CANTON, Ohio — St. Ignatius swimmer Nathan Christian is no stranger to the pressure and pomp and circumstance of the state swim meet, having made the trip four times in his high school career. Last year he finished fourth in the 50-yard freestyle and was a member of two St. Ignatius relay teams that claimed state titles, as well...

CANTON, Ohio — St. Ignatius swimmer Nathan Christian is no stranger to the pressure and pomp and circumstance of the state swim meet, having made the trip four times in his high school career.

Last year he finished fourth in the 50-yard freestyle and was a member of two St. Ignatius relay teams that claimed state titles, as well as another that finished third for a Wildcat team that finished third in team standings.

He’ll likely being making a few more trips to the award stand Saturday when the Division I finals are held. Friday during the preliminaries at C.T. Branin Natatorium, the St. Ignatius senior finished second in the 100 freestyle (45.67 seconds) and seventh in the 50 free (21.12) to earn spots in the championship races in both events. He also swam on the Wildcats’ 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay, which recorded second- and first-place finishes, respectively, to also qualify for the finals.

“The 50 was a little bit of a rough swim. I messed up my turn a little bit, but I still had an OK time, so I’m excited about tomorrow,” said Christian, who experienced little difficulty in the 100 free.

“The 100 freestyle was a really great swim,” said Christian. “I’ll be right in the middle of the pool. I’ll be excited to see how fast I can go with good competition around me.”

Christian’s performance was not unexpected. He is not one to fold up in high-pressure situations, Wildcats coach Jeff Ridler said.

“I think the pressure helps him," Ridler said. "He always swims faster in the finals and I think we’ll be looking for that same type of performance tomorrow night.”

Christian was one of several individual standouts from Northeast Ohio during the preliminaries, which saw three local male swimmers emerge with the fastest times in their events.

Perhaps none was more surprising than the effort turned in by Walsh Jesuit junior Michael Reilman, who earned the No. 1 seed in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:40.12, which was nearly three seconds faster than his district qualifying time.

“I felt really good,” said Reilman, who came into the race with the 17^th fastest time overall. “I just wanted to build my confidence going into the finals. I’m really happy I’ve got the top seed. It’ll be a great race with Grant House (Cincinnati St. Xavier), who is a monster freshman.”

Reilman said he’s been aiming toward the state meet all year.

“I was putting my main focus on this meet. I like coming in as the underdog,” said Reilman.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights senior Ryan Charbonneau’s 20.82 in the 50 free earned him the No. 1 seed. He entered the day as the No. 8 seed.

Hudson junior Ross Palazzo earned the No. 1 seed in the 200 IM with a time of 1:49.48, while Christopher Guo of Solon finished eighth in the same race to advance to the finals.

Peter Simcox of St. Ignatius advanced in the 100 butterfly, finishing second with a time of 49.50. Solon’s Grant Pinchot finished seventh and Mike Pichette of Strongsville finished eighth in the same event to also advance to the championship. Pinchot also picked up a seventh-place finish in the 100 backstroke to advance to the finals in that event, too.

During the girls prelims, Strongsville senior Molly Washko turned in an impressive performance.

Washko finished eighth in the 50 free (24.19) and earned the No. 1 seed in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:03.97.

Washko was also a member of the Mustangs' 200 medley relay team, which finished No. 2 in qualifying, and the 200 freestyle relay team, which finished fifth. Hudson finished eighth in the same race to also qualify for the championship.

“I think we did pretty well as a team,” said Strongsville coach Tom Stacy, whose team won its third consecutive district title last weekend at Cleveland State. Strongsville finished ninth in the 400 free relay.

“We’ve never gotten in the top eight in the 400 relay. We were seeded 17 and moved up to ninth, which is good.”

Stacy expects Washko to put on a strong performance in her individual races in the finals. He said Washko struggled with her turn in the 50 free, which led to a slower time.

“She did well. Her turn was just OK. It’s something she can improve on a lot. Last time she made the championship final two years ago she almost won it. She’s a racer and a girl who steps up in big situations,” Stacy said.

Walsh Jesuit’s 200 medley team finished sixth and its 400 freestyle relay team finished fourth to move on to the championship round. Individually, the Warriors’ Lauren Heller finished third (1:48.83) in the 200 free and fourth in the 100 free (50.55) to earn a spot in the championship races in those events.

Hudson’s 200 medley relay team finished eighth, and its 400 freestyle finished seventh to move on to the championship races. Paige Kelly finished seventh in the 500 free (4:59.94) to move on.

Sam Lisy of Euclid finished third in the 200 IM (2:03.28) and Mentor’s Maria Coy finished tied for fifth in the 50 free (24.07) to advance to the championship races in those respective events. 

