraus-OG-Michigan
49. David Roach-FS-TCU
50. Eric Ainge-QB-Tennessee
51. Cory Byrd-RB-South Carolina
52. Chevis Jackson-CB-LSU
53. Chris Hopkins-TE-Toledo
54. Jonathan Zenon-CB-LSU
55. Doug Legursky-OC-Marshall
56. Shannon Boatman-OT-Florida St
57. Matt Flynn-QB-LSU
58. Geno Hayes-OLB-Florida St
59. Justin Forsett-RB-California
60. Dominique Barber-SS-Minnesota
61. Tim Hightower-RB-Richmond
62. Wallace Gilberry-DE-Alabama
63. Jamie Silva-SS-Boston College
64. Pedro Sosa-OT-Rutgers
65. Chase Ortiz-DE-TCU
66. Kyle Wright-QB-Miami
67. Tommy Blake-DE-TCU
68. Jordan Grimes-OG-Purdue
69. Mario Urrutia-WR-Louisville
70. Tyler Polumbus-OT-Colorado
71. JoLonn Dunbar-OLB-Boston College
72. Jeremy Geathers-DE-UNLV
73. Xavier Lee-QB/WR-Florida St*****
74. De’Cody Fagg-WR-Florida St
75. Greyson Gunhiem-DE/OLB/ILB-Washington

1-37 are 4th round projected players
38-59 are 5th round projected players
60-70 are 6th round projected players
71-73 are 7th round projected players
74, the last physical freak who will play out of position if at all
75, Undrafted Free Agent

* = Formerly top 2-3 Round player who has dropped significantly
** = Higher rated player who has dropped far based on workouts or off field issues
*** = Injured during workouts. Ikegwuonu is my pick for "Steal of the Draft"
**** = The Army Academy has a program allowing cadets to play professionally immediately
***** = Xavier Lee was Terrell Pryor of a few years ago. He is a freak, but won't play QB due to a troubled, and short, career. If he can translate into a WR, he could be a major steal. Keep in mind what happened to Josh Cribbs after embracing his future as a special teamer. Even Cribbs' did NOT have the personal "issues" that Lee does.

Revisiting the political "T word"

By Rick Morris

In a recent column, I passionately took up for one of our Dignitaries, Burrell Jackson, when he put out a press release detailing controversial aspects of his race for Republican state central committeeman in the Cleveland area. I owed him no less because of the work he has put in helping to build The FDH Lounge brand through our webcasts in our first year of operations. Now, it may cause him a bit of discomfort (I hope not), but I’m going to address the topic for what I hope will be one last time here on the blog. I don’t wish to make his life any harder, but I do think I’m entitled to make my points in an extended, coherent manner so that they cannot be dismissed as just angry ranting. Again, all points here are my own and I hope nobody asks him to justify anything I’ve written because he’s not responsible for any of it.

Now, we’re a relatively new brand and I’m not an egotistical person (that assertion may have caused a lot of spit-takes, but it’s true!), so I was not presumptuous enough to assume that my column would cause anyone at Cuyahoga County Republican HQ to take notice. I am pleased to note that I was wrong about that; call it the power of Google Blog search or call it what you will, somehow, the rumblings from that column made their way all through the corridors of the local party establishment and folks are unhappy. So, since I have their attention, I’m going to expound once more before I let this go.

The word “tokenism” was used by me on behalf of my friend. It is a loaded term, as I know very well because I choose my words carefully. So I want to clarify that even though it was used in an angry manner, there is an underlying serious point that should be taken to heart.

I’ll start by addressing the comment section of that column. In it, a statement was posted from the Jim Trakas congressional campaign taking up for David Gunning and pointing out that even though Mr. Gunning contributed to Democrat Joe Cimperman, he also gave a maximum donation to the Trakas campaign. While my view of Mr. Gunning’s activities differs from that of Jim Trakas because of my admittedly biased perch as a Jackson supporter, I think the statement was well-advised on his part. Jim Trakas is a good guy and more relevant to this matter, a smart guy, and he’s going to stick up for those who financially support him. He understands the manner of reciprocity and two-way relationships and that capacity for recognition would serve him well as a congressman.

