First things first, let me apologize to all on the 1st round draft thread for all the negativity. I made the Licensed pessimist look optimistic. As an fyi, while I am a huge Colt fan, I have been a lifelong Browns fan for longer than I care to admit. I like most of you, have lived and died with the team, and after continual let downs, I simply boiled over.

Secondly, let me stress some positives in the draft that I missed yesterday:

We got the RB we wanted, and by all accounts, he seems to be a dynamic, elite back. Shelf life, 3 picks will all be forgotten when he leads the league in rushing next year.

The FO know Colt McCoy well and feel very comfortable that he will never develop into a starting QB, and they got a new QB more to their liking.

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I get it - you all hate Colt. And if you hate Colt you are now faced with the reality that the earliest that Holmgren will have secured his QBOTF is in year 4 of his 5 year plan. Talk about turtle paced. Now you are licking your wounds over RGIII and wondering if Ryan Tannehill, consensus next best available QB is for you. I am here to tell you - have a little more patience and lets pass on Tanneyhill-even at 22!.

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Well I emerged from my post RGIII funk and am a little more positive about the Browns. After screaming "WE CAN’T EVEN SUCK RIGHT" – I am now at an even keel. After looking over all of our options – I firmly believe that Rufio had it right we must stay at number 4 and tab Blackmon.

First of all, let’s talk about what Justin Blackmon is not. He is not even close in physical freakishness to the Megatron. He is less freaky than Larry Fitz and A.J. Green – both top 5 selections. He is not 6-3, cannot jump out of the Hoosier Dome. But before we deem him "not worthy" lets delve deeper.

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Here is the deal, using the SB mothership mock draft as the gospel of how things go down. The top 3 picks go as follows:

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. St. Louis Rams: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

3. Minnesota Vikings: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Now we are on the edge of our seats - RGIII is available and everyone knows he goes number 4.

4. Cleveland Browns, Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor ????????

Heckerts pulse rises, he gets a minor chubby for the first time since draft evaluations began. Months of exhaustive study culminate exactly as planned. But now the phone rings - it is Dan Snyder, and he is desperate. And when a spoiled, egotistical billionaire gets desperate you get an offer like this. You give us the number 4 and we give you are number 6 overall pick and we give you are 2nd round pick this year, and our first round and second round next year. What do you say?

Now Heckert has his feelers out and he has a good feel that the number 5 selection will go as follows:

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

6. Washington Redskins ??????? or Cleveland Browns??????

Dear Pat -

I am on your side.   I want you to succeed, and was thrilled to finally have an offensive minded head coach.  And we are Browns fans, many who have lived through red right 88, the drive, the fumble, the helmet toss, and the wheelie.  We have had staph almost kill our returning hometown heroes, and a penalty flag blind one of our lineman.  We have QBs that have cried, coaches that have lied, one who wouldn't tell us who are starting QB was, and one even flipped a coin to decide our starting QB. He even called a timeout to see if he wanted to challenge a play, lost the challenge, 2 timeouts and you guessed it - it cost an opportunity to win the game.

