A Canton Repository story suggests that the Browns options for the 12th selection in the NFL Draft seem to have narrowed to four players, and writer Steve Doerschuk identifies the likely targets as:
- Oregon defensive tackle Haloti Ngata.
- Florida State defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley.
- Florida State defensive end Kamerion Wimbley.
- North Carolina State defensive end Manny Lawson.
This all makes sense to me. I'd be shocked if the Browns failed to use their first round pick on a "front seven" defensive player, and from what I've read, any of these four guys could help immediately on a defense that currently lacks athleticism at the "outside" positions of end and linebacker. Ngata is the only one of the four projected to play inside, as the Browns are reported to favor moving Bunkley to an end position to utilize his speed, although he played at a tackle spot in college. Ngata is a 345 pound, prototype nose guard for the 3-4 defense. While I'd love to have a guy like that, I'm leaning toward the pass-rushing, outside speed guy in the first round. For the record, Phil Savage has not yet asked for my advice on this matter.
ESPN.com's latest Mock Draft has the Browns taking Wimbley (with Bunkley already gone to Buffalo at No. 8, and passing on Ngata, who they project going 13th to Baltimore.)
ESPN's Mel Kiper has now projected four full rounds of draft selections. After Wimbley, he has the Browns taking Iowa LB Abdul Hodge in Round 2, Pitt OG Charles Spencer in the 3rd round, and Georgia CB DeMario Minter and Texas DT Rodrique Wright with their two fourth round selections.
OSU fans will be interested to note that Kiper projects six Buckeyes going in the first 37 picks...A.J. Hawk - #5 to Green Bay; Donte Whitner- #16 to Miami; Santonio Holmes - #21 to New England; Ashton Youboty - #31 to Seattle; Nick Mangold - #34 to New Orleans; Bobby Carpenter - #37 to San Francisco.
For the second year in a row, the Bucks have the No. 1 rated placekicker in the draft in Josh Huston. Last year Mike Nugent was drafted in the second round, but Huston will probably have to wait until the draft's second day to hear his name called.
SI.com's Mock Draft has the Browns passing on both Wimbley and Bunkley to take FSU's Ernie Sims, an outside linebacker. Can't see that happening. Fox Sports Mock Draft says the Browns take Wimbley. Fox also has a detailed look at the draft needs and personnel situations for all the AFC North teams.
A fairly new phenomenon in the NFL Draft preparation is the private workout for top draft prospects, and part of that program is the college-sponsored "Pro Day" workout, where a school's draft eligible players, as well as some underclassmen, get to show their stuff for NFL scouts. Last year, Maurice Clarett bombed out of the top rounds by showing up fat and slow to a private pre-draft workout. This year, SI.com rated the top 10 players who helped themselves with good Pro Day showings. I'm not sure how A.J. Hawk can be rated No. 1, since he was a Top 5 prospect even before the Pro Day workouts, but it's not surprising that he knocked scouts' socks off with his performance. I may adopt the Packers as my second team.
Posted by dan at April 16, 2006 10:19 PM