<![CDATA[Looking Ahead]]>The Browns have apparently shorn up quite a few areas of weakness with their recent draft acquisitions: QB, RB, WR, RT, and a few others.

The question will be: where do they still have a desperate need for talent?

I am thinking that they will still be in need of run stopping talent. Taylor will be out. Who knows if the later round picks will measure up.

Let's assume that the Browns are NOT going to imrove their record by leaps and bounds this year. That they will be drafting in the top part of the draft, say the top 16 slots.

Who would they look to in the first round next year. (yes, I know, silly when this year's season hasn't even started, but bear with me).

Let's also make an assumption that they will not go after a QB/RB/WR. So no overrated Matt Barkleys or Tyler Wilsons.... all of whom BW3 is better than in my opinon.

Possibles:

At OLB and DE, they can scout basically two schools: Texas and LSU

Barkevious Mingo OLB and Sam Montgomery DE both from LSU

Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor Texas

Also Jarvis Jones Georgia

Margus Hunt SMU

At DB:

David Amerson CB NC St.

Eric Reid FS LSU

TJ McDonals FS USC

Johnathan Banks CB Miss. St.

DTs:

Star Lutolelei Utah

Johnathan Hankins Ohio St.

Does anyone disagree that we may need to go defense in the first round next year?

]]>https://brownsboard.com/topic/23361/looking-aheadRSS for NodeThu, 01 Oct 2026 13:01:13 GMTFri, 13 Jul 2012 17:16:53 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:28:54 GMT]]>

@unsympathetic said:

Just like all the mock drafts suggest, my bet is we'll be drafting a DE with our first-rounder next year. Rucker is not the solution.

As for CB, my bet is the guy we took from ASU will be a competent nickel back.

No man. The guy that is going to be a superstar is T. Gipson, the UDA DB we picked up. Just watch.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/295028https://brownsboard.com/post/295028Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:28:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:26:44 GMT]]>

@poeticg said:

I would say we take the "Honey Badger".

And yet, he is rated only the 4th or 5th best player on LSU's defense.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/295026https://brownsboard.com/post/295026Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:26:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:25:22 GMT]]>

@ballpeen said:

I think there is a great chance we go D with our first pick next year. We could use a edge rusher, or OLB...and it never hurts to draft a corner high in the draft.

I'd have a top evaluator at pretty much every LSU game with a cross checker at about half of them. They have a top prospect at every defensive position of need, not to mention you are covering a good portion of the SEC as they play other teams.

So? Let's just draft a couple of LSU defenders? Sound about right? They could have 4-5 first rounders off their defense alone.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/295025https://brownsboard.com/post/295025Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:25:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 05:14:07 GMT]]>heckert and holmgren have a lot at stake with the outcome of their picks this year. heckert's free agent signings at DE better pan out which we then could address the defensive backfield first.

if ther are even sniffs of this year's draft picks being busts could be the last draft they ever see in the cleveland FO.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/295009https://brownsboard.com/post/295009Mon, 16 Jul 2012 05:14:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 02:47:50 GMT]]>Just like all the mock drafts suggest, my bet is we'll be drafting a DE with our first-rounder next year. Rucker is not the solution.

As for CB, my bet is the guy we took from ASU will be a competent nickel back.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294998https://brownsboard.com/post/294998Mon, 16 Jul 2012 02:47:50 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:01:43 GMT]]>Tyrann Mathieu and Joe Haden would be an awesome combo in our secondary! Put Skrine or Patterson in the nickel spot with Ward and a yet to be named FS and we've legitimately got a top 5 secondary.

The only thing that I would say is that we may not need another DE, that is I'm hoping between the FA pickups and Benard that we already have our guy.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294988https://brownsboard.com/post/294988Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:01:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:33:34 GMT]]>

@poeticg said:

I would say we take the "Honey Badger".

this guy with the addition of LB and another DE would definitely give us a top ten defense. i got honey badger as our first pick next year. he can change a game in so many ways. saw him win the first alambama/lsu game last year almost single-handedly. blew my mind how good this dude is and throws his body around like a polamalu (except he's not gay.....just his nick name is).

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294981https://brownsboard.com/post/294981Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:33:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 17:33:43 GMT]]>

@harry-buffalo said:

Crazy thing is that the draft analysts who think he is going to have another great college season still only have him going in the late 1st for what ever reason. Talent is talent, doesn't matter how short you are. Plenty of people in the NFL have proven that.

Cant forget guys like Gerald "Ice Cube" McNeil,Flipper Anderson and Billy "White Shoes" Johnson who were small guys that did well...and how about Dino Hall...

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294978https://brownsboard.com/post/294978Sun, 15 Jul 2012 17:33:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 21:10:26 GMT]]>

@poeticg said:

Crazy thing is that the draft analysts who think he is going to have another great college season still only have him going in the late 1st for what ever reason. Talent is talent, doesn't matter how short you are. Plenty of people in the NFL have proven that.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294952https://brownsboard.com/post/294952Sat, 14 Jul 2012 21:10:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 19:27:41 GMT]]>
]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294947https://brownsboard.com/post/294947Sat, 14 Jul 2012 19:27:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 19:24:36 GMT]]>I would say we take the "Honey Badger".