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1. Coach Shurmur is one happy camper.   Getting that first win is a wonderful achievement, and don’t think for a minute that it was not a quality win.  Even with Kerry Collins, the Colts have many tremendous players and more overall talent than our rebuilding Browns. 
2. Dick Jauron gets the monkey of his back too.  He is a solid DC.  Holding those first few drives to FGs instead of TDs was huge, and allowed our offense some time to get our stuff together.   Some people may miss the uber aggressive Rob Ryan – but at least for the Colt’s -  I am loving the “bend but don’t break stuff” that kept us in the game.   My gut feel is that last year we make a mistake and lose that game.
3. I am bullish on Shurmur as he demonstrated rare patience for a rookie coach.   Before Peyton Hillis broke the Colt’s back by stomping them on the way to a 24 yard touchdown run, he had 21 carries and 54 yards.   His long run?  5 yards – no lie.  Picking up a yard on 3rd and 1 was proving difficult.  That was a beautiful call that showed a real patience and feel for the game.
4. To say the Browns are running a WCO is inaccurate.  What is accurate to say is that we are trying to run the WCO.  Right now the offense is completely out of synch.   The only facet that resembles a WCO is a flare or 2 to Hillis or Cribbs.  Colt is not throwing timing routes.  The WRs are not running quick and effective crossing routes, and the OL may be the worst of the offensive units and a root cause of the lack of timing.
5. Those who knock Colt McCoy are not paying attention (Homer alert!).    Because of the offensive struggles, Colt is running for his life.  Almost every big play is a result of breakdown that Colt escapes, and then locates a receiver.   While we get this thing together, his “escapability” and accuracy on the run are big reasons why we have had some passing success.  Another gut feel, but I think we lose against the Colts with any QB we have had over the last 4 years, and I have no idea why I am stopping there.  Still – the big challenge for Shurmur is that there are more big plays produced after the play breaks down than as a result of the offense.   
6. I do not think the OL is hopeless.  First of all, this unit requires more teamwork and communication than any other unit.  Secondly, if Pashos comes back (big if) and if he is good (bigger if) we will improve both the LG and RT spot.   I think Pinkston is a bigger weakness than Hicks, as sometimes he just completely whiffs on his block.   I think these breakdowns – really hurt the confidence and timing of the passing game.   Hard to get ticked at Pinkston – we are asking a lot of a 5th rounder.
7.  Is it possible to be happier with the DL through 2 games?  Tooba and Taylor look like they may be a force for a long time and finally fix our run defense.  Mitchell is showing some stoutness and Sheard really rebounded nicely from the Cincy game.   If you are going to make mistakes, make em while you are busting your arse – and that is what Sheard does.  I am completely shocked that it is possible that the DL has been the best unit on the Browns.
8. DQ is even a bigger surprise than the DL.   Leadership, guts, and effort, are the words that jump to mind.  Having that leadership on the field and making plays – has a tremendous impact on the overall defensive performance.
9. The WRs are a disappointment.   I really thought they would be better.  At this point in time, I think it is imperative to get the WRs on the field that can deliver YAC.  While Cribbs is raw, I think we have no choice but for Josh to lead the WRs in snaps.   Certainly the OL has contributed to the disappointment.  Certainly they have not been in sync with Colt and this is probably 50% on Colt.
10. We are playing the entire 2011 season for 2012.  Finding out if we have a QBOTF is a higher priority that wins and losses.  Developing those young pups on the DL into a monster unit is a higher priority than wins and losses.    Seeing what we have in the WR is important.   I look for Shurmur and the Browns to improve week to week on the WCO, and to be the most entertaining team we have seen since 2007.  I think the Browns ceiling is prox 7-9 – but we will all be excited on their 2012 potential.  BTW Browns nip the Dolphins on their final offensive drive 24-23.  Go Browns.

Let’s get geared up for the season and look at the Browns unit by unit.  The performance rating is as follows.  A 10 means you are in the top 3 units in the league.  A 5 means you would be between 15-17 as a unit and a 1 would therefore mean you are in the 30-32 range.  So let the subjective rankings begin:

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I want to offer a counter argument to the posters who compare Colt McCoy's start in preseason vs. Jake Delhomme's 2010 preseason.   You know who you are, and I am here to tell you that cynicism is the true death of the human soul.  It is ok and even logical to be excited by the start of this offense, this HC, and this QB.   First of all, let me give the cynics their due:

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Looks like we are getting ready for some football.   I am again adopting the Broncos as my second favorite NFL team behind my beloved Cleveland Browns.   I am really interested in the diehard Bronco fan opinion on how the Bronco QB battle will shape up this year. Given the coaching change, does Brady Quinn get any QB opportunity at all?  Or does the job just get handed to Tim Tebow?   I have been stumped by the perception of Kyle Orton, I think he is a darn fine NFL QB - but seems like the fan base is ready to move beyond Kyle.   Really appreciate your thoughts on how the competition will be handled and who the eventual winner will be.

