The New Browns: Poor Drafting or Just Unlucky

Along with

,

is the highest drafted quarterback by the Browns since Tim Couch. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

2007 NFL Draft

#1 QB Jamarcus Russell #1 Overall
Browns #3 Joe Thomas
#2 QB Brady Quinn #22 Overall -(Browns traded next year’s #1 to grab him)
Next available–Kevin Kolb, John Beck, Drew Stanton
Verdict-What do you say here? This was just nasty and ugly. The Browns (maybe upset about missing Cutler by one pick) took a chance on a sliding Quinn. It doesn’t work out, but the following year we went 10-6 (no thanks to Quinn) so the draft choice wasn’t so high. But still a miss on a 1st rounder.

2008 NFL Draft

#1 QB Matt Ryan #3 Overall
#2 QB Joe Flacco #18 Overall
Browns (traded to Cowboys) #22
Next available–Brian Brohm and Chad Henne
Verdict-Again, even if the Browns wouldn’t have made the Quinn trade we’re sitting outside looking in. Flacco was another small school prospect (I think the reason he was in the middle of 1st round) but again Browns wouldn’t have been in the position to grab him or Matt Ryan (the can’t miss QB Prospect of this draft).

2009 NFL Draft

#1 QB Matt Stafford #1 Overall
Browns #5 (#2 QB–Mark Sanchez traded to NY Jets)
#3 QB Josh Freeman #17 Overall
Browns #21 Alex Mack
Next available – Pat White
Verdict-This time the Browns were in position but choose not to. Not sure if the new regime wanted to try out Quinn (much like we did with Brandon Weeden this past year) or just wasn’t sold on Sanchez and Freeman. Either way the one QB from this class that I would want, and still starts in the NFL, in Stafford was out of our reach anyways. I still think that kid has huge potential in this league. Would still rather have Alex Mack than Mark Sanchez.

2010 NFL Draft

#1 QB Sam Bradford #1 Overall
Browns #7 Joe Haden
#2 QB Tim Tebow #25 Overall
Next available – Jimmy Clausen and Colt Mccoy (Browns)
Verdict-The jury is still out on Bradford because of his injury prone status but again the Browns weren’t there to grab the #1 QB. McCoy looks to be the 2nd best QB in this draft and that’s not a good thing. Tebow wasn’t considered a 1st round prospect but Josh McDaniels fell in love and jumped to grab him.

2011 NFL Draft

#1 QB Cam Newton #1 Overall
Browns #6 Traded Julio Jones
#2 QB Jake Locker #8 Overall
#3 QB Blaine Gabbert #10 Overall
#4 QB Christian Ponder #12 Overall
Browns #21 Phil Taylor
#5 QB Andy Dalton #35 Overall 2nd round
#6 QB Colin Kaepernick #36 Overall 2nd round
Browns 2nd Round-#37 Jabaal Sheard
Next available – Ryan Mallet (3rd Round)
Verdict-This one is a little crazy to try to explain. From what I remember about this draft the Browns wanted A.J. Green (who went two picks before the Browns). That left either Jones, Locker, Gabbert and Ponder in that 1st cluster. You can argue Jones but that’s not what we’re talking about here. From those QBs only one still has a possible future in Locker, the other two are already back-ups. Can’t really blame the Browns for not taking one of those. Clearly Newton was the one to get in that draft, has shown why, but was still out of reach for the Browns. The problem comes in the 2nd round. Now obviously the 2nd rounders weren’t as highly sought after as the 1st rounders with lower draft grades. Dalton is still iffy in some eyes with his inconsistent play. But did the Browns think they had a chance at one of those before both were swiped right before them (San Fran did trade up to snag him giving up their #45, 4th and 5th rounders)? We’ll never know. But it’s clear the Browns made the right call in the 1st round as far as Quarterback is concerned all because they missed out on the #1 pick to get the can’t miss QB Prospect of this draft.