2014 NFL Draft - First Round

Draft Selection

May 8, 2014

Tuned into AM 850 over the Internet at 8:07 p.m. Wall-to-wall Browns draft coverage all day today. I listened to AM 850 on the radio while working in the backyard this afternoon.

Although, 2014 draft talk for the Browns began last September on AM 850.

The NFL is the only sport that I follow. It's a fun, relaxing escape.

The "thinking" is the Browns will take Sammy Watkins WR Clemson at #4 and T. Bridgewater QB Louisville at #26.

Another thought is the Browns will trade down their #4 pick and trade up their #26 pick.

It has to be pretty wild in the Browns draft war room.

At 8:10 p.m., Aaron Goldhammer reported that the Houston Texans will take Jadeveon Clowney DE S Carolina at #1 overall. Tony Grossi just said that he thinks Clowney will be a bust. That's also the thinking of Jerod Cherry, who I enjoy slistening to. Jerod played for three Super Bowl winning teams at New England. Tony Rizzo is also on hand. They're all broadcasting on location at the Hard Rock Rocksino at Northfield Park.

At 8:14 p.m., Tony Grossi thinks St. Louis with the #2 pick will try to trade down with Atlanta who has the #6 pick.

At 8:15 p.m., NFL commissioner announced the first pick, which was Clowney. He's a physical specimen.

Jerod said he would have chosen Khalil Mack OLB Buffalo or one of the other offensive tackles.

It is strange that Clowney only had three sacks in his final year in college.

Scouts Inc rated Clowney as the best player in the draft.

At 8:19 p.m., Aaron said St. Louis plans to take Greg Robinson OT Auburn. Scouts Inc ranks Robinson as the second best player in this year's draft.

The Top 10 rated players per Scouts Inc.:

1. Jadeveon Clowney DE S Carolina
2. Greg Robinson OT Auburn
3. Khalil Mack OLB Buffalo
4. Sammy Watkins WR Clemson
5. Jake Matthews OT Texas A&M
6. Aaron Donald DT Pittsburgh
7. Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
8. Taylor Lewan OT Michigan
9. Zack Martin OT Notre Dame
10. O. Beckham Jr. WR LSU

At 8:23 p.m., Aaron said a photo is circulating on social media of Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M drinking a beer, a Coors Light possibly. No problem with the dude drinking a brewski, but he needs to upgrade to something else.

I' chowing down on pasta with DD's sauce that she made and canned last fall. I'm drinking a tasty brew: North Peak Brewing Company, Vicious American Wheat IPA. It's a Michigan brewery.

At 8:25 p.m., commish announces offensive tackle Robinson going to St. Louis.

Actually, Grossi is reporting from Browns HQ in Berea.

Aaron reports at 8:27 p.m. that according Pro Football Talk, the Browns will trade down their #4 pick. Rizzo asked the crowd for thoughts, and the crowed booed.

At 8:28 p.m., Aaron reports that Jacksonville may take Blake Bortles QB UCF. Scouts Inc ranks Bortles as the 18th best player in the draft. This seems like a surprise pick. Aaron said the first "bombshell" of the draft. The QBs are ranked low, relatively speaking.

So will the Browns still trade down their #4 pick. The AM 850 gang thinks the Browns should take WR Watkins or OLB Mack.

Aaron is getting his info from his "sources" or his social media stream.

At 8:31 p.m.Aaron said the Johnny beer photo was photoshopped.

At 8:31 p.m., the commish announces the Jags taking Bortles. So far, Aaron's early reports have been correct. This was a biggie. Rizzo said he did not see one mock draft that had Bortles going three or that high in the draft.

The Jags need a QB. Bortles seems to be the biggest, size-wize, among the top QBs in the draft.

At 8:33 p.m., Rizzo announces, "The Browns are on the clock." And the crowd hoots and hollers.

Aaron wants Johnny. Jerod wants Sammy Watkins. Rizzo wants Johnny. The crowd is mixed. No actually, the crowd wants Sammy more than Johnny. Watch the Browns trade down.

At 8:34 p.m, the crowd boos. Uh oh. The Browns have traded their #4 pick down with Buffalo who had the #9 pick. So far, nothing mentioned as to what else the Browns may get.

At 8:35 p.m., Rizzo said the Bills will take Sammy Watkins. Not popular move for the Browns fans. Jerod does not like it. He said the Browns should not pass up on great talent.

Aaron said the Browns will get a first round pick from Buffalo for 2015 and a fourth round pick for 2015. No additional picks for this year's draft.

The Browns already planning for next year???

What about the Bills? They made an aggressive move by giving up their first round pick for next year.

Aaron said the Browns like WR Evans.