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294946https://brownsboard.com/post/294946Sat, 14 Jul 2012 19:24:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:59:43 GMT]]>Our main points of need are LB and DB. Assuming Schwartz, Gordon et al pan out, we'll definitely need to address defense. I think it will be a defensive BPA situation next season, as we can really plug and play any star player in. Outside of Haden, Ward, Sheard, Taylor and possibly Jackson, everyone's position is on the line.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294944https://brownsboard.com/post/294944Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:59:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:56:51 GMT]]>Our main points of need are LB and DB. Assuming Schwartz, Gordon et al pan out, we'll definitely need to address defense. I think it will be a defensive BPA situation next season, as we can really plug and play any star player in. Outside of Haden, Ward, Sheard, Taylor and possibly Jackson, everyone's position is on the line.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294943https://brownsboard.com/post/294943Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:56:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:32:12 GMT]]>I think there is a great chance we go D with our first pick next year. We could use a edge rusher, or OLB...and it never hurts to draft a corner high in the draft.

I'd have a top evaluator at pretty much every LSU game with a cross checker at about half of them. They have a top prospect at every defensive position of need, not to mention you are covering a good portion of the SEC as they play other teams.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294942https://brownsboard.com/post/294942Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:32:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:46:27 GMT]]>DE, LB, and DB will be where we will be picking next year. I don't see use looking DT. Taylor will be back, Rubin is still one of the best DT in the game, and we just used two picks on DT this year. If we are picking top 10 I expect that we will be trading back in order to pick up some more picks to compensate for not having our 2nd rounder. There are a lot of different factors that will tell what we go after but honestly after this years draft we could just be going BPA across the board.

DE depends on how Rucker performs and what Benard can accomplish. I think Rucker is going to be as advertised in the run stopping department but we still need a pass rush presence on both DE spots. Bernard is going to need to show that he can be a good passing down DE who can make sacks. If he can we might look else where in this DE heavy draft.

LB depends on Acho and Johnson and how good they end up being and how Gocong looks. Fujita will retire after this season. If Gocong plays at least average and Johnson or Acho show the can be decent starters then we might be looking else where unless someone really great falls to us. If Gocong looks like a mistake resigning and Acho and Johnson don't progress we might find ourselves in the same situation as we were in last year. Needing OLBs.

DB depends or how much farther Brown keeps regressing (or if he retires), how our young CB progress, and how Hagg looks at FS. This up coming year is going to be the worst year for CB in the past 5 drafts. I think it is going to remind everyone of how the safety classes of looked the past two years. How ever the safety class is going to be much more talented than it was the past two years and just slighty less talented than the year that produced both Berry and Thomas. This is the only spot I think we will target one position or the other. We need two legit starting CB more than we need two legit starting safeties. Browns keeps regressing and now one is able to take over we will have to take or sign a starting CB if not I think we go safety. I just don't see Hagg becoming anything more than a decent backup in the NFL.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294925https://brownsboard.com/post/294925Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:46:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:56:15 GMT]]>Id say simply based on age, RDE and linebackers need a youth infusion, then WRs and OL depth perhaps. The particular order depends on this years performance. Say benard and Gordon tear it up...thatd certainty decrease the need at those positions.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294916https://brownsboard.com/post/294916Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:56:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 20:09:49 GMT]]>One other possibility: Manti Te'o ILB from Notre Dame?

Still, I don't know. I do just like the sound of the name "Barkevious Mingo".

He obviously sounds perfect for "The Dawg Pound" if it is insisted that it still be called that, plus, he sounds like a Harry Potter character.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294895https://brownsboard.com/post/294895Fri, 13 Jul 2012 20:09:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 20:05:13 GMT]]>My concerns next draft are WR,LB and S...to Me the order taken dont matter...just get it done!

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294894https://brownsboard.com/post/294894Fri, 13 Jul 2012 20:05:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:46:37 GMT]]>Assuming we don't go wr (agree w choco, still think this might be a need), i'd say lb if we are picking in the teens, or best de or db available if we are picking early. Not sure I can pick a linebacker as high as our last few 1st rd picks have been (ex: we dodged the aaron curry from wake forest bullet).

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294887https://brownsboard.com/post/294887Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:46:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:25:38 GMT]]>benjamin and gordon shore up the weakest WR corps in the league (as many tell it)?

thats just 2 rookies.....not sure i agree.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294886https://brownsboard.com/post/294886Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:25:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Looking Ahead on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 17:30:31 GMT]]>Lets say that Rucker works out at DE and Taylor is back at full strength after the PUP this season.

Lets also assume our LB's are at least serviceable.

One week unit on the defense makes it tough to have a top 10 D. But you can still have a middle of the pack D that will occassionally win you games. If your DB's are awesome and your Line is awesome, you will make your LB's look good.

So, that being said:

I say next year we need the top rated DB we can get.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/294881https://brownsboard.com/post/294881Fri, 13 Jul 2012 17:30:31 GMT