Official 2014 NFL Draft Thread - Wide Receivers

OK...Just got a little too excited as I saw an announcement that I didn't really expect..

This leads me into our second thread for the draft:

Wide Receivers!!

There is a lot to get excited about here, especially since we are actually looking for a complement piece to Josh Gordon. There are MANY available pieces in this draft scattered throughout the early to mid rounds...

My excitement is over Kelvin Benjamin declaring yesterday for the draft. It is actually possible that the first round might emit the best talent ever in a NFL draft...

Ok, so my breakdown thus far on WRs:

First round grade:
1. Sammy Watkins - electrifying
2. Mike Evans - tall receiver who will win battles with DBs
3. Kelvin Benjamin - see Evans, with possibly more speed, but also inconsistent hands
4. Marquise Lee - speed, speed and more speed

Second round grade(all of which would be immediate upgrades to this team):
1. Odell Beckham Jr. - VERY fast, a step below Lee in route running
2. Allen Robinson - Nice possession receiver
3. Brandon Cooks
4. Davante Adams

Third round grade(all would still challenge for a starting gig, with Little and Bess as competition):
1. Jaelen Strong
2. Jordon Matthews
3. Jared Abbrederis

Anyone else on your radar as potential immediate starters?

 

Things that make yo go hmmmm...

http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2014/1/17/5318532/the-weekly-whine

Let's just hope that our FO has finally figured out what makes a good one...

 

That's a good list Irish, I think that guys like Brandon Coleman and Donte Moncrief could surprise as well if taken in the late 3rd or 4th rounds.

Edit: Add Robert Herron to that list Irish. I think this guy could be an ideal slot guy that could be a steal w/ a late 3rd / 4th round selection.

 

Here's one for you Lym...

http://instagram.com/p/lf8hV5o2zo/#

 

*YAHOO*

And . . . I believe #4 is also available.

 

Just throwing this out there, but after SAS sent me the link with Garoppolo's game film...I have noticed something that could be fairly significant...Erik Lora is a baller!

He is the Senior WR for Eastern Illinois who doesn't get much screen or pen time from anyone..But someone will get this guy simply because he keeps showing up in Garoppolo's game film...

He is a poor man's Watkins. About the same speed, very shifty after the catch, but for the most part he is doing it against MUCH slower and lessor talented DBs than Watkins did.

Late round flyer would be well worth the payment..

 

Reminds me a lot of (insert personal plug), BGSU's Freddie Barnes, who unfortunately never panned out in the NFL. I'd be more than willing to spend a third day pick on the guy. Goodness knows we need WR talent like there's no tomorrow!

I would not be surprised to see the Browns dip into the WR pool a few times in this upcoming draft. R2 - R3 should yield at least one and then a later pick in R6 or R7 to add some much-needed depth.

 

OK, it seems apparent many of you will not be content with a vast improvement in 2014 in order to go for the ultimate goal of Super Bowl or bust in 2015 and beyond...So...

Here is my adjusted win more games now by improving the offense. Very possibly make it to the playoffs, but most probably won't make the Super Bowl anytime soon...

1. Houston Texans select Teddy Bridgewater, end of this process he is still the best QB in this draft
2. St. Louis Rams select Greg Robinson, I believe Matthews is better, but I will go with the majority here
3. Jacksonville Jaguars select Johnny Manziel, after his Pro Day he will be vaulted to top dog..without reason
4. Cleveland Browns select Sammy Watkins, a weapon for YOUR QB Brian Hoyer
5. Oakland Raiders select Jadeveon Clowney

26. Cleveland Browns select **trade** Raiders trade 2014 #36 and #67 selections for Derek Carr

35. Cleveland Browns select Jimmy Garoppolo, QB prospect to sit and learn
36. Cleveand Browns select Xavier S'ua-Filo G with a high motor for zone blocking scheme

39. Jacksonville Jaguars select **trade** Browns trade 2014 #67 and #71 selections for Carlos Hyde (comes from zone blocking scheme at tOSU)

83. Cleveland Browns select Jack Mewhort (RT comes from tOSU zone blocking scheme)
106. Cleveland Browns select Philip Gaines CB Rice, speed and 27 passes defensed over the past 2 seasons
145. Cleveland Browns select Jay Prosch, gives Shanny his true FB that he desires
180. Cleveland Browns select Preston Brown ILB Louisville
218. Cleveland Browns select Corey Linsley (C comes from tOSU zone blocking scheme)


This team instantly becomes a ball control running team with two weapons on the outside capable of big plays and a capable TE to keep the chains moving on 3rd down.

Heavily rely on the defense to close out games...

 

^^^^^^ A draft like that could go a long way towards winning the Big one Irish...





I still don't get why people think that JF is the ONLY QB that could get the Browns to the big dance *SCRATCH*

 

Because so many NFL quarterbacks have limitations to their ceilings. If just any quarterback could take your team to the Super Bowl, it wouldn't be such a hard position to nail down and wouldn't be so important.

Johnny Manziel has the biggest upside of any QB prospect in this year's draft. If developed appropriately, he could be one of those franchise-changing quarterbacks.