The now departed Golanbtrac put out a fanshot on Greg Little's parking tickets that triggered a host of spirited comments, some colorful language, and rousing character vs. talent debate.   Without diving back into this detailed of discussion, I want to sample the opinions of DBN by painting the following scenario.  (apologies for poll complexity)

• For purposes of opinion gathering I will throw out 3 WRs of highly questionable character.  This is for demonstration purposes only, and in no way I am implying that Little's issues equate these guys.
• First up - TO.  Possible future HOFer, developed definite me first attitude, has openly created fractures in at least 3 lockerrooms.  Tremendous physical athlete - looks like he was developed in an NFL football laboratory.
• Chad Ochocinco (nee Johnson).  Uber talented, often entertaining.   Has been accused of creating selfish sideshows that creates distraction.   Rumors vary in the clubhouse from an innocuous clown to a selfish jerk that really hurts the team.
• Brandon Marshall.  Truly a despicable human being and punk.  His punkedness was a key factor in the murder of CB Darant Williams in Denver.  The fact his initials are used to describe the medical term "Bowl Movement" keeps the universe in karmic alignment.  Very physically talented, almost in the TO mold.  Despite character issues - doesn't seem to project the "sideshow" of the others.

For demonstration purposes - I will tell you the Greg Little will rapidly evolve into a carbon copy of each of the WRs.   Same talent, same baggage, same character.  With this perfect knowledge the question is simple.  Do you want Greg Little on the Browns team and lockerroom?

I have clipped and pasted from a yahoo article that gives a summary of the current status of the negotiations are at this point.   If those 2 paragraphs are fairly accurate, it would appear that the NFL owners have been successful in:

• Creating a work stoppage that angered the fan base.
• Threatened the quality of the product in 2011.
• Will actually end up increasing their costs and the players' share of the revenue.  Even though they had a contract in place and there was no need to re-negotiate.
• Can they possibly look more stupid?  I mean we are talking about men who have literally made billions in business.

Excerpt from Yahoo Sports:

The key issue is how to divide revenues—the league took in about $9.3 billion last year. One person familiar with the owners’ proposal told the AP on Tuesday that the players’ share would approach the 50 percent the NFLPA has said it has received throughout the last decade. But the expense credits—about $1 billion last year—that the league takes off the top would disappear.

Also, there would no longer be "designated revenues" from which the players would share. Instead, the players would share from the entire pool of income, which both sides project will grow significantly over the course of a new CBA. If the players are taking 48 percent of a much higher revenue stream, for example, and there is not initial NFL deduction for operating expenses, the players still would receive far more money than they got under the previous agreement.

Every day that goes by with the labor situation in the legal process moves us a step closer to a shortened season or even the unthinkable of a missed season.   Why the combatants are investing in lawsuits rather than the bargaining table is a stupid decision on both sides.   The only victory that the players can garner with the legal process is in the court of public opinion - and I think they have already accomplished that.  So as of today - the players have virtually nothing to gain in the courts.   The reasons they cannot win are as follows:

• No court can force the owners to have a season or legislate what work rules would be in place.
• Even if the courts force the owners to honor the individual contracts (not unlikely) - the structure of the NFL contracts pays about 90 +% of the money in the form of game checks.  No games and your left with your $100 per diem of training camp.
• The decertification of the union may end the lockout through the legal process - but the owners can simply counter by unilaterally imposing work rules and policies on the players.

So what needs to happen? - the players have to signal that they are committed to the process and tell the owners that they are ending litigation to return to the table.  Why the players?  While the decertification of the union was an effective ploy to swing public opinion, and may eventually end the formal lockout, it was a  bad move in the bargaining process.   By eliminating the union, they have eliminated the body that held the rights to collectively negotiate with the owners.   You can say it is a trade assocation - but the fact is that a trade association has no rights to collectively bargain.  So Peyton, Tom - drop the lawsuits and say we will get this done.

