With the NFL Draft less than two weeks away, seemingly everyone in Northeast Ohio wants to know whom the Browns will select with the sixth overall pick. Browns President Mike Holmgren is no exception.
''At the end of the day,'' Browns General Manager Tom Heckert said, ''he'll walk by my office and say, 'Who we taking?' ''
Of course, Browns fans are curious, too. More than 5,000 of them were on a conference call Thursday with Heckert, coach Pat Shurmur and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, league spokesman Greg Aiello said.
The topics of discussion varied, but most of the questions were about the draft. Heckert said his draft board is ''pretty much set,'' but there will be some tweaks.
''We're not exactly sure exactly who we're gonna take with the first pick, but it all depends on what happens in front of us,'' Heckert said. ''Right now, we're just going through different scenarios. If we trade up, who are we going to trade up for? If we trade back, who can we still get? So those are the types of things that we're really thinking about.''
That doesn't necessarily mean the Browns will trade the sixth pick. In an interview late last month, Heckert said he will target two prospects whom he would take at No. 6. If neither one is available, then he would consider making a move. However, he doesn't seem to think that will happen.
''I'm pretty confident one of those two guys will be there,'' he said.
Heckert wouldn't tell the fans which prospects have been visiting the Browns' facility in Berea. Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller, Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor, Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones, Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith, North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn and Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt are among those who have reportedly visited this week.
Heckert, though, revealed more about his draft philosophy. Instead of choosing players based on needs at certain positions, he wants to take the best available player. The league's lockout has stalled free agency, but Heckert said he'll still stick to his preferred strategy.
Heckert also said he doesn't want to draft players with character issues. Therefore, a prospect's interview with the coaches can affect his draft stock.
''We try to ask questions to see how they'll respond to adversity, how they're gonna respond to, in a few weeks, being given a bunch of money,'' Shurmur said. ''We try to find all the things out about that player that are gonna indicate whether he's gonna be a success.''
Shurmur reiterated several points he has made through the media. He called himself ''a Colt McCoy guy.'' He said running back Montario Hardesty has progressed ''extremely well'' while rehabilitating from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. And he said the Browns will switch to a 4-3 defense because it's the scheme with which he, Heckert and new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron are most familiar.
Reported by Nate Ulrich
Beacon Journal sports writer
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