Ask Carlos Hyde if he could help the Cleveland Browns' running attack and he would smile ear to ear and say "definitely".

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Ask Carlos Hyde if he could help the Cleveland Browns' running attack and he would smile ear to ear and say "definitely".

STRENGTHS -- Very well built -- looks every bit the part. Outstanding size, explosive power and run strength -- can be his own blocker and create his own holes. Punishes linebackers running downhill and almost always falls forward. Superb contact balance and finishing strength -- does not go down easily and can barrel through arm tackles. Extremely powerful short-yardage/goal-line runner. Gets better with a lather as the game progresses. Took over the game in the fourth quarter vs. Northwestern (2013) and willed team to victory. Surprisingly quick in short spaces and can plant hard and go. Is solid in pass protection and can stonewall blitzers in their tracks. Good awareness and anticipation to react to stunts and adjust to movement. Soft hands-catcher.

WEAKNESSES -- Lacks elite breakaway speed. Average elusiveness and make-you-miss. Is still learning what it means to really work and be a pro -- entered program with some underachiever traits early in career. Weight fluctuated earlier in his career and needs to pay more attention to nutrition. Has missed at least two games in three seasons.

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Pro Football Talk report says that Browns would have sent draft picks to the 49ers.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Browns nearly pulled off a trade with the 49ers for the rights to coach Jim Harbaugh, profootballtalk.com reported today -- and the Browns didn't deny it.

Team spokesman Zak Gilbert said in a statement released to the media: "The team conducted an extensive coaching search, and explored several options. That search produced an outstanding head coach in Mike Pettine and we're excited about his future with the club.''

However, 49ers CEO Jed York later tweeted "the report isn't true.''

Former Browns general manager Mike Lombardi, who was fired Feb. 11, is extremely close with Harbaugh, who hired Lombardi's son, Mick, as his personal assistant last year.

Harbaugh was involved in contract extension talks with the 49ers last summer, but talks grew contentious and broke off.  Harbaugh has reportedly had a strained relationship with 49ers GM Trent Baalke for the past several months. PFT.com reported later Friday evening that Harbaugh's relationship with the team is uncertain.

Harbaugh, who has led the 49ers to three straight NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl in the past three seasons, just finished the third year of a five-year contract that pays him $5 million a year.

Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com reported that a deal was in place with the Browns that would've sent multiple picks to the 49ers for Harbaugh, but that Harbaugh ultimately decided not to leave the 49ers.

It would have been the first trade for a coach since the Raiders traded the rights to Jon Gruden to the Bucs in 2002 for first-round picks in 2002 and 2003 and second-round picks in 2002 and 2004.

Two high-ranking 49ers source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that the report was "completely false. Ridiculous.'' 

Profootballtalk.com tweeted in response to Rapoport's report: "Your source is lying or misinformed.''

Lombardi helped both of the Harbaugh brothers get their first jobs in the NFL: Jim in Oakland and John, the current Ravens coach, in Philadelphia.

Florio said on 95.7 The Game in the Bay area Friday that Harbaugh was seriously considering the move, but that his family, specifically Sarah, didn't want to move to Cleveland.

Harbaugh was born in Toledo, Ohio, and his grandparents live in Bainbridge. If he coached the Browns, he would have faced his brother John twice a year.

Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis has turned into NFL headquarters, and it will stay that way through the weekend. Day Two at the NFL Combine was a big one, with quarterbacks headlining the day.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis has turned into NFL headquarters, and it will stay that way through the weekend.

Day Two at the NFL Combine was a big one, with quarterbacks headlining the day. The workouts will begin Saturday, but their day started out with measurements, moved into interviews and will go into the night with team meetings.

We will continue to have updates throughout the week, including a live blog with the latest information from Indianapolis. 

Here are my observations from today.

Sizing up the top three quarterbacks: The measurements on Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel and Blake Bortles came in. While jokes were made and some even downplayed the importance, it was a big morning for the trio, especially Bridgewater. Size matters in the NFL. It's one of the big reasons why Russell Wilson slid to the third round in 2012. Being under 6'0 makes a player an outlier.

As for Bridgewater, there aren't many questions, but size is one of them, at least it was until today.

At Louisville, Bridgewater was listed at 6'3 and 196 pounds. His weight was the issue. But this morning, Bridgewater hopped on the scale and it read 214 pounds. The extra weight will be needed to hold up in the NFL, but it also shows his dedication and work ethic to put on that kind of muscle in the span of a few months. 