Continuing on - we head to the better news and here are the best half of the 18 picks.

9.  Braylon Edwards, WR University of Michigan, 3rd Pick 2005

In alot of ways the consecutive drafts of BE and KWII showed the same flaw in the Browns evaluations, the inability to identify obvious character flaws.   The one thing you can say about Mangini - he would not have drafted these 2 that early.  I rated BE slightly higher than KWII because it was a weak draft overall, we did not sacrifice picks to get him, and ultimately he was the more explosive player for the Browns.  In 2007, BE had a tremendous season with 16 TDs (more than KWII career) and 1,300 yards.  He had at least a 70 +yard TD in each of his Brown's seasons.  If BE can mature, it is not too late to have a lenghty and solid NFL career.

8.  Jeff Faine, C University of Notre Dame, 22nd pick 2003

Getting a 9 year starting center with the 22nd pick overall is not a bad pick.  Faine has even had a couple of Pro Bowl seasons to boot.  Jeff's problem is he entered the league at under 300 lbs and just could not add the weight needed to battle Casey Hampton.  In a typical Savage move, Faine was traded for squat after the signing of LeChuck.   Obviously the best move was to keep Faine for depth at guard/center.  The "reward" Savage got for Faine?  A trade up in the 2nd round of a few places to draft an undersized LB named Dqwell Jackson - who almost assuredly would have dropped to the Browns anyway.

7.  Alex Mack, C University of California, 21st pick 2009

Alex is off to a solid start to his NFL career.  Winner of the academic Heisman, he shows great character and competitiveness.  He is a top 7-8 center in the NFL.  The only stains on this selection was the cheap give away of a franchise (?) QB and maddening succession of trade downs that passed up badly needed defensive playmakers for Mack.  Passing up Clay Matthews 4 times, along with Orakpo, and Cushing.  Thankfully that pain is eased by the fact that Mack is a 10 year NFL keeper.

6.  Kam Wimbley, LB Florida State, 13th pick, 2006

To me, Kam is one of the most underappreciated and underrated draft picks on the Browns.  Prolly his biggest sin was having a tremendous rookie year where he set a career record of 11 sacks.   In his next 3 seasons with the Browns, he registered 15.5 sacks his next 3 seasons.  But I sincerely thought he offset some of that production by being more active in other aspects of the game.   For most, he will be remembered as a "1 trick pony" that never duplicated his rookie season in sacks.  To me he was a guy who never missed a start, always showed consistent hustle, and was a true character guy, one of my faves since the return. 

Kam was inexplicably traded in 2010 and regained some of his sacking prowess with 9 sacks.  Softening the trade of a 1st rounder for a 3rd rounder was the fact the Browns chose Colt McCoy with the pick and have declared him the starting QB in 2011.

5.  Steve Everitt, C University of Michigan, 14th pick 1993

Of all the players who were knocked down for non performance reasons, here is a guy that goes to number 5 for being the quintessentail Brown.  Was he the 5th best player - no.  But for the younger folks - keep on reading to get what it means to be a true Brown.  (much from Baltimore Sun).

Everitt was the very definition of a free spirit.  He wore mega death T shirts, was an artist, and he loved Cleveland.  When the Browns moved to Baltimore he had a dagger tattooed down his spine to symbolize the knife in the back that Everitt felt Cleveland got from team owner Art Modell.   Moreover, at halftime of the Ravens' inaugural game, against the Oakland Raiders, Everitt wrapped his head in a Browns bandanna for all to see when he removed his helmet on the sideline.