Aaron said that Peter King said that it was a great trade for Cleveland. Browns still have a top-10 pick in this draft, and they will have two first round picks next year like this year, unless the Browns trade down again.

At 8:39 p.m., commercial.

At 8:43 p.m., commish said Raiders take Mack, linebacker from Buffalo.

Browns may take a cornerback at #9.

Allegedly, the Browns were high on both Watkins and Mack, but the Browns passed on both.

The NFL rules are slanted to favor quarterbacks and wide receivers. Those are the positions that I would draft in the top 10, if a need exists. And the Browns need another wide receiver. I think taking Watkins would have been better than trading down even with getting another first round pick in 2015.

Browns media guy Vick Curuchi thinks the Browns will take Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma at #9. Scouts Inc. ranks Gilbert the 20th best player.

Aaron said the Falcons are expected to take Jake Matthews OT Texas A&M. Commish confirms. Scouts Inc ranks Matthews the 5th best player. Rizzo said Matthews is the best player in the draft. Matthews is part of the Matthews NFL family.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Matthews

He is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews and the younger brother of Kevin Matthews, a center who also played for the Aggies. His younger brother, Mike, currently plays center for the Aggies as well. He is also the cousin of Clay Matthews III, a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers and Casey Matthews, a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_Matthews_III

His father Clay Matthews, Jr. played 19 seasons and 278 games as a linebacker for the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons while earning 4 Pro Bowl selections. His uncle Bruce Matthews also played 19 seasons in the NFL, playing 296 games an offensive lineman for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise after being drafted out of USC in 1983, Bruce was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Amazing football family bloodline.

Tampa Bay is up next.

Apparently, Johnny is getting a lot of face time on TV, ESPN.

At 8:59 p.m., the commish announces the Bucs taking Mike Evans WR Texas A&M, the 7th ranked player for Scouts Inc.

At 9:00 p.m., Cleveland is on the clock because the Browns traded up to get the #8 pick. Why?

Grossi think the Browns moved up to #8 to take a cornerback. Wow. That's exciting. The NFL is more likely to tinker with the rules in the future to favor the offense more than the defense.

At 9:02 p.m., the Browns are about to have their first pick of the 2014 draft announced. The Browns swapped picks with the Vikings. The Browns gave up their 5th round pick.

Aaron said the Browns will take cornerback Gilbert from OK State.

Browns top-notch CB Haden got burned at home vs lowly Jacksonville, and the Jags won. The best CBs can still get burnt. It only takes one play. One smart, savvy play by a veteran QB.

At 9:04 p.m., the commish announces that the Browns will take Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St. who Scouts Inc. rated as the 20th best player in the draft. So Gilbert did well, but the Browns reached down.

The best NFL QBs complete passes to catchers who are not open. The pass receiver needs to run a strict route and get position. The top-flight accurate QBs will laser beam that pass to the receiver even if an excellent CB is covering the receiver. And the receiver can push off a little and has a good chance to draw a pass interference penalty from the CB.

Look at what happened in the New England game, late, when Haden was flagged for a bad pass interference call. The best CBs cannot overcome the NFL's bias toward QBs and WRs.

The Browns should have taken Watkins at #4. I think this is a bad move for the Browns.

Bevis was the best corner in the game with the Jets. He played in a couple AFC championship games with the Jets. But the Jets have sunk since. Bevis plays elsewhere.

According Aaron, the Vikings will take Anthony Barr OLB UCLA. Scouts Inc ranks Barr the 25th best player. So the Vikings reached like the Browns. If this pick is true.

At 9:12 p.m., commish announces Barr.

At 9:14 p.m., the 10th pick is announced. The Lions take Eric Ebron TE N Carolina. Scouts Inc ranks hime 11th best player in draft. Lions looking to build on offense. That's the league. I'm sure the Lions have holes on defense.

The Browns need to score more points. The AFC North QBs: Rothlisberger, Flacco, and Dalton. Those QBs are talented enough to complete passes to targets who are covered.

A top-flight CB is already behind the top-flight WR because of the NFL rules and bias that favors the offense.

Tennessee is up next. At 9:24 p.m., the Titans take Taylor Lewan OT Michigan. Scouts Inc ranked him the 8th best player. Good pick, seemingly, for the Titans.

Giants up next with the 12th pick. The Cowboys pick at #16. Will Dallas take Johnny to backup Romo for a couple years or so?

Aaron said that someone said the Browns tried to trade up to #11 with Tennessee. That is Cleveland's #26 pick, trading up to #11. But TN said no, and the Titans seemed to get a good player.

At 9:30 p.m., the commish the Giants' pick.

