Month: April 2005 (Page 8 of 18)

Derrick Johnson may be getting more pub right now as the Browns? possible first-round choice but Shawne Merriman could be Saturday?s dark-horse pick. Drawing comparisons to Jason Taylor and Dwight Freeney for his ability to rush the passer, Merriman would fill the pivotal outside linebacker position in Cleveland?s new 3-4 defense. Equally adept at getting to the quarterback as he is at dropping back into pass coverage, Merriman totaled 85 tackles, 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in his All-American senior season at Maryland. Perhaps the best hybrid linebacker/defensive end in the draft, Merriman, a sensational athlete who runs the 40 in 4.6, would certainly be available at three if the Browns held on to that pick but he?d be a much better choice later in the draft should Phil Savage trade down in the first round.

Frank Derry from the Ravens Insider says taking Merriman with the third overall pick would go against Savage?s philosophy of drafting the best available player.

Because of his speed and increased size, Merriman?s stock has risen dramatically, writes the Washington Post?s Mark Maske.

Finally, Merriman told Frank Cooney from CollegeSports.com that he believes he?s the best athlete in the entire draft.

Looking for more commentary on Shawne Merriman? Check out these links:

FOX Sports

NFL.com

ESPN

Buffalo News

Baltimore Sun

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

Taller (6-5), bigger (229 pounds) and stronger than fellow receiver Braylon Edwards, Mike Williams may just be the best wide out in the draft. In fact, draft ?expert? Mel Kiper lists Williams at the very top of his overall draft board, which means the former USC star could wind up being the biggest steal of the day. Williams isn?t as fast as Edwards and he also may not have the same work ethic, but before the NCAA ruled him ineligible for last year?s draft (after attempting to follow Maurice Clarett as an early entry candidate), Williams looked like the best available receiver. A year off the field apparently caused Williams? stock to slip slightly on most people?s boards but the Browns may very well consider the former Trojan at #3 if Edwards is gone. Pairing the 6-5 Williams with the 6-4 Kellen Winslow would give the Browns plenty of mismatch opportunities in the passing game, with both guys being too big and too strong for most defensive backs to handle one-on-one. If they miss out on Edwards, Mike Williams would represent a nice consolation prize for the Browns.

Michael Bradley from the Sporting News says Williams doesn?t want to be compared to Randy Moss, Terrell Owens or Keyshawn Johnson. He just wants to be Mike Williams.

With his size and lack of blazing speed, several teams wonder if Williams is better suited to be a tight end, writes Clare Farnsworth from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Finally, MSNBC.com?s Michael Ventre says there?s no doubting Williams? talent but his attitude could be a problem for the team that drafts him.

Here?s more on Williams:

FOX Sports

MSNBC

Bucs Insider

GatorSports.com

The Daily Campus

Miami Herald

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

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