For that caper, the NFL fined him $5,000.  "I had nothing against Baltimore or its fans," said Everitt, recalling the episode. "But I'd left so many friends in Cleveland that I felt [the bandanna] was the best way to thank them and to get in a dig at the owners.  "The Modells can burn in hell for all I care."  And I personally hope you go straight to heaven Steve Everitt


4.  Joe Haden, CB University of Florida, 7th pick 2010

It is prolly a tad early to call Joe Haden the 4th best pick since 1990 - but the start of his NFL career was sensational.  Great ball skills with solid coverage skills, he averaged almost 1 interception per start.   Who knows if he would have started from the beginning.  Perhaps he could have been ROY with about 10+ interceptions.   Anyway, a hat tip to Tom Heckert for the pick, and hope he has a solid 10 year career for the Browns.

3.  Derrick Alexander, WR University of Michigan, 29th pick 2004 draft

Unfortunately, Derrick Alexander career was accomplished outside of Cleveland.   But as the last player picked in the 2004 draft, he had 5 seasons where his per game average exceeded 1,000 yards.  He became a solid receiver with the Ravens, but went to KC where he became a Pro Bowl type receiver.  In 2000, he had 1,400 yards and 10 TDs and averaged almost 17 yards a catch in his 9 year career.  Not bad for a 29th selection overall.

2.  Eric Turner, S UCLA, 2nd pick 1991 draft

E-Rock will eternally be paired with Don Rogers in Browns history.  They both came from UCLA after all-American careers They both were first round selections by the Browns.  They both created fear in any WR that dared to run a crossing pattern against the Browns.  They both had a short and spectacular NFL careers that was tragically cut short by their deaths.  Rogers dying of a cocaine induced heart attack on the day before his wedding and E-Rock from intestinal cancer at the age of 31.

E-Rock was an All Pro safety twice in his career.   But the thing to remember about this warrior - was the mean streak that gave all WRs a severe case of "alligator arms" against the Browns.   RIP Eric Turner.

1.  Joe Thomas, OT University of Wisconsin, 3rd pick 2007 draft

4 years, no missed starts, 4 Pro Bowls yawn - that is Joe Thomas.  He is the franchise left tackle that you dream about.  As an added bonus you get a class blue collar guy that bust his butt at all times.   Of all the damage Savage did to the Browns - here is the only parting gift you get - enjoy the HOF career.

There you have it - thoughts or special memories of these players?

The PD published the list of the 18 Browns first round draft picks since 1990.  To get our minds off the possbile lockout, and kill some time before the 2011 draft - here is my personal ranking of the draft picks to debate.  Part 2 later today.

18.  Craig Powell, LB Ohio State University, 30th Pick in 1995 Draft

Craig Powell was a fish out of water from his very first day in the NFL.   He was not fast enough to play safety, and not strong enough or physical enough to play LB.  He could not play special teams.   Here is all you need to know about Craig Powell - he never started a game in the NFL.   Never caused or recovered a fumble.  Never deflected or defended a pass.   And the big philosophical quesition - if  no one has seen Craig Powell make a play - did he really play in the NFL?

17.  Tommie Vardell, RB Stanford, 9th Pick in 1992 Draft

The selection of "Touchdown Tommy" was immediately doubted.  First, why you would draft a FB this high was odd.  But what made this pick terrible was the astounding fact that "Tocuhdown Tommy" was impotent as a short yardage back in the NFL, as he rushed for exactly 3 TDs in his 4 year Browns career.

16.  William Green, RB Boston College, 16th pick 2002 draft

Was William Green the 3rd worst player drafted by the Browns since 1990?  Heck no.  But I rate him the 3rd worst draft pick because he had more red flags than a May Day parade in Beijing.    A noted druggie that was booted off the BC squad - who was later stabbed by his girlfriend (Only in Cleveland).  Nice job in the interview Butch.  His numbers were bad as well.  Seemingly not an instinctual RB - he never averaged over 4  yards a carry.  Total 4 year career read 568 carries for 2,100 yards, and 9 rushing TDs - but he will always be remembered for the 64 yard TD of "Run William Run" that led the Browns to their only playoff appearance since the return. 

