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History shows Browns fumble in fourth round
Without picks in the first three rounds, the team can't afford to swing and miss again.
Friday, April 25, 2008
No big deal if you've never
heard of Jared Allen, but the Kansas City Chiefs defensive end, traded this week to the Minnesota Vikings, led the NFL with 151/2 quarterback sacks last season on his way to the Pro Bowl.
Extras
He's an example of what can be found in the fourth round of the NFL draft if you're lucky.
It's a round that has not been kind to the Cleveland Browns over the years — and it's significant because, after using their first three picks as trade currency, a fourth-rounder is the highest pick they hold entering this weekend's annual lottery. They also have a pick in the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.
History says you can find diamonds in the fourth, but the Browns generally haven't. South Florida cornerback Anthony Henry (2001) looked like a gem when he tied a team record with 10 interceptions as a rookie, but he signed with the Dallas Cowboys in free agency after four seasons.
Lee Suggs (2003), a running back from Virginia Tech, showed promise but couldn't stay healthy.
General Manager Phil Savage quite possibly struck gold with starting inside linebacker Leon Williams (2006), but it's a bit early to assess his staying power.
One must dig back to 1984 to unearth a fourth-round draft choice who made a lasting impact.
That year, the Browns took SMU tight end Rickey Bolden, who became a useful offensive tackle, and receiver Brian Brennan, best remembered for his touchdown catch in the 1987 AFC Championship Game to give the Browns a 20-13 lead over the Denver Broncos before John Elway orchestrated "The Drive."
Since then, the fourth round has produced mainly a laundry
list of suspects, including Savage's 2005 choice of Oklahoma cornerback Antonio Perkins, who was billed as a big-time return man but appeared in only one game for the Browns. Perkins recently signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
In 2002, Butch Davis had three fourth-rounders, and while linebackers Ben Taylor and Kevin Bentley started, neither exactly spun the league on its ear. Nor, obviously, did former Ohio State tight end Darnell Sanders, the third fourth-rounder that year.
Having traded veteran Leigh Bodden to the Detroit Lions — along with their third-round pick — for defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, the Browns may take a cornerback with their first pick Sunday.
"We need to find somebody, whether it's the fourth round, seventh round or undrafted free agent," Savage said recently. "We will add a player at that position at some point on Sunday."
A home run would be to find the next Asante Samuel or Nathan Vasher, fourth-round picks of the New England Patriots (2003) and Chicago Bears (2004), respectively, who became Pro Bowlers.
"We put a lot of time into Day 2, and I think it's going to pay off for us," Savage said. "We've got four cracks at it right now. We're hoping to find two players that can really help us (immediately) and two that can help us down the line."
2005 a miss for Browns
The Cleveland Browns whiffed with Oklahoma cornerback Antonio Perkins, but 2005 was generally a good year for fourth-round NFL draft picks. Some notables: Marion Barber, RB, Dallas Cowboys (No. 109 overall pick, Minnesota); Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants (110, Southern Illinois); Eric Ghiaciuc, C, Cincinnati Bengals (119, Central Michigan); Kerry Rhodes, S, New York Jets (123, Louisville); Darren Sproles, RB, San Diego Chargers (130, Kansas State); and Chris Canty, DE, Cowboys (132, Virginia). Associated Press photos
Browns' fourth-round picks since returning to the NFL in 1999
2007: No pick
2006: Leon Williams, LB, Miami, (No. 110 overall) ... rotates at inside linebacker
Isaac Sowells, G, Indiana, (112) ... with Browns, but buried on the depth chart
2005: Antonio Perkins, CB, Oklahoma (103) ... Now with CFL Toronto Argonauts
2004: Luke McCown, QB, Louisiana Tech (106) ... Jeff Garcia's backup at Tampa Bay
2003: Lee Suggs, RB, Virginia Tech (115) ... out of the NFL
2002: Kevin Bentley, LB, Northwestern (101) ... Now with the Texans, his third team
Ben Taylor, LB, Virginia Tech (111) ... out of the NFL
Darnell Sanders, TE, Ohio State (122) ... out of the NFL
2001: Anthony Henry, CB, South Florida (97) ... Cowboys' starting cornerback
2000: Lewis Sanders, CB, Maryland (95) ... now with the Patriots, his fourth team
Aaron Shea, TE, Michigan (110) ... out of the NFL
1999: Wali Rainer, LB, Virginia (124) ... out of the NFL
An all-star team of fourth-round picks from the past 25 years
Offense
C: Tony Mayberry, 1990, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ten-year tenure included three Pro Bowls. Started 145 of a possible 160 regular-season games.
G: Tom Thayer, 1983, Chicago Bears. Part of the Super Bowl XX champions. Never made the Pro Bowl.
G: Ryan Diem, 2001, Indianapolis Colts. Has switched to tackle to help protect Peyton Manning.
OT: Stacey Andrews, 2004, Cincinnati Bengals. Can play guard and tackle. Good enough that the Bengals franchised him this season.
OT: Jeff Christy, 1992, Phoenix Cardinals. Solid after moving to center. Three Pro Bowl appearances.
TE: Owen Daniels, 2006, Houston Texans. Had 63 catches for 768 yards and 8 TDs last season.
RB: Stephen Davis, 1996, Washington Redskins. Three Pro Bowls and one All-Pro selection.
RB: Rudi Johnson, 2001, Cincinnati Bengals. Scored 45 TDs in three-year span.
FB: Najeh Davenport, 2002, Green Bay Packers. All-around talent, now with Pittsburgh.
WR: Andre Reed, 1985, Buffalo Bills. Future Hall of Famer's stats stack up with the best who ever played the position: 951 catches, 13,198 yards, 87 TDs.
WR: Derrick Mason, 1997, Tennessee Oilers. Four Pro Bowls.
QB: Steve Beuerlein, 1987, Los Angeles Raiders. Led the league in passing in 1999 with 4,436 yards as a Carolina Panther.
Defense
DT: Dan Klecko, 2003, New England Patriots. Playing fullback in Indy, helped the Colts win the Super Bowl.
DT: Joe Salave'a, 1998, Tennessee Titans. Has plugged the middle for four teams.
DE: Jared Allen, 2004, Kansas City Chiefs. League-high 15.5 sacks last season led to his first Pro Bowl. Since traded to the Vikings.
DE: Greg Townsend, 1983, Los Angeles Raiders. Two Pro Bowls, four All-Pro selections in 15 seasons.
LB: Donnie Edwards, 1996, Kansas City Chiefs. A tackling machine who has missed two regular-season games in his career.
LB: Rosevelt Colvin, 1999, Chicago Bears. Has yet to make the Pro Bowl but contributed to two of the Patriots' title runs.
LB: Larry Foote, 2002, Pittsburgh Steelers. No Pro Bowls, but six solid seasons with the Steelers.
CB: Asante Samuel, 2003, New England Patriots. Eagles paid big bucks to sign '06 interception leader.
CB: Nathan Vasher, 2004, Chicago Bears. With 17 interceptions, has helped make the Bears defense what it is.
S: Lance Schulters, 1998, San Francisco 49ers. Steady player with four teams, made one Pro Bowl.
S: Dexter Jackson, 1999, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Super Bowl MVP, 17 career interceptions.
P: Dave Zastudil, 2002, Baltimore Ravens. Key free-agent addition by the Browns in '06.
— Sean McClelland (with information from catcrave.com)
Contact this reporter at 225-2408 or smcclelland@DaytonDailyNews.com.
