If the Browns decide to go defense in the first round – either at #3 or after trading down – Derrick Johnson may be the team’s top priority. Regarded as the best linebacker in the draft by most and the top defensive player available by some, Johnson has tremendous speed and proved to be an explosive playmaker during his career at Texas. A senior season that included two sacks and an NCAA-record nine forced fumbles netted Johnson the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player and the Butkus Award as college football’s best linebacker. With the Browns moving to a 3-4 defense, Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel are hunting for a playmaking outside linebacker who can rush the passer and force turnovers, and Johnson may fit that description better than anyone else in this draft. There are those who aren’t sold on the former Texas star as a top-five selection but others believe he has skills comparable to NFL superstars like Dwight Freeney and Jevon Kearse, and while he didn’t record many sacks in college the Browns believe Johnson has what it takes to be an elite pass-rusher in the NFL. An intelligent player with a strong work ethic and no red flags, Johnson may not wind up in Cleveland on draft day but he’ll certainly be one of the first defensive players off the board.

The Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot talks about the Browns’ opinion that outside linebacker is the critical position in a 3-4 scheme while also examining the attributes that should make Johnson a great NFL pass rusher.

The Daily Texan details how former Texas defensive coordinator Greg Robinson helped Johnson improve his game last season.

Meanwhile, Jeff Schudel from the News-Herald says ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper describes Johnson as a player who could be a huge success in the NFL or a slightly above-average pro.

Finally, more than 41% of the 22,000 people polled in a recent ClevelandBrowns.com survey believe Johnson will be the Browns’ pick at #3.

Here’s more commentary from around the web on Derrick Johnson:

Detroit News

NFL.com

Mercury News

The Sporting News

Boston Globe

USA Today

CBS Sportsline

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Florida Today

Draft profiles:
NFL.com
CBS Sportsline
ESPN.com
FOX Sports
CNNSI.com

Well, at least they took care of business in the final two games of the season, right? Despite beating up on the Raptors 104-95 Wednesday night, the Cavaliers failed to qualify for the playoffs because of New Jersey’s 102-93 win over Boston. LeBron was magical in his final game of the season, getting a triple-double early in the second half and finishing the game with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists, but as was the case throughout most of the second half of the season, it just wasn’t enough for the Cavaliers.

It’ll be a very interesting offseason as the Cavs try to recover from this devastating late-season collapse. Will Z be back next year? Will they be able to land a top-flight shooting guard like Michael Redd or Ray Allen? Can Dan Gilbert keep LeBron happy? It’s certainly a disappointing conclusion to a season that started on such a high note, but as long as LeBron James is in Cleveland, this team has a chance to compete. Now they just need to push all the right buttons this offseason.

I was only able to catch a small portion of C.C. Sabathia’s interview with Rome today, but what I heard made me smile. They were talking about Sabathia’s comments that he hated the Twins, and C.C. said that while he has several friends on Minnesota (Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones were two of the guys he mentioned), he hates the Twins because they have what he wants: the division crown. He added that the really frustrating thing is that, for the past couple years he felt like the Indians had a better team but the Twins have still consistently beat them. Then, he guaranteed the Tribe would win the Central this season. When Rome asked him for confirmation, C.C. said they’d “definitely” win the division.

I love it. You’ve got to love that kind of confidence. You get the feeling that the entire team feels the same way, kind of like the Indians of the mid-90s did. They’re good, and they know it and, better yet, they’re ready to prove it. If nothing else, C.C.’s comments add fuel to an already flammable rivalry with the Twins.

Once considered the second-best quarterback in the draft, behind Cal’s Aaron Rodgers, it’s now looking more and more like the San Francisco 49ers would prefer Smith with the first pick Saturday. On the downside, Smith doesn’t have the arm strength that Rodgers possesses and he’s not as polished, but many scouts and GMs believe that of the two quarterbacks, Smith has more upside and is therefore a more intriguing pick. He’s mobile and has great leadership abilities, plus he’s an extremely intelligent young man, having graduated from Utah with an economics degree and a 3.74 GPA in only two years. It had long been assumed that, should the Browns keep the #3 pick and Braylon Edwards was not available, Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel would not hesitate to make Smith the team’s quarterback of the future, but with all the uncertainty surrounding the #1 choice there’s no way to tell right now if the Browns will have a shot at either guy. Several teams are rumored to be talking trade with the 49ers and Dolphins, including the Vikings, who just lost a guy by the name of Randy Moss. And if Smith and Edwards do in fact go 1-2, then not only have the Browns lost the top two guys on their draft board, but they’ve also lost much of the leverage they had for a trade, considering teams looking to move up were primarily interested in Smith and Edwards.

Still, if Smith and Edwards are taken with the draft’s first two picks, Patrick McManamon from the Beacon Journal says the opportunity to draft Auburn running back Ronnie Brown could have several teams calling the Browns once they’re on the clock.

The PD’s Tony Grossi says Phil Savage should be talking Smith up more to the media to help generate some trade interest from other teams.

In his USA Today column, Larry Weisman reports that the 49ers have already made a contract proposal to Smith but that his financial demands may price Smith out of the top pick.

Newsday.com’s Bob Glauber says deciding which quarterback is the right quarterback on draft day is never easy, pointing to past debates like Peyton Manning vs. Ryan Leaf, John Elway vs. Dan Marino, and Tim Couch vs. Donovan McNabb (ugh). But Ira Miller from the San Francisco Chronicle says the choice is clear for the 49ers: Aaron Rodgers.

Here are links to more commentary on Smith:

San Diego Union Tribune
Washington Post
FOX Sports
Rocky Mountain News
Ohio.com
New York Times
CBS Sportsline

Draft profiles:
NFL.com
CBS Sportsline
ESPN.com
FOX Sports
CNNSI.com

I, for one, would rather the Cavaliers just lose tonight (or Nets win) and focus on getting their next coach, G.M., and free agents rather than make the postseason with this horribly dysfunctional team and get their asses handed to them in the playoffs. Getting swept by Miami won’t make LeBron a better player — giving him a good coach and surrounding him with good players will. The second half of this season has been a total disaster — it’s time to put this old sick dog to sleep and concentrate on next season.

Three times this team has the bases loaded with less than two outs and not once do they score. What does Wedge do? Nothing, as usual. They might as well have a wooden doll in the dugout, as Wedge hasn’t done a thing to shake this offense out of its early season woes. Has this guy ever heard of a squeeze bunt? A double steal? A hit and run? The manager is the leader of the team, if he sees the team struggling, he has to shake things up. Instead, Wedge sits on his hands, massaging his ugly mustache.

Many rate Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards as the top player in this weekend’s draft, but where he’ll actually be selected is anybody’s guess. The Browns are reportedly very interested in the 6-3, 211-pound receiver at #3, though reports suggest they’d still rather move out of that slot if they can find a trade partner. If, however, the right deal doesn’t present itself and Edwards is available when the Browns are on the clock, it’d be a surprise if they didn’t choose the Biletnikoff Award winner. Teamed with Kellen Winslow, Edwards would give the Browns offense a pair of lethal downfield weapons, even with Trent Dilfer behind center, while also opening up the running game by spreading out opposing defenses.

Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot details the Browns’ interest in the wide receiver and his interest in the Browns.

In his NFL.com column, Vic Carucci talks about the on-field skills and off-field intangibles that make Edwards such an appealing choice on draft day.

Here’s some more commentary on the talented receiver:

The Daily Campus
St. Louis Dispatch
CollegeSports.com

Draft profiles:
NFL.com
CBS Sportsline
ESPN.com
FOX Sports
CNNSI.com