15.  Brady Quinn, QB Notre Dame, 22nd pick, 2007 draft

Another example where the pick is worse than the player.   The Browns had a roster without talent.  So what does Phil Savage do?   Trade the second pick in the draft and next year's number 1.    This pick showed the key flaw in Savage.  Too emotional, too in love with a pick, too immature, and the trade rolled downhill for 2 years to destroy the Browns.   No number 1 or number 2 the next year - Savage went on a trading up nightmare that sacrificed key picks to get LB Beau Bell and TE Martin Rucker of Mizzou.  In many ways the trades of BQ, Corey Williams, and to a lesser extent Big Baby put the Browns on track for the last 2 years.  For the record, BQs numbers was a 66.8 QB rating and 10 TDs with 9 picks.  The telling statistics though were the career 5.4 avg per attempt with a 52% completion percentage.  A QB who checked down too often and was not accurate enough.  The fact he launched the BQ DA debate takes away even more fromt he pick.

Special thanks to H&H and Mangini for salvaging this pick with the addition of Peyton Hillis in the 2010 trade.

14.  Gerard Warren - DT Florida, 3rd pick, 2001 draft

Gerard Warren was a continual disappointment.  Named "Big Money" - but that described his paycheck and nothing to do with his play.   Making it excepionally painful was that the RB starved Browns passed up on LT to get Big Money.  In addition,  Richard Seymour was selected a few picks later and Bellicek said that Seymour was clearly the number 1 DL and he could not believe another DT was selected ahead of him.  Also marring his Browns history was an arrest after partying with Pittsburgh players.   During the booking process - it was revealed the poor guy had to use an X for his signature.

13.  Courtney Brown - DE Penn St., 1st pick, 2000 draft

To be fair to CB, his carreer was ravaged with injuries and he really could not get healthy enough to see if he was a player.  In one game against Pittsburgh, he was a force.  3 Sacks, forced fumble and a rare Browns win.  That was about it.   Nicknamed the "Quiet Storm" I personally feel that even if healthy CB could not have lived up to the first pick billing.  He just seemed like a "Really Quiet Storm" that was just a little too stiff to ever be a feared pass rusher.   As a comparison, Kam Wimberly had as many sacks in his rookie year as CB in his first 3 years.  The total for Courteny was 17 sacks in his 5 year Browns career.

12.  Tim Couch, QB Kentucky, 1st pick 1999 draft

There will be an eternal debate if TC would have been good without injury.   One thing for sure, he was somewhat mishandled.  Expected to learn from Ty Detmer, Detmer was benched and Couch started the second game of the Browns return season.    And he took a beating due to a patchwork OL.  When healthy, he demonstrated a nice touch, and some very accurate deep balls.   My take, he would have been at least an average starting QB if handled right.  The 50+ sacks in 2 of his first 3 years took their toll as Tim played nervous, and picked up the nasty habit of tapping the ball.  The amazing thing about Tim is how the pedestrian 75 QB rating could generate such a stormy career.

11.  Antonio Langham, CB Alabama, 9th pick 1994 draft

Antonio got off to a nice start to his NFL career, as he immediately became a solid starting CB for the Browns.  His best season was his first in Baltimore, as he intercepted 5 passes for the Ravens.   In the final analysis, Antonio will be remembered for an NFL career that started promising - but leveled off quickly - then declined rapidly.  It looked as if his CB speed was just good enough, and as he lost a step - it killed his career quickly.  