He also measured in a shade over 6'2, which is big enough. Bridgewater also topped the nine-inch threshold for hand size. Bridgewater's tape, workouts, interviews and medicals will determine his draft position, but he will leave Indy having answered questions as opposed to highlighting concerns, which is always positive. It will be interesting to see what detractors come up with now. Maybe they will focus on his two-gloves style.

Meanwhile Blake Bortles is a giant, even bigger than I expected him to be. It's amazing that he is as elusive and athletic as he showed the last two years at UCF despite being 6'5 and 232 pounds with 9 3/8" hands.

He will have a chance to leave scouts buzzing even more with a good 40-yard-dash time and throwing session this weekend. I still see too much inconsistency with Bortles' game. I wish he were more accurate. I wish his footwork were more consistent. But there's no denying his physical tools and attitude make him a tantalizing prospect.

Then there was Manziel. After promising to be taller than 6'0, he measured under that at 5'11 3/4. He also weighed in at 207 pounds. He's small. Arizona head coach Bruce Arians says a quarterback of that size "throws a question mark out there" because of his build. It raises doubts, but it's not a deal breaker. Manziel has plenty of other positive characteristics on his side, which makes the small size easier to digest.

More than his size, teams will want to know about his character, his work ethic and whether he can do the down-to-down things that NFL quarterbacks have to do to be successful in the league. Those things will end up defining Manziel, not the fact that he is shade under 6'0.

Is Sammy Watkins worthy of a Top 5 pick? This year's receiver class is deep, really deep. But Sammy Watkins leads the pack and I expect him to put on a show once the drills start, only distancing him from the rest of the group. Watkins, a former track star, has the kind of speed, explosion, run-after-catch ability and hands to be considered in the Top 5. But he doesn't have great size and measured under 6'1. I'm a stickler for a receiver in the Top 10. He has to be extremely special, like Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Calvin Johnson, to justify that high a selection.

Watkins is close, but he's not on their level. Given the depth of this year's class, I don't believe he's a lock for the Top 5.

In saying that, there's nothing that Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin, the LSU duo (Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry), Davante Adams or Marqise Lee can do to catch him in my rankings. Lee is fighting an uphill battle to be a first rounder himself. He had a disappointing final season at USC, dealing with injuries and a shaky QB position. This morning he measured a shade under 6'0. He's not polished and has issues with concentration at times so if he wants to be considered in the first round at his size then he's going to have to put up an impressive time in the 40-yard dash.

Will it be back-to-back years without a running back drafted in the first round? Yes, I think it will. There is a new trend in the league. Only elite talents at running back will get consideration in the first round. This year's class doesn't possess a player that fits that description. I'm not convinced that there's a running back this year that will have a higher grade than either Gio Bernard or Eddie Lacy did last year, and both went in the second round.

There is a battle going on for the top spot this year and it may come down to what the specific team is looking for in their guy. The bigger backs are Boston College's Andre Williams (5'11 3/8 and 230 pounds), Ohio State's Carlos Hyde (5'11 7/8 and 230 pounds), and LSU's Jeremy Hill (6'0 5/8 and 233 pounds). The smaller, shiftier guys are Arizona's Kadeem Carey (5'9 3/8 and 207 pounds), Washington's Bishop Sankey (5'9 1/2 and 209 pounds), Baylor's Lache Seastrunk (5'9 and 201 pounds) and Auburn's Tre Mason (5'8 1/2 and 207 pounds). I have Seastrunk at the top, with Hyde a close second.

Many of the top running backs (LeSean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Ray Rice, Frank Gore and Arian Foster) have been found beyond Round One. Any team that goes with one in the first round would be making a colossal mistake with this class.

The media session matters: When Johnny Manziel or any quarterback gets drafted this year, much of it is going to be based on what he's able to do on the field. Those things have been shown already. They always say, "The eye in the sky doesn't lie." But how the prospects handled themselves while standing at a podium with an Under Armour hoodie on is something that I value. What's said in a meeting with the media likely won't change an evaluation. But it's important. Whatever quarterback gets drafted early – whether it's Manziel, Bridgewater, Bortles or maybe even Derek Carr – the player will instantly become the face of the franchise. 

It's what comes with the position. When things go wrong, it's on the quarterback. When things go right, it's on the quarterback. After games, it's the quarterbacks that the media members want to speak with, want answers from. That team has to feel comfortable with the player they're sending in front of the camera; they have to be OK with that player representing the franchise. It's a privilege; one not to be taken lightly or ever let go of, even when the cameras aren't pointed at them.

In front of a media throng, the QB's came off calm, poised, confident, loose, smart and professional. They said the right things and answered questions the right way. Sure, they were coached, and coached well. But I wanted to see it and they handled themselves the way any team would want from their quarterback. 

