Browns' Draft Analysis - After I've Cooled Down

So anyone who knows me knows I was absolutely livid when Manziel was drafted. In fact, I stood up, said goodnight, and left the draft party I was at without another word when it happened. Why? Simply put, Manziel will never amount to anything more than an average starter, at best. However, this is much more than a wasted first-round pick. It is a cancer that the team has inherited, which will serve to cause second-guessing on every mistake Hoyer makes. Hoyer will have a hard time being afforded the normal leash that any QB deserves. Manziel is a glorified Tebow and the Browns will suffer as a result. The Browns are not nearly as good as the Broncos were when they had Tebow and can ill-afford to turn from a healthy Hoyer pre-maturely. However, I've put aside the overwhelming negativity I experienced with that pick and have been able to take an objective look at the overall draft and each individual pick. Here is my analysis:

Justin Gilbert - CB Oklahoma State, First Round, 9th Pick:

True shut-down potential here. Will start week 1

This is not a glamorous pick, but is a huge home run as far as I'm concerned. It is flat-out theft. The Browns acquired the Bills' first round pick next year, and a CB with a significant chance of being better than their already dominant Joe Haden. This dude is a beast, and his coverage ability will only improve under the Browns coaching staff's guidance. Huge win for the Browns. Grade: A

Johnny Manziel - QB Texas A&M, First Round, 22nd Pick:

This is an absolutely atrocious pick. Not even the perpetually awful hype-swayed Jerry Jones wanted the circus that Manziel brings. He was cautioned by his scouts that Manziel was not worth even considering in the first round, at any slot. Yet the Browns, in typical Browns failure, think they have outsmarted everyone in the world and somehow gotten a steal that no one else saw. When it seems too good to be true, it is usually because it is. This is a disastrous pick, that unless Hoyer picks up where he left off last year, immediately, with no delay, in a brutal beginning schedule, coming off of ACL surgery, will serve to end the Browns for the next 2-3 years. Luckily, Hoyer will keep Manziel on the bench, so this is no more than a wasted first round pick, rather than a pick that will destroy the franchise. However, if Hoyer gets hurt, we will be wishing we drafted another QB here, or later in the draft. There is a very small chance that Manziel will manage to stay healthy and change his style of play 180 degrees, which is the only reason this grade isn't an F. Grade: D-

Great bro to party with, not who you want heading your franchise

The next four picks are all extremely good picks, I absolutely love every single one of them - they're ALL A grades, except that the Browns desperately needed a WR. So I will grade these all as A, and the overall draft will reflect the lack of a WR with its grade.

Beast

Joel Bitonio - OG/OT Nevada, Second Round, 35rd Pick:

This is a very solid pick. The Browns desperately needed some versatile linemen. This guy can either take over for Schwartz if he fails to hold at RT, or can start at either guard position if he does. This, in my mind, gives the Browns easily the #1 OL in all of football. That is absolutely crucial for Hoyer's success, as well as the Browns' running game, which they will need all the more now with their thinned out receiver core. Again, not a glamorous pick, but a very very good one that will serve us well for many years. Check out the link in his name to read about how good this guy is. Grade: A

Getting some, welcome to the AFC North son

Christian Kirksey - OLB Iowa, Third Round, 71st Pick:

Some think that OLB is a position of great strength for the Browns. It is. But for a third round pick, as insurance for Mingo's potential bust status, and if not, to provide depth and rotation at OLB, this is another non-glamorous but great pick for the Browns. Kirksey has great speed, and very good instinct. He will serve the Browns well, even if it is only as their 3rd OLB. If thr Browns do go through with moving him to ILB i think there is slightly more risk, but it is a move Kirksey should be able to make relatively easily. He will need to add some weight and may be undersized a bit but we have little to no depth at ILB. Again, this grade does not reflect the fact that the Browns could/should have taken a receiver here. Grade: B-

Ray Rice/Carlos Hyde?

Terrence West - RB Towson, Third Round, 94th Pick:

Poor man's Carlos Hyde. This is the second-best pick of the draft, but has the highest grade because of the Gordon epic-fail. In the absence of receiving threats, the Browns will very much need an absolutely dominant running game to have any chance of success. Between Tate, Lewis and West the Browns not only have insurance against the likely injuries that Tate and Lewis bring the the table, but have an extremely impressive stable of backs to absolutely punish teams behind the NFL's best OL. Grade: A+

Our eventual #1 CB, that's saying something. For now, Nickel

Pierre Desir - CB Lindenwood, Fourth Round, 126th pick:

Wow. I can't really claim it now because I have no proof, but I have nearly written him in about 50 times in my pre-final drafts of my Mock 1.0 and 2.0. This guy is the Richard Sherman of this draft. He is huge, fast, strong, and has great instinct. Absolute steal in the fourth round. Grade: A



Overall, between Manziel and not getting a receiver, the Browns failed pretty badly in this draft, or at least took a huge risk. They're playing with fire here, and the only fireman on duty is Brian Hoyer. Good thing for us, if healthy, Hoyer will still take this team to at least 9 wins this year. The only difference is this will be a team that hangs its hat on defense and a strong running game. Oh wait, this is the Browns and the AFC north we're talking about, so that's EXACTLY what you should do. Anyway, overall grade for this draft is a C because of those two factors. Yes that's how bad I think the Manziel effect will be on this team. Don't get me wrong, Manziel is probably the second most fun person to party with in all of Cleveland (outside of my friends) behind Nick Swisher. He just isn't a football player. Not in the AFC North and not for the Browns. If Hoyer stays healthy, none of this will matter. But if he struggles early and the Browns knee-jerk and put Manziel in, only a Manziel injury will save them. Overall, this draft's success will be directly tied to Hoyer's success. Lots of extremely good picks when taken individually, but time will tell how well they fit as a whole.

GO BROWNS. I'm going with 9-7 now, but still think they can win 11 with some fortunate games and Hoyer staying healthy all year. If Hoyer plays less than a full season, my expectation drops to 5-6 wins.