10.  Kellen Winslow, TE Miami, 6th pick 2004 draft

Another pick that I knocked down because of circumstantial issues.  From a capped NFL perspective - a TE drafted overall at #6 would almost have to be a HOFer to justify the money.  Second, in a typical Butch Davis move, he engineered an extremely strange trade up deal.   He gave up a second overall pick, ouch and the Lions did not even have an offense that featured a TE.  Adding insult to injury, it was the ballyhooed QB draft of Manning, Rivers, and Rothlisberger and we gave the Steelers their QBOTF.  To be fair, when healthy he was tough, competitive, and had glue on his hands.  In 2007, he made the tough catches.  While an uninjured KWII would have probably been a perennial Pro Bowl TE -  his "10 cent head" was a key contributor to his injury history.  By the numbers had 80 catches twice in his 5 year Browns career.  He never developed into the "dangerous" TE in the mold of Gates, Gonzalez as he only had 11 TDs in his career - a number no doubt impacted by his Evel Knevel antics.

First of all, from the TMI section, I am not a pro union person.  I deal with an absolute corrupt Mexican union everyday at work, and I also worry that union benefit liabilities are creating the next "financial bubble to burst" in the state governments.  But the Dave Duerson suicide is on my mind today.   Duerson shot himself in the chest so that his "brain" could be studied for the impact of football injuries on the human thought process. 

As a short tribute to Duerson, he was a starting safety on one of the best defenses in the history of football, the 1985 Super Bowl Shuffle of Da Bers.  He graduated from Notre Dame.  He was a "green sticker" guy that was a leader on the field, in the lockerroom, and in the community.  He was competitive, classy, and now dead way too early at the age of 50.

I am sure Roger Goddell is a brilliant man that knows he has the best poker hand.   He can win this thing with a power play.  The NFL is the only major sport that can win a labor beef with an absolute power play, and he is holding at least A-K suited for the following reasons:

• They have consistently marketed the teams and rivalries and not fallen into the trap of marketing the players a la the NBA.
• The NFL uniform is protective gear that constantly gives more exposure to the team than the individual.
• The NFL is the ultimate team sport.  There are literally a handful of players that significantly impact the competitive balance.  Those few, the Bradys, Mannings, Rodgers, Ray Lewises, are unbelievably well compensated in relation to the majority, that their sacrifice for a lost year is 10-20 times that of the standard NFL player.
• The fan base tends to think of the players as selfish, overpaid, pampered, spoiled individuals.  Some of the reputation well earned, and some of it could not be further from the truth.

There are some facts about these gladiators that get missed.   Their average career is right around 4 years.   So basically, if you are not a first round pick - you do not make enough for a lifetime in the NFL.   More than 25% of the NFL players go bankrupt.  They get a short term high standard of living, usually do not have the maturity to think in the longer term, and then have difficulty sustaining their families.

But this is not about the dollar and sense of the business.    This is about a man that left behind his loved ones because he felt that head injuries ruined his rational thought process.   This about Mike Webster, who after being one of the best centers of all time, died in his 50s in the state of dementia, homeless, living in his car.  Steve Courson, whose body just complete gave up on him.  Literally ripping apart, and some have felt from the impact of early steroids.

So here is a vote, that at the end of the day, that Roger Goddell uses the billions of dollars in NFL war chest to do the right thing.  After settling the labor issues with the current players, take care of their warriors.   Give access to the players for lifelong mental and physical care.  Create mechanisms that support the transition from the NFL to regular life.   Invest in these guys in the long term, make it a goal, no more Dave Duersons.

This is my second draft prospect profile that I hope meets the intent of what Chris intended.    My rule is that I have had to see a full 5 games of the player and have seen him in person, so because I don't want to bore you with another Longhorn profile - this is it.    I will give my (very) amateur perceptions of Von Miller and Prince Amukamura, and as a tease why I will be slightly disappointed if one ends up in Orange and Brown.  Because I think that Bowers, Peterson, and Fairley will be gone, and that I will experience the personal heartbreak of AJ Green going in the top 5 as well - there is almost a full 50% chance that Prince or Von Miller will be Cleveland Brown.  First let's look at how each player fits into our draft needs and priorities:

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First of all, spew your vitriol about how this is just another "Texas Longhorn  Homer"  post below, then lets look at the facts.