At 9:30 p.m., Aaron said that according to Pro Football Talk, the Browns are trying to move up ahead of Dallas possibly to take Johnny. Aaron is excited.

Giants took a WR. I think it was O. Beckham Jr. WR LSU, but I'm not sure. Yes. The Giants took Beckham.

Aaron said the Rams will take Aaron Donald DT Pittsburgh. Scouts Inc ranks Donald as the 6th best player in the draft. Nice pick for the Rams, it seems.

Next picks as of 9:33 p.m.

14 Chicago Bears
15 Pittsburgh Steelers
16 Dallas Cowboys
17 Baltimore Ravens
18 New York Jets

It would be great if Cleveland managed to move up to snag Johnny. The crowd may go nuts. Too bad Cle did not take a WR too with their earlier pick. Will Cle trade their #8 pick to move up?

At 9:38 p.m., the Rams pick was announced. It was Donald per above.

The Bears are up next.

At 9:44 p.m., commish announced that the Bears took Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech. Ranked 15th by Scouts Inc.

The Steelers then the Cowboys. I doubt the Steelers would trade with Cleveland.

Aaron said the Steelers with the 15th pick will take Ryan Shazier OLB Ohio State. Scouts Inc ranked 17th.

The Browns may trade up with Dallas. The Cowboys should be set with Romo for a few more years, at least. So maybe Dallas has no need for a circus-like atmosphere backup QB.

At 9:47 p.m., commish announced the Steelers pick, which was Shazier.

Romo is 34-years-old, and he's had two back surgeries. Troy Aikman retired at or around the age of 34 after one back surgery.

Next picks:

16 Dallas
17 Baltimore
18 NY Jets
19 Miami
20 Arizona

Grossi thinks Dallas will take Johnny. Aaron is in agony.

It's 9:51 p.m. Still waiting. Will a trade occur?

Grossi said watch out for Philly at #22 who may take Johnny.

At 9:52 p.m., the pick is in, and they don't think it's Johnny.

Grossi thinks Browns GM Ray Farmer has been aggressive in this draft. I say no way. Browns at #8 took a 20th ranked player, according to Scouts Inc. A CB??

At 9:53 p.m., commish announced Dallas took Zack Martin OT Notre Dame. Scouts Inc ranked him 9th.!! Wow. Maybe a big score for Dallas. Aaron was delighted.

Baltimore is up next.

It's now 10:00 p.m. Still waiting for Ravens pick.

Ravens took C.J. Mosley ILB Alabama. Scouts Inc. ranked him 14th.

18 New York Jets
19 Miami Dolphins
20 Arizona Cardinals
21 Green Bay Packers
22 Philadelphia Eagles
23 Kansas City Chiefs
24 Cincinnati Bengals
25 San Diego Chargers
26 Cleveland Browns

At 10:04 p.m., Jerod said that he thinks Johnny will fall to the second round!!

Aaron said he believes the beer photo of Johnny was photoshopped.

All the teams above the Browns' #26 pick do not need a QB. But earlier, Grossi said Philly may take Johnny.

I can't believe the Browns traded down from #4 to grab a cornerback at #8. Weak.

At 10:07 p.m., Aaron said that Adam Shafter thinks that the Kansas City Chiefs may take Johnny. Chiefs pick at 23. Current Chiefs QB Alex Smith will be in the final year of his contract in this upcoming season.

At 10:08 p.m., Aaron said the Jets will take Calvin Pryor S Louisville. Ranked 21st by Scouts Inc.

At 10:10 p.m., commish announced Jets taking Pryor.

Aaron thinks the Dolphins are a potential trading partner with the Browns.

The Dolphins are up next with the 19th pick.

At 10:18 p.m., the commish announced the Dolphins picked offensive tackle James. I don't see James on the Scouts Inc top 32 list.

At 10:20 p.m., the AZ Cardinals traded their pick with the Saints who had the #27 pick.

Apparently, Bridgewater and Johnny are on their phones, so maybe the Saints will take one of those QBs.

Johnny maybe in New Orleans?? Jerod still thinks that Johnny and Bridgewater will fall to the second round. Will the Browns take Bridgewater? That's what some have said all day today that the Browns would take a CB or a WR with their first pick and QB Bridgewater.

But Rizzo said that he was told at 6:00 p.m. today that the Browns would take Carr at 26.

Rizzo said the Saints took a wide receiver. Wow. The Saints with a lot of good offensive players took another offensive player. I guess the Saints understand the league.

So the Cardinals traded down from 20 to to 27 with the Saints.

Radio commercial at 10:24 p.m.

Holy crap. Still advertising at 10:31 p.m.!! Trying to get ahead so they don't have to advertise later when the Browns pick.

Green Bay is up next with the 21st pick.