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Everyone in Cleveland wants Rey Maualuga

It seems like everyone in Cleveland wants Rey Maualuga in the NFL draft for the Browns, from Tony Grossi to Kenny Roda and most of the other talk radio hosts at WKNR.

Intensity escapes the best of us. The amount of focus required to sustain a level appropriate for something as aggressive as collegiate football defense is hardly something to write off. Where does it come from? Can it be taught or learned? I’d like to hope so, though it seems a bit of a catch-22 in that in order to be intense enough to learn to be intense we must first be intense enough not to need to learn at all.

In any case, for those lucky enough to have it, raises seem to drop out of the sky and skirts appear to fly up into it. Rey Maualuga has it, and that’s gonna have to suffice for now since I am unaware of every single thing he does in his personal time (probably getting that 10% increase I should have had after landing the Gibson account). He’s been using that, along with his considerable speed and strength, to run roughshod over offensive lines and make tackles that look like Cthulu versus Howdy-Doody.

I have to agree here. Maualuga would give the Browns a physical presence in the middle of their defense. Maybe we all just want the Browns to have someone on their team as tough as Troy Polamalu or Ray Lewis, but we need someone like that in this division.

It looks like Aaron Curry might fall to the Browns with the #5 pick, and that would probably be a steal. Curry is a more complete player. That said, I wouldn’t mind seeing them trade down to grab the more physical player.

Malcom Jenkins should be drafted high in first round

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Malcolm Jenkins didn’t wow the scouts with his 40 time, but everyone realizes he’s an impact player who can help at corner or at free safety, so many expect him to go high in the 2009 NFL draft.

Anthony Stalter has him going to the Patriots.

23. New England Patriots: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
Several media outlets (including Don Banks of SI.com) say that Connecticut cornerback Darius Butler is a lock to go to New England at this pick. Which is exactly why I’m going with Jenkins. Every time a player is a “lock” to go to a team past the top 10, it’s usually wrong and I don’t trust anything coming out of New England around this time because Bill Belichick is the last person to let any draft information leak. Jenkins is a perfect fit for Belichick’s scheme because he’s smart, intuitive and has a great head on his shoulders. He would be a solid pick here.

The National Football Post has him ranked as the 15th best player in the draft.

15. CB/FS Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State

Offers some versatility to an NFL secondary; possesses the ball skills and footwork to play either corner or safety.

ESPN’s Todd McShay has him going with the 14th pick, as does his colleague at ESPN, Mel Kiper.

14. New Orleans Saints (8-8): Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
Top three needs: OLB, FS, RB
The Saints have been rumored to have their eye on Jenkins’ former teammate Beanie Wells, but Jenkins is the safer pick here. He has the versatility to play both corner and safety but would fit best at free safety on a New Orleans defense that is in desperate need of playmakers on the back end.

If the Browns get an extra pick we might even see Jenkins in a Browns uniform.

Where will Brian Robiskie be drafted?

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The opinions on Brian Robiskie vary widely going into the 2009 NFL draft. In his mock draft published today, Tony Grossi has Robiskie going to the Indianapolis Colts in the first round.

27. Indianapolis: Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State

Comment: The Colts always consider Peyton Manning first.

Robiskie would be a good fit with Anthony Gonzalez in Indy, but this might be a reach. In their rankings of the top 100 players in the 2009 NFL Draft, The National Football Post isn’t that impressed.

86. WR Brian Robiskie, Ohio State

I don’t know what all the hype is about. Best-case scenario, Robiskie is a No. 2 receiver with little upside.

That seems overly harsh. I saw Robiskie make some incredible catches during his career at Ohio State. He was never a dominant receiver, but he can be a clutch receiver who makes the big catch.

Todd McShay doesn’t have Robiskie going until the third round (pick #66) to the St. Louis Rams.

McShay has Browns taking B.J. Raji

In his latest mock draft on ESPN.com, Todd McShay has the Browns taking defensive tackle B.J. Raji.

5. Cleveland Browns (4-12): B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
Top three needs: OLB, WR, CB
Raji is the best player on the board at this point and would provide the Browns with a stout nose tackle in their 3-4 defense. He has the size and strength to anchor against double-teams in the running game and the burst and quickness to collapse the pocket and get to the quarterback as a pass-rusher.

McShay has Aaron Curry going #3, so the Browns won’t be faced with the choice between Curry and Raji under McShay’s scenario. Either player would be a great addition for the Browns if they stay at #5. I’d love to see them trade down and nab Rey Maualuga, but that probably won’t happen unless Mark Sanchez drops to them.

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