Winning is not a transferrable trait: The wins that Alabama QB AJ McCarron piled up at Alabama can't be taken away. He can always flash his National Championship rings. But that doesn't make him worthy of being drafted in the first round.

Some of the greatest winners in college football history (Boise State's Kellen Moore, Texas' Colt McCoy, Georgia's David Greene and USC's Matt Leinart) have flopped because their skill-set didn't translate well. I think the same is going to happen with McCarron.

He's smart, being groomed by Nick Saban. He is a leader, running the Alabama offense and holding off some other highly recruited players. And he brings a lot of experience with him.

But if you noticed I haven't gotten into his tangibles yet, which are lacking compared to Bridgewater, Manziel, Bortles and Carr. If there's a reason McCarron feels he's being overlooked, that's why. McCarron's ball loses velocity downfield, often making his receivers slow up. His ball placement isn't great, often making his receivers have to adjust. He didn't handle pressure well the rare times he saw it this season, either turning skittish in the pocket or becoming inaccurate with rushers around him. And he doesn't transfer his weight with his lower half, oftentimes looking as if he's jumping when releasing the football. 

Sure, he won. And he had something to do with it. But so did his defense, his stable of running backs and the cavalcade of first round picks that he played alongside. Drafting McCarron means some NFL team "a" quarterback, a marginal starter at best, not "the" quarterback. 

Ohio State opens spring football practice on March 4. Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett and Stephen Collier are the backups at quarterback behind Miller.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller will be limited during spring football practice, the school announced, after the rising senior had outpatient shoulder surgery on Friday. The news of the impending surgery was first reported on Thursday night.

Ohio State opens spring practice on Tuesday, March 4, with the spring game to be played on April 12.

Miller injured his right throwing shoulder in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3 and played most of the game with what he said was pain that was a 9.5 on a scale of one to 10.

Miller on Wednesday night, after accepting the Silver Football award he won for this second time as the Big Ten's best player as voted on by league coaches, talked of the new offensive players he was excited to start working with.

Now it appears he'll be watching as much as working.

Rising sophomore Cardale Jones of Glenville, redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett and new freshman Stephen Collier, who enrolled in school early and will take part in spring ball, are the three other scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.

Kelli Stack missed an open net, but she was part of a victory for women's hockey.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot, Jose Mesa, and now this ... The Empty Net.

Add Kelli Stack to the never-ending list of Cleveland shoulda-coulda-woulda beens.

Stack's 130-foot shot toward Canada's unoccupied goal bounced harmlessly off the left post with two minutes remaining in Thursday's Winter Olympics gold-medal game. Two inches to the right, and the United States would have had a 3-1 lead with 86 seconds remaining, and the Brooklyn Heights native would have brought home the Olympic championship she so eagerly desired for her hometown's beleaguered sports fans.

We learned, in hindsight, no lead was safe. But a two-goal lead with under two minutes left certainly would have increased the odds that the U.S. women's hockey team would not have blown that lead.

Instead, Canada went on to tie the game moments later and won in overtime, 3-2. Even though it took place 5,600 miles away at the Sochi Games, this was a decidedly Cleveland moment, the gut punch that fans of this town's teams and athletes have experienced ad nauseam.

View full sizeKelli Stack finished the Olympic tournament with a goal and four assists, including an assist in the gold-medal game.USA Hockey

Stack's miss came off an awkward, 130-foot shot from the first blue line against the right boards. The fact Stack got the shot off at all was part luck, as well as a reflection of her skill.

Canadian forward Rebecca Johnston passed the puck to defenseman Katherine Ward at the point, but the linesman backed into Ward, something that almost never happens in any level of hockey.

That was lucky for Stack, who alertly chased the puck and picked it up alongside the right boards. Ward worked her way around the linesman, but before she could get a stick on the puck, Stack arrived and launched the shot, which she amazingly threaded between Ward's skates.

This was not an open look at the Canadian goal, which had been vacated for an extra attacker seconds earlier. It was more of a Hail Mary. The puck slid 130 feet, straight into the left goal post, and bounced back to Canada forward Meghan Agosta.

Stack was so sure the puck would hit the post she didn't stand and watch. She skated toward it. How could she be so sure? Remarkably, she'd done it before.

“When I first let it go, I thought maybe it had a chance. Then as it crossed the blue line I thought, 'It's going to hit the post,'” she told reporters in Sochi. “I thought to myself, 'I've done that once before in my career in college, and it's the worst feeling in the world.'

"We were up 3-2 against St. Lawrence, I think. I played for BC (Boston College). I had a chance on the half wall of our offensive zone to get an empty-netter. It hit the post and then they tied it. Left post, again."

