According to a report in the Akron Beacon Journal, the Cleveland Browns plan on targeting two players with the sixth overall pick. If they're not available, the team will seek a trade.
Beat writer Nate Ulrich wrote an in-depth profile on the Browns' Tom Heckert, where the general manager opens up on his draft system.
If you're a fan of NFL Draft philosophy, it's a must-read story.
Browns down to two players or a trade at six overall
The issue comes to who those two players are the Browns are targeting. The team probably has LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson, Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus and maybe Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green on the top of their board.
All three of those will probably be gone by the sixth pick and Heckert is probably figuring as much. With that in mind, the two players may be North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn and Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers.
The Browns have been attached to Quinn more so than just about any team in the draft. He’s a logical fit, too. The team really hasn’t had much of a pass rush since returning to the NFL in 1999. Quinn is arguably the most explosive pure pass rusher in this year’s class. The concerns are there, sure. There are concerns about a benign brain tumor. Or that he sat out a full season due to suspension. Or that 10 of his 11 sacks in 2009 came against inferior competition.
Quinn is a risk. His ceiling, however, is sky-high.
Where Bowers gets drafted has become a strong point of contention. In February, some considered him the best player in the draft and a possible No. 1 pick for Carolina.
A lingering knee issue has led to questions of microfracture surgery career longevity. For a player who has never been known for his explosion, that could hamper his first move even more.
Both Bowers and Quinn would represent a big risk at the sixth pick. Heckert has shown in the past, though, that he’s no averse to risky picks.
He’s also shown that he’s willing to make trades. The could be teams trying to leapfrog San Francisco – maybe Houston or Dallas – to draft Prince Amukamara. If that’s the case, the Browns might answer the call.
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