And it’s reciprocity that’s at the core of my initial critique. The Jackson press release mentions that he was recruited to run for county clerk of courts this year. Due to space considerations, it does not also mention that he was recruited to run for state senate in 2006. On neither occasion did he find himself awakening one day to say, “Hey, guess what? I think I’ll spend my own time and money running for public office and wave the Republican flag which has been unpopular in the black community in recent decades!” It didn’t happen like that. He heeded the call of those who saw in him a vital building block for the construction of a GOP that was viable in the minority community and he gave of himself willingly toward that end. And once in these races, he’s been pretty much on his own.

Such a pattern is nothing new. I should note that many, many moons ago as a then-idealistic very young activist that I ended up volunteering for a black GOP candidate who was running in a fairly significant race (I’ll note that it was late in the Bob Hughes era but I’ll not provide a year because I don’t want to mention the candidate, who has not asked to become a part of this controversy). He, too, ended up on his own in that race notwithstanding the fact that he was a viable potential building block for East Side Republicanism. So the moral of the story is that the names change but the story remains the same.

I understand the notion of limited finances and of having to prioritize where dollars and organizational support goes. This, too, is not a new story for this party and I suspect for Republican organizations in urban areas all over the country. But the two circumstances are in many ways connected and the dream of constructing an actual two-party system in the minority community will never be realized until money and commitment match rhetoric – and charismatic, accomplished leaders like Burrell Jackson need to be the foundation for such an endeavor.

Words must match deeds. If Burrell is a vital piece of a grand plan going forward, then he must be supported even if his first few campaigns are longshots. The bottom-line obsession with ONLY putting cash into possible or likely winners does nothing for the long haul and frustrates those who allowed themselves to believe things were changing. To the inevitable counterpoint that he is responsible for his own campaign: of course he is, but his contacts and Rolodex are nothing compared to the resources available to the organization as a whole!

If this party organization, and others like it, wish to avoid the “T word,” then they must step up and truly support those who are showing what amounts to real bravery by embracing the role of Republican advocate in the black community.

Memo to open-wheel weasels: we don't care!

By Rick Morris

Speed TV is reporting that the long-awaited open-wheel merger is on, with details to be announced this week. This is in line with public speculation that we discussed here almost two weeks ago.

My thoughts are the same now that they were then. As a longtime fan, I'm bitter and I think it's a joke that Tony George and the greedheads who destroyed open-wheel racing think that their 12-years-too-late solution is going to solve anything. With Bourdais, Dario, Hornish, Jacques and Juan Pablo (among others) having bolted to NASCAR and F1, the new "unified" circuit will now be slightly less crappy and watered-down. Congratulations.

With most Champ Car races being dropped (due to inability to assimilate more than a few with the existing IRL schedule), the Cleveland race, one of the most distinctive on the schedule, looks to be a casualty (at least for the 2008 season). Nary a word about it either way on the Cleveland Plain Dealer website as of yet. There's a shock!

RIP Chuck Heaton

By Rick Morris

I grew up in Cleveland at the tail end of the run of one of America's greatest sportswriters, Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter/columnist and NFL Hall of Famer Chuck Heaton. He had a long and distinguished career, but more important, he clearly was a great man who cared very much about others -- as this account of his life from his longtime colleague, another great PD reporter from the glory days, Bob Dolgan eloquently expresses.

Other tributes in the Plain Dealer have been printed in recent days, as the present generation of sportswriters pays tribute to a giant of the game and, more important to them, someone who was a great example of how to extend yourself to other people. Terry Pluto, Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot all painted their own pictures of the man, but in each you could see the same familiar outline: somebody who never succumbed to the human temptation to be warped by their own fame and acclaim.

Truly, Chuck Heaton set an excellent example of how to be a universally-respected professional success but also a more valuable example of how to be a man. RIP Chuck Heaton.

Obligatory "Game of the Decade" prediction

By Rick Morris

In just over an hour, the teams engaged in this decade's greatest rivalry will face off in the first-ever meeting of teams both undefeated this late in the season. That makes this game the greatest and most anticipated yet between the teams and explains the hype that we haven't seen in the regular season since the annual Cowboy-49'er tilts of the early and mid-'90s.

I believe that the scoring will be lower than most believe, with the defenses being able to stand tall better than many predict. In the end, I see New England getting by, as this 2007 Patriot squad is on a short list already of the greatest teams of all time -- the 2007 Colts, although superior to their championship team of a year ago and arguably better than many teams to have won a Super Bowl, are not on that super-elevated level. As a lifelong Browns fan, I am chagrined to have to agree on the final score with Bill Cowher. 31-20 Pats.