That was just one of several bizarre plays that went wrong for Team USA. Canada's first goal wasn't even a shot, or at least not a good one by forward Brianne Jenner. Her flip as she drove toward the net looked more like a pass, and it ricocheted off the knee of U.S. defenseman Kasey Bellamy behind goalie Jessie Vetter, cutting the U.S. lead to 2-1 with 3:26 remaining.

The second goal, 31 seconds after Stack's miss, also came off a bad bounce.

Johnston, on the back wall, sent a backhanded flip toward the goal that missed the crease. Had it been accurate, Stack was in position to intercept on the left post, but the puck took a funny bounce off the curved goal base and ricocheted between Stack and Vetter to Marie-Philip Poulin, who stick-handled the puck to the center and shot under Vetter's right leg for a 2-2 tie with 55 seconds to play.

Such is the nature of a game played on ice with a rubber puck.

Led by Stack, the U.S. came out hard in sudden-victory overtime and created scoring opportunities. Olympic overtime is a 4-on-4 situation, and with the Americans' speed, that should have been an advantage, but once again, they could not close out.

The U.S.played with more intensity for the full game than it did in a 3-2 pool-play loss to Canada last week. But it was Canada that persevered and finished. The Canadians haven't won four straight gold medals because they are lucky. The first Canadian goal put the Americans on their heels, and Canada kept pressing.

Two penalties in overtime “took the wind out of our sails,'' Stack said, then Canada won on a power-play goal 8:10 into the extra period.

It was a devastating loss for the Americans, who had built so much confidence against Canada over the last 12 months. The U.S. beat Canada in the 2013 World Championships, which Stack missed while recovering from knee surgery, and the U.S. improved each time it played Canada in seven pre-Olympic meetings. Team USA won the last four of those, and as Stack regained her health, she looked better each time. She led Team USA in scoring in the pre-Olympic tour.

But Canada beat the U.S. twice at the Olympics. Case closed.

Stack and U.S. backup goalie Brianne McLaughlin of Sheffield Village now own two Olympic silver medals, the first from the 2010 Games -- a 2-0 loss to Canada. Olympic silver medals aren't gold, but they are great things to have.

Less tangible, and a better legacy, is that for two weeks, a big chunk of Northeast Ohio and the country became women's hockey fans and were rewarded with well-played games. When women's hockey first entered the Olympics in 1998, and for the next two or three Olympics, the level of play was at times difficult to watch.

The U.S. and Canada played with such intensity and skill that it was easy to forget this was women's hockey. It was just great hockey. Stack was a big part of that. She was the starting center on one of the best lines in the world. She was fun to watch, especially when all 5-5, 135-pounds of her skated full-go into the corners, or deftly handled the puck with both patience and quickness.

Throughout the Olympics, NBC broadcasters Mike “Doc” Emrick, the voice of NHL hockey on NBC, as well as analysts Pierre McGuire and Natalie Darwitz repeatedly praised Stack's vision and her hockey “courage” and IQ.

Stack is 26 and undecided if she'll stick around four more years for the Pyeongchang Olympics. She had a goal and four assists in Sochi and probably would be a very effective player at 30, if she stays healthy. The U.S.-Canada rivalry certainly isn't going anywhere, and the passing of the senior leadership torch from Julie Chu to the likes of Stack, Meghan Duggan and Hilary Knight will be good for Team USA.

If and when Stack does retire, The Empty Net should not haunt her or Cleveland fans. It was a tough shot, and it was not the reason the United States lost the gold medal.

"It'll probably stay in my head a little bit,'' she told reporters in Sochi. “But I can't beat myself up over it, because there were a number of other plays where we could have scored, or we could have not let them score."

Listen to Browns Insider tonight at 8 p.m. from Indianapolis and the NFL Combine.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- What if the Browns did get Jim Harbaugh to be their next head coach? Who is the right quarterback for the Browns?

Cleveland.com's Tom Reed and Glenn Moore recap the second day of the 2014 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Day 2 of the 2014 NFL Combine is over. Johnny Manziel and Blake Bortles talked with the media, but the big news happened late in the day, as Profootballtalk.com reported the Browns were close to trading for San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.

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The Cavaliers look to win their season-high seventh game in a row as they travel north of the border to Toronto to face the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre tonight.

TORONTO, Ontario -- The Cavaliers look to win their season-high seventh game in a row as they travel north of the border to Toronto to face the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre tonight. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

Center Spencer Hawes will make his debut in a Cavaliers uniform tonight against a Toronto team currently holding the third-best record in the East at 29-25.

