A lot of people want to peg the success of this draft class to whether or not QB Colt McCoy works out. However to me, that seems particularly unfair. McCoy was the fourth draft pick by this team, and the 85th pick overall. I would say they Browns did a masterful job of waiting and not placing high expectations on their rookie QB.
More than that though the Browns landed impact layers before they selected McCoy, and the real success in this draft comes down to if Joe Haden becomes the shutdown NFL corner everyone thinks he can become.
If second round pick they took Safety TJ Ward to step in and further help the Browns secondary, and they landed RB Montario Hardesty to come help and possibly be their featured back. Those two picks would need to produce far before we start talking about the impact of McCoy.
Much more than the success of McCoy, who is unlikely to see much playing time in 2010, it is the success of these other draft picks that will determine how this draft class lives up to history. McCoy success will come later as he is a developmental project for this team. In the short term Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace will lead the Brown offense.
My favorite pick of this draft was OL Shawn Lauvao in the third round (92nd overall). He can play Tackle or Guard and will likely step into one of those spot on the right side of the Brown O Line. Lauvao graduated in 3.5 years, and seems very smart. He is the kind of player character guys dream of.
In the fifth round they took SS Larry Asante who figures to be a special teams player in 2010.
With their two picks in the sixth round they selected WR Carlton Mitchell, who gives them another offensive weapon, if he can learn to not use his chest to catch the ball so much, and DE Clifton Geathers who figures to be a depth pick.
Now a more complete look at the 2010 Cleveland Browns draft class:
Round One (7)- CB Joe Haden Florida
Round Two (38)- S TJ Ward Oregon
Round Two (59)- RB Montario Hardesty Tennessee
Round Three (85)- QB Colt McCoy Texas
Round Three (92)- OT Shaun Lauvao Arizona State
Round Five (160)- SS Larry Asante Nebraska
Round Six (177)- WR Carlton Mitchell USF
Round Six (186)- De Clifton Geathers South Carolina
Related Links:
• Cleveland Browns news and notes
• 2010 NFL Draft Initial Team grades
• The Business of the NFL
• MTR Football.com
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