Just being a very good passer (see: Ryan, Matt) and even having the benefit of an elite team surrounding you, it's not a guarantee to make it to a Super Bowl. That's why I would pass a very talented guy like Teddy Bridgewater.

Please, no one say Blake Bortles. He's Blaine Gabbert 2.0 but with loftier expectations. He's two to three years away from success in the NFL and he's going to be rushed by whatever team takes him early. Unlike Bortles, Manziel has already proven he can game today. That's what makes him all the more valuable.

 

Fair enough. I've bolded the part that is the real key to Manziels success and why I dont' feel that he should be conisdered a starter in his Rookie season.

I've seen enough tape on Manziel where he makes enough small mistakes that would be magnified at the NFL level. I wont argue that he potentially has a higher celing than other QBs in this draft, but he will have to recondition himself away from his school yard style of play.

 

And every other QB being drafted, whether he is Andrew Luck or Brandon Weeden...Being able to develop him, and more importantly his ability to be developed will define success or failure...

For that matter, it effects every prospect...It just shouldn't be as relevant at some of the other positions, because some of those positions shouldn't be a cerebral...but a kid who can't take coaching is a kid who can't take coaching and he WILL FAIL.

 

Honestly Irish I think that is what has been the achillies heel of the Browns since 1999. IMHO the Browns have not been able to develop the young QB's they've selected over the years. Whether it was the player or the coaches or some combination of the two, it just never really happened.

Let's just hope that the Browns finally have a coaching staff that can develop the QB they select in the draft. That the chosen QB buys into the system Farmer, Pettine, and Shanahan want to run. With the understanding that both the coaches and players need to find a way to adapt to that system to turn it into a well oiled machine that runs smoothly and finds ways to win Championships.

*DRINK*

 

I agree 100% Crex...They have not had a gelling of system to player/player to system in the last 14 years. Is it because they haven't allowed a staff to be here long enough to happen or even a simpler answer, they haven't been able to find players good enough to make any system better?

The only thing I will disagree with slightly is this:

I feel it is 100% on the coaches to adapt a system that helps each player exceed their potential. Get a coaching staff that can do that and we will have a winner.

 

Honestly, Crex, it's more that the Browns have never sought out a franchise QB. The Browns -- despite having 22 opening day starters since 1999 -- have only drafted seven of their own guys. Of those seven, we have the most successful (yikes) of the group: Tim Couch.

Tim Couch was the only legitimate franchise QB the team ever invested in. Not only does Couch still hold the best QB rating of all starters since 1999, he also is the only QB to have taken us to the Playoffs in that time as well. Now, the League did Cleveland (and Tim) a disservice by putting us behind when we re-started the program. That, coupled with the death of an owner and subsequent power struggle by an egomanic derailed Couch's career.

Who else makes this list?

Spergon Wynn - R6, P183
Luke McCown - R4, P106
Charlie Frye - R3, P67
Brady Quinn - R1, P22
Colt McCoy - R3, P85
Brandon Weeden - R1, P22

The players not drafted in R1 -- especially quarterbacks -- typically require seasoning and time on the bench before they're ready to play. Not that Wynn or McCown were ever going to amount to anything, but they did not have long development times. Frye had 8 games to develop. McCoy had 4.

Quinn falls into the "flawed, but salvageable" area, where the F/O thought they could coax his talent out. He was ruined/under-mined by Head Coach / GM conflict and the total mishandling of the QB competition. In the end, his flaws were too much to outweigh the positives and he was cast aside.

Brandon Weeden is the pick that should never have been (obviously). He was given a fourth round grade, with several "anonymous" F/O people saying he wasn't even draftable. The illustrious Mike Holmgren took him at #22 and set the franchise back another three years.

No... we don't do a good enough job developing our talent. But worse -- we don't actively seek that talent out.

 

Fixed for ya SAS...

I wont get into the fact that former regimes did try :| ... somewhat. As you stated Couch was supposed to be the "franchise" QB, but the O-line made of swiss cheese derailed his career. We'll never know if he could have been better than McNabb or not.


As for Quinn... well all I can say is they threw the dart... blindfolded...


Hopefully all that is going to change with the new owner, GM, HC we now have.

 

Agree to disagree...

I think it's a two way street between players and coaches...

 

Thought this was the "Wide Receivers Thread. *SCRATCH*

Spoiler

 

I have to disagree w some of these statements....all we heard was how Weeden would flourish w Turner and Chud in this new offense of attacking and throwing down field....he wasnt a good fit for the so called West coast offense but this fits him to a tee. Well, we all saw what happened....not tooting my own horn, but I said all along that he would struggle w the pass rush cause of the down field approach and his Ints would probably go up since he will b making less % throws. I think both of those happened and now he is gone....just take Manziel and u can run any system u want.

 

I have to disagree w some of these statements....all we heard was how Weeden would flourish w Turner and Chud in this new offense of attacking and throwing down field....he wasnt a good fit for the so called West coast offense but this fits him to a tee. Well, we all saw what happened....not tooting my own horn, but I said all along that he would struggle w the pass rush cause of the down field approach and his Ints would probably go up since he will b making less % throws. I think both of those happened and now he is gone....just take Manziel and u can run any system u want.