Get updates from The Plain Dealer on Twitter @PDCavsInsider and post your comments during the game below.

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Jones, a Glenville grad and rising redshirt sophomore, should start the spring ahead of Barrett, a redshirt freshman from Texas.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Braxton Miller's decision to hold off on the NFL and return to Ohio State changed the 2014 season for the Buckeyes. Now it looks like Urban Meyer will get a spring taste of how things would have looked if his starting quarterback had turned pro.

Miller had minor outpatient surgery on his right throwing shoulder on Friday and, according to a brief news release from Ohio State, will be limited during spring football practice, which begins on March 4.

Hello, Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett.

With the graduation of Kenny Guiton, who started two games last season after Miller sprained a knee ligament, the backup quarterback battle this season was already going to be interesting. Now it could step to the forefront of spring practice, depending on how much Miller is really limited.

On Wednesday night, after accepting the Silver Football award for the second straight season, given to the Big Ten's best player, Miller talked about the new components of the OSU offense, the four holes to fill on the starting offensive line, the loss of running back Carlos Hyde and receiver Philly Brown, and the new playmakers to involve.

It's a lot for a veteran quarterback to break in.

"The young guys, redshirting last year, they got big shoes to fill," Miller said. "They're going to be outstanding when they first step out at spring practice ... they're going to be a lot of guys around me this year. It's going to be more fun."

Jalin Marshall, Michael Thomas, Corey Smith and James Clark are among the receivers who redshirted last season, while freshmen like Curtis Samuel and Johnnie Dixon could work their way into the offense. Ezekiel Elliott and Rod Smith are the leading candidates to replace Hyde, while Devin Smith, Evan Spencer, Dontre Wilson, Jeff Heuerman and Nick Vannett are among the returning pass-catchers.

"I didn't have any weapons like that since I was in high school," Miller said. "It'll be fun to throw the ball around with guys and they'll make it easy for me."

For March and April, they may be making it easier for the other quarterbacks.

View full sizeCardale Jones should start spring as the No. 2 quarterback amid the news that starter Braxton Miller will be limited in the spring after shoulder surgery.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer

Jones, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound Glenville grad, attended prep school in 2011, redshirted in 2012 and played a bit last season as the No. 3 QB, completing one of two passes for three yards in three games. He graduated high school the same year as Miller, but thus far is best known for an ill-advised tweet complaining about going to class.

Barrett redshirted last season and so far is known most for being Meyer's first quarterback recruit at Ohio State. But the coaches from the start have lauded the leadership skills of the 6-1, 222-pound Texas native.

Then there's the new freshman, Georgia native Stephen Collier, who enrolled early at Ohio State. The 6-3, 210-pounder now should find himself getting more work this spring.

If Miller isn't able to be on the field with the first team, it should be Jones who starts in that role.

“Based on pure game experience and the fact that he’s been in the program, I think Cardale Jones has earned the right to take the very first rep with the second team," offensive coordinator Tom Herman said Wednesday, before news of Miller's impending surgery had broken. "Now, how many he’ll get from that point forward and how long or short his leash is will be up to him and then up to how J.T. makes the most of his reps and Stephen as well."

Collier is a likely redshirt candidate, however. So this should be a two-man battle. While Barrett was highly recruited, and Jones was a Jim Tressel recruit who was already headed to Columbus when Meyer and the new staff arrived, the Cleveland native shouldn't be overlooked.

“Cardale needs to show consistency. He’s got a ton of physical talent and he’s a lot smarter than you think. He’s kind of class clown. I think he has grown up a lot and continues to grow up," Herman said. "And all the things we’ve seen in the off-season and off the field need to start to translate onto the field and his maturity coming through and I think that will show in his consistency of play. He’s a good player, he just needs to mature. He’s a lot smarter and a lot more decisive than some people think.”

While the Buckeyes are waiting for that maturity from Jones, they believe they have seen it from Barrett. But they haven't see much on the field from Barrett, who tore his ACL his senior season of high school before redshirting his first year in Columbus.

View full sizeJ.T. Barrett redshirted in 2013 but will now battle Cardale Jones for the backup quarterback job behind Braxton Miller. Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer

“J.T. has a ton of intangibles and has reworked his body since he got here. He came in kind of pudgy. He has basically spent an entire year reworking his body and has shown a lot of leadership on the scout team this year," Herman said.

"It will be interesting to see what he can do being thrown into the fray with live bullets. Not live, but as close to live as he’s seen in a long time. Not reading off the scout team card, either, he’s having to process information based on what he knows and learned.