1. The likely move to a 4-3 defense combined with the fact that the average age of the Browns DL is like 63 and you know that it is critical that the Browns add youth to the DL.

2.  The move to the 4-3 is toughest on the defensive ends, because generally you have to scrap your 3-4 DE "statues" for dynamic and athletic types. So if DL help is critical, DE help is the critical part of the critical part.  (When discussing draft issues, it is critical that you use the word critical.)

3.  On the current roster, the only potential 4-3 DE we have is prollyMatt Roth, and he is one of our 43 possible free agents.  In addition, I am not sure he would be a really good 4-3 DE prospect, but that is a different topic for a different day.

So the Browns have the need for a defensive end, no question.  So then we have to ask, who is Sam Acho? And why should the Browns draft him?

Sam Acho - 6-3 260 lb Defensive End - 4 year Letterman at University of Texas.  Draft Projection 3 rd Round.

10 Reasons The Browns Want and Need Sam Acho ....

1.   Sam Acho is a "green sticker" guy.  The Longhorns sucked this year.  Most of the players quit.  Not Sam Acho.   A proven leader, a proven scholar, his leadership is in the mold of Colt McCoy.  The first 5 bullets will be dedicated to the caliber of the individual, and the second five to the caliber of his football performance.

2.  He is the 2010 Wuerffel Trophy (all-around excellence in athletic, academic and community achievement) Winner.  Acho = excellence on the field, excellence in the classroom, excellence in the community.

3.  He won the William V. Campbell Trophy winner (nation's top football student-athlete) in 2010.  This is basically the Academic Heisman, and would put him in the same class of scholar athlete as Alex Mack.  But he will likely be there in round 3.  (Although this guy is such a high character guy that Mangini would have traded down and selected him at the end of the first round.  BTW he would have pocketed 7 extra seventh round picks in the process)

4.  Sam Acho is an academic All American.  But not once - he is a two-time Academic All-American.

5.   Other key character awards include his inclusion in the 2010 AFCA Good Works Team, and a 2010 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete.  In addition, he goes to where the action is.   Acho made several medical mission trips to his parents' native country of Nigeria.  He assisted his father and approximately 40 doctors by providing medical treatment to Nigerians who may only have access to a doctor once a year.  (Insert all Nigerian medical jokes here)

6.  But if you think this guy is "too nice a guy" he flips the switch and delivers on the field.   He has a tremendous motor and "nose for the football".  His five fumble recoveries led the nation and tied the UT single-season record .

7.  He makes things hapen and is a sack specialist.   In 26 starts he posted 148 tackles, 23.5 sacks (10th on UT's career list) 37 TFL, 44 pressures, eight PBD, eight forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries (second on UT's career list) in his career.  He would likely lead the Browns in sacks in his first year.

8.  He received accolades for his football play.  He was a 2010 unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection.

9.  Natiional accolades as well.   He was recognized as second-team All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and third-team All-America by the Associated Press in 2010.  So basically, based on football production he was a prox top 4 or 5 DE in the country.   This after the Longhorns were 5-7 which had to hurt Sam on the national scene. 

10.  Was a finalist and semifinalists for some prestigious athletic only awards.  A finalist for the 2010 Lott IMPACT Trophy and Lowe's Senior CLASS Award ... a 2010 Lombardi Award semifinalist.

So 1 final question.  If Sam Acho is all that - why will he go in round 3?  He bascially has first round motor, first round quickness, first round character, and about 4th fifth round size.  He will need to add 10 lbs of muscle to get to 270 without affecting his quickness.  But this kid is like Colt in the fact that he has been underestimated his whole life.  He played football in a private school in Dallas Texas.  Private school in Texas is not like private school in Ohio.  All the big boys play in the public schools that have campuses in the size of 6K students.  He was a 3 star recruit like Colt.  Like Colt - he will make Mike Holmgren very happy with a 3rd round pick.