On another note, the NFL's prohibition against showing games against a home team's broadcasts has never been shown to be more asinine than today. As this map illuminates, the areas around Cleveland and Houston are not able to receive this game on television. While the NHL's broadcast situation is a joke, the NFL's isn't much better if it can't assure the entire country of witnessing the key regular season matchup of our time.

C-Town, grow up about Lebron!

By Rick Morris

As a lifelong resident of the Cleveland area, you might think I'd be most sick and tired of the perennially horrible and depressing economy -- or perhaps the harsh summers and winters -- or perhaps the single worst market in the country for terrestrial radio (albeit made much more bearable by my sweet, sweet iPod in the car) -- or perhaps the knuckle-dragging, no-vision mediocre politicians sucking at the public teat -- or perhaps the legacy of no major professional sports championship (I said major championship, indoor soccer!) since 1964.

Actually, the element I'm most sick and tired of is none of the above, although it's somewhat related to the legacy of losing sports teams.

You see, the Cleveland area is singular in the barely repressed overcompensating self-loathing that manifests itself in the world's biggest inferiority complex. If somebody at ESPN so much as mentions something unflattering about Cleveland off air and sotto voce to boot, 10 morons would immediately clog the phone lines of a local talk show to whine about it. It's almost impossible for anyone outside of Cleveland to properly appreciate this, but ANYTHING said by ANYONE in the national media can be taken at any time as a reprehensible slam on America's North Coast by its paranoid residents. A mere "Here comes the Yankees" from Chip Carey during the ALDS telecasts was enough for the majority of the Tribe fanbase to complain that its female private parts hurt.

So Lebron James, as a fellow lifelong Northeast Ohioan, should have known the grief he was buying by wearing a Yankees hat to ALDS Game One at Jacobs Field.

Personally, as a lifelong fan of all C-Town sports teams and certified Yankee hater, I didn't appreciate his gesture. But I'm just about unique in this town right now for the fact that I have no great urge to burn him in effigy.

Cleveland fans are actually pretty amusing in their ignorance and lack of any type of perspective on Old Number 23. To date, Lebron has lived up to the NBA pedigree by serving as (unmarried) baby daddy to two young tykes. With urban America plagued by countless ills that could be traced back to births out of wedlock and single parenthood, Lebron has chosen not to set a positive example for so many of his fans. But the "sports is my life" yokels who worshiped him considered him perfect before and now call him the devil incarnate for donning a Yankee lid.

Let me be clear. I have worn, and will continue to wear, Lebron gear including a #23 Cavs jersey. I have never been an immense fan of the man personally, dating back to his Hummer-driving days in high school (just try defending the indefensible on that deal!). I don't harbor dislike for him -- his "King James" persona is a bit much for me, but I think he's fairly well-adjusted when you grade on the curve and factor in that the world has been kissing his tuckus since his mid-teens. But I've always been cold and mercenary in my support of him. He's the single greatest athlete Cleveland has had in my lifetime, inasmuch as Jim Brown was before my time. He represents the greatest hope for a championship for my hometown teams, so I want him to succeed to bring my team a title. But I'm certainly not invested in him personally at all.

So when he does something jerky like taunt Tribe fans with a Yankees cap, I've got it in perspective, unlike the "Lebron hates us just like our evil overlords in the national media" nutcases who populate my hometown. Fortunately for them, The FDH Lounge exists and can demonstrate to those types that sports are important and fun, but there's actually a world that exists beyond it.

Have some whine with that cheesesteak

By Rick Morris

The Eagles have figured out how they lost Super Bowl 39 to the Patriots. It wasn't the pace of their play-calling towards the end of the game, which even Mel Turpin thought was lethargic. It wasn't getting out-schemed by a superior coaching staff. No, it had to be more filming shenanigans, sez they.

Look, the Patriots' cheating (and yes it was cheating, chowds) was reprehensible and they received an appropriate punishment from Commissioner Roger Goodell. And I of all people am queasy about defending Bill Belichick in any way as I am a long-suffering Browns fan who had to tolerate his arrogant inexperience in the early '90s complete with mandating bootlegs for Bernie Kosar so he could get rid of him notwithstanding the team's winning record at the time. But, come on, Eagles!

The Patriots' disregard of league rules in some specific instances should not give license for every sore loser they have trounced in recent years to cry for a mulligan. I know that Philly's championship drought has caused the same kind of blind whining and bitching all too evident in my hometown of Cleveland, but try to muster some pride!