Day before Draft Day Release; The Cleveland Browns get a realistic look at the Draft

Mar 20, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel shake hands with fans following the fourth quarter of the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Richardson-USA TODAY Sports

After the butchering of all the things fun and realistic about the draft thanks to the upcoming film Draft Day (my posts on the film and Cleveland tie-ins to be up tonight) I’ve decided to bring back the integrity of draft day with my 2nd Cleveland Browns’ mock draft (see how the draft played out for everyone here) you can do your own here thanks to the crew at FanSpeak.

When people do their drafts, GMs or Mockers or Fans, everyone has their own take on success and how to draft. Some draft for best talent, some value, some for position, some for potential, some for previous success, and some with reckless abadonen. I believe you need all these things to not only have a successful draft but to help your team be a contender, which is the ultimate way to judge a draft. In this draft I do a little of everything trying to get my Brownies from Last to First.

1-4.) Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M With Jadeveon Clowney and Sammy Watkins still available, this isn’t a no-brainer. I believe these 3 are the franchise changers, the once in a lifetime prospects. There is also the possibility that Manziel might drop to the the 26th pick. I pick Manziel because I have Josh Gordon so getting Sammy Watkins is a luxury (also its a talent stacked WR draft where I have two others later in mind in Marqise Lee and Watkins’ teammate Martavis Bryant), Clowney would be added to a fully stocked OLB and DE core but would instantly be an upgrade and monster on defense. Where I’m super weak and have been since the new Browns formed, is at QB. This is the MOST IMPORTANT position on the field. The ball is constantly in his hands, he’s the leader of the team and as Browns fans, and Texans fans are all nodding in agreement, we know that poor QB play is a recipe of endless losses. Manziel brings a leadership, toughness, and winning mentality to a team that has never had this. He’s got the arm strength, the accuracies, pocket prescense and ability to add that extra dimension to make the offense 11 vs 11 on the defense. Yes he needs to learn and stay in the pocket longer, yes he may need to learn to slide more, yes he’ll have to learn to get in position and set his feet before bombing a ball and yes at times he’ll frustrate you. BUT those are things that can be learned, will be learned under Kyle Shanahan and what you get in return is an instant game changer on the dreadful disaster that has been the Browns offense for many years. This is why I can’t risk waiting till 26. If there is one player I want to come out of this draft with it’s Manziel. I can’t risk any team falling in love with him or a team jumping up in front of 26 to get him. I have to lock him down because that’s how important I think he is to the short term and long-term success of my franchise.