They pick a lot from SEC- 34 picks out of 89. These are split evenly between SEC East and West, mainly West in the last 5 drafts. Next biggest is PAC 12 with 19 picks. PAC 10 has 15 picks and their go to colleges seem to be Michigan and Michigan State. Big 12 has 15 picks, but half of those came in 2010-11.They only picked 2 low round draft picks from Ohio since 2003. Last is Atlantic Coast with 11 picks. When they pick from USC they tend to hit pay check. Recent years they have gone to TCU- once for Dalton and again this year. Is this a scout that knows the Division well? They also do well picking from Rutgers so obviously another good scout in the region?

So their traditional hunting grounds are SEC and Big 10 East. In SEC their most successful drafts have been with Georgia and LSU and in Big 10 with Michigan State. They also seem to have drafted well from Atlantic Coast in recent years.

In the Marvin era (2003-) 75.42% drafted from Power 5 and 35 picks have been successes (open to opinion) which gives a 32% success rate for Power 5 drafting. 66% are taken in the first 3 rounds. Their drafting skills has got better over time so this % will be higher more recently.

Also what makes a good draft? For example if a player is drafted, sees out his contract and then leaves in FA how good a draft is that? If someone is excellent, but is ruined by injury/drugs how good a draft is that considered?

@gftchris said:

Yes, they do. Howie, Gareth, Kmac. You should connect with them. Health issues prevented some from coming this year, but hopefully next year they will be back on track. (not that the Browns will be)

@ballpeen said:

Interesting. Though note, like I said, this past season, all 12 draftees were from P5 schools. Not sure if Farmer was following a "big school philosophy or not.

@gftchris said:

That is too simplistic to conclude. Butterfly effect and all that.

@gftchris said:

You Randy Lerner's cousin?

I see AV is like in last place......doesn't that mean relegation to the "minor leagues"? We are just lucky we don't have that system here....as RAndy would have gotten the Browns relegated long ago.

@deputydawg said:

Well if the Browns come to London I will be there, but I sure hope it ain't a home game! Maybe some of us from this board could meet at the Hippodrome as you say, but definitely not the next one!! My brother is a Bengals fanatic and was the one who first introduced me to the Browns back in the 90's so he would come along too.

You and gftchris let me know when you want to do this, I know someone in the casino industry who should be able to get us a table and a few perks for the evening at Hippodrome.

I keep meaning to make it over to the hippodrome one of these days to watch a game - though not the next one at 1:30am. Maybe we can get a contingent together to go and watch there at some point though.

I've got a feeling the browns are coming to london some time in the next year or two to be honest. I'm not thrilled about the fans losing a home game but you can bet your backside I'll be there. There's something like 12 games in the next three years, across wembley, twickenham and WHL, probably about 20 teams going to be involved, and the browns haven't been yet.

Basically, the browns had paul brown - the best coach of all time, basically, he completely revolutionised everything about the game almost. Art Modell, some upstart slick knob decides to buy the club on credit, doesn't like Brown being the 'big shot' around town, so fires him, after a power struggle. The browns went from being a so-called dynasty, to an afterthought.

Fast forward 30 years, and Bill Bilichek is appointed HC. We're on to a good thing, clearly, I mean this guy is the second coming of Paul Brown. The staff he brings together is now littered around the NFL and college - Ozzie Newsome, the now legendary general manager of the Ravens, Nick Saban, the top coach in recent college history, I don't know how many more that went on to become GMs or HCs around the country.

Art Modell decides in his infinite wisdom to move the team to Baltimore - some lame excuse about the city helping to fund a stadium. They take the players and staff, though BB left. Newsome has gone on to build multiple superbowl winning teams that basically should have been Cleveland's, starting in 2000.

@deputydawg said:

Wow! At least the PM and a Prince also support Villa. So who are the Browns biggest (if they have any) non Divisional rivals? I'm guessing its local teams like Detroit and Chicago?

Denver. I'm guessing you're relatively new to the NFL and browns, so here's some recommended reading to help you feel the pain!

A football life - Paul Brown (new so you may struggle)

Red Right 88

Any list of starting QBs since the return in 99

I'm sure others have suggestions too but this is a good start!

@deputydawg said:

Cheers gftChris. Season ticket holder for West Ham Utd mate. Essex is Hammers country. You?

Villa. Not sure what I did to deserve both them and the browns.

@londonbrown said:

Another cockney, welcome aboard !

First things first, living in Essex you must be a Liverpool fan, or United?

@deputydawg said:

London now Essex gftChris. And yes, those Bungals are on that slide downwards. You can just see it now- gifting the Division to the Stoolers by losing to the Cards, Broncos and Stoolers (and the Browns) and then flopping out in the Wild card round yet again. So much hope dashed every year in the same manner! I hope they don't do this should any little tiggers be reading this, primarily because I don't want the Stoolers to win the Division.

Out of interest, what's the rivalry like between the Browns and Bengals?

Another cockney, welcome aboard !