"You want to talk about intangibles and just being able to feel when guys kind of have that it factor, he’s got that. He has a quick release, he’s pretty accurate, and those things are what drew us toward him. Now he’s done laying in the weeds, now he has to get out of the weeds and attack this thing.”

When Miller spoke Wednesday, he was enthusiastic about the spring ahead and the new offensive teammates he'd be working with.

"I can't wait to see them out there," he said.

Manager Terry Francona says Trevor Bauer's delivery looking smoother in his first outing against hitters. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -– There was a request made, but not granted, Friday morning as Indians pitchers threw to hitters for the first time in spring training.

The University of Utah’s baseball team watched practice. As Trevor Bauer went to the mound to pitch, one of the Utah players yelled, “Let’s see a crow hop.”

When Bauer warms up between innings, he usually runs up the back of the mound and throws his first warm-up pitch as hard as he can toward the plate. Sometimes it sails to the backstop, other times the catcher catches it.

Some people have called it Bauer’s version of a “crow hop. “

On Friday, Bauer kept the crow hop in his back pocket, but his revamped delivery looked smoother than last year’s. He didn’t throw a lot of strikes, but he looked under control.

“I would agree with that,” said manager Terry Francona. “I think he’s smoother in his delivery.”

Bauer said once last season ended, it didn’t take him long to make the needed adjustments in his delivery so he could avoid injury and have better control. He kept pitching coach Mickey Callaway in the loop to by sending him tapes of his throwing sessions.

There are at least four pitchers competing for the fifth spot in the rotation: Bauer, Josh Tomlin, Carlos Carrasco and Aaron Harang. Depending on how Shaun Marcum recovers from right shoulder surgery, he could be in the picture as well.

Screenless in Goodyear: When Tribe pitchers took the mound Friday, they did so without protective screens.

“I’m glad they worked without screens,” said Francona. “It’s more natural. If someone takes one off the knee, we’ll be answering for it. But it’s more game like. If they want a screen, they can have one, but this just works better.”

Firewood: Catcher Matt Treanor was behind the plate warming up Cody Allen on Friday.

“I hope you guys brought a lot of bats,” said Treanor, as the hard-throwing Allen got loose.

Lonnie Chisenhall stepped into the cage and swung at one of Allen’s first pitches. He split his bat down the middle as the rest of the hitters laughed.

“We all know this is for the pitchers,” said Francona. “The hitters have the option to swing or not swing.”

The first Cactus League game is Wednesday against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark.

No, problem: Canadian-born closer John Axford was asked Thursday if he was worried because Team Canada’s women’s hockey team trailed Team USA, 2-0, with a handful of minutes left in the gold medal game.

“There’s still plenty of time,” said Axford. There was, indeed, as Canada rallied for a 3-2 overtime win.

On Friday, he wore a Team Canada jersey to practice. Was it a bold move? Far from it as the Canadian men beat Team USA, 1-0, to advance to the gold medal game.

Axford II: When Milwaukee traded Axford to St. Louis for the stretch run last year, he said a big reason for his improvement was catcher Yadier Molina.

“I think a lot of it had to do with -- and this isn’t knocking the Brewers’ catchers by any means -- Yadier Molina and the confidence you have in that guy,” said Axford. “I had it from day one when I met him.”

Molina is a five-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove winner.

“He’s got the reputation and you understand and know it,” said Axford. “When you’re with him, you know why he has that reputation, based on how hard he works and what he does behind the plate.

“The confidence I had on the mound throwing to him and the way he gives that confidence back is just great. “

Finally: Friday’s practice was cut short because the Indians and Reds played a charity golf tournament. The two teams share the same ballpark in Goodyear. ... There’s one empty locker left in the big-league dressing room. Will it be filled sometime this spring? ... Former Tribe pitching coach Tim Belcher, in camp as a special advisor, had both hips replaced over the off-season.

Former Kent State running back Dri Archer plans to serve notice during the combine.

INDIANAPOLIS -- A goal for many college players at the NFL combine is to make a dynamic impression, especially when you are not a member of one of the national television friendly schools.

It important to make an impact when you possess the size of a mere mortal instead of the typical imposing height and weight of an NFL baller.

So former Kent State running back Dri Archer will attempt to do the next best thing on Sunday when he runs the 40-yard dash. He plans to beat the record of 4.24 set by Chris Johnson in 2008.

"I'm going to break the record," said Archer, who is 5-8, 173 pounds. "I feel confident in myself. It's been a goal for awhile."

Setting the mark this weekend will not guarantee Archer a place on an NFL roster, but it will help. He did make a difference at Kent State with his blazing speed, but he also brought a toughness when most backs Archer's size would rather run to the outside.

Not this mighty mite.

"That's my favorite way to run the ball," said Archer about running between the tackles. "I'm not really into running on the outside, but I'm not opposed to it. I like running between the tackles because that's where I make my money."

Archer made a name for himself during the 2012 season. He helped Kent State advance to its first Bowl appearance in 40 years. Archer became one of the most dynamic all-purpose players in the country. He averaged an incredible 9 yards per carry, 1,429 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 14.4 yards per catch and four receiving touchdowns. Archer also returned three kickoffs for touchdowns that season.

It appeared as the perfect time for Archer to leave early for the NFL Draft, but he remained in school. It may have cost him because injuries limited Archer last fall. He got more than 15 total carries in a game only once. His touchdown total shrunk to six rushing and opponents kicked away from him.

Archer remains happy about this choice despite the down season.

"It was disappointing, especially when you lose as many games as we did," Archer said. "I can't really hold my head down about it because things happen. I had only one semester of school left to graduate, and I told my mother I'd finish."

Now Archer hopes to begin a new journey. His role in the NFL will more than likely include time as a slot receiver and as a kick returner. Archer will also have a role where he will come out of the backfield and catch passes similar to players like Darren Sproles and Andre Ellington.

That suits Archer just fine.

"I see myself playing in that role by creating mismatches against linebackers," Archer said. Smaller guys like me are becoming popular in the league. You can't really coach speed."

Cavaliers rookie Anthony Bennett, the first Canadian to be taken with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, garnered a lot of media attention in his first professional game in his hometown of Toronto.

TORONTO -- Friday was a big sports day here in Canada.

In the afternoon, the Canadian hockey team beat the U.S., 1-0, bringing the city pretty much to a stop.

Then Friday night, Cavaliers rookie Anthony Bennett, the first Canadian ever taken with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, played for the first time in his hometown. One Canadian television station traveled to Philadelphia earlier this week to interview Bennett, and at least a dozen reporters crowded around him before Friday's shootaround.

"It's crazy,'' Bennett said before the game. "It's a good feeling being back in your hometown, everybody's going to be at the game that you know. I just want to come out, play hard and hopefully we get the win. I haven't played in Toronto in how long? I'm anxious to get out there and perform well, do what I can do, do what I've been doing. I'm trying not to get distracted or do anything crazy.''

Bennett was raised in the tough Jane and Finch neighborhood of Toronto before his mother moved her family out to Brampton, the same hometown as Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson.

Thompson, previously the highest-drafted Canadian when the Cavs took him No. 4 in 2011, has acted as a big brother for Bennett and tried to tell him how to get through his first trip back.

"Just go out there and play your game,'' Thompson said. "You're going to have a lot of people there, and family, who want you to do well. But just play the style that you know how to play and play within the game and you'll play well and have everyone excited.

"My first time, my heart was pounding. I was very anxious. You want to play well. You want to soak in the crowd. You want everyone to cheer and applaud you. But what's most important is getting this win and playing within the game. If you do that, everyone's going to be happy because we'll get the W.''

Then Thompson smiled and said of Bennett, "He'll be fine.''

Staying put: Veterans Jarrett Jack and Luol Deng, the subject of many trade rumors before Thursday's deadline, insisted they weren't worried about their status.

"Honestly, I didn't worry about it at all,'' Jack said. "If I got a phone call or a text, you deal with it accordingly. But I'm not the type of guy with one foot in and one foot out. If I'm here, I'm here, and up until that changes, I'm 100 percent in. You try not to let your mind waver about it at all. I just thing that's the best way to deal with it. Don't even think about the possibility, as best you can, even though us as humans we tend to do so. It was literally in the back of my mind. If it happened, so be it. If not, then I'm happy to still be here.''

Said Deng, "A couple friends called to say I was in the news, but I didn’t pay attention to it at all. I just went about my regular day.''

Deng said he spoke to acting general manager David Griffin, and he said he understood, especially when Griffin told him the Cavs weren't ''shopping'' him.

But Deng, who can become a free agent this summer, said he still has questions about the franchise that will have to be answered before he can make any decisions about staying long term.

"It’s just the same thing everybody wants,'' Deng said. "The guy who brought me here [former GM Chris Grant, who was fired on Feb. 6] is not here, and now we have Griff and Griff is an interim. Those two guys are who really brought me here. I really don’t know if Griff is going to be the GM or what’s going on. I know the direction the organization is going and how everything has been set up. I’ve been happy with that from day one.

"But at the same time, if I’m going to commit any place, not just here, I want to know what I’m getting into or what’s going on next. It’s however long is left [in this season], I don’t have to worry about it or think about it. I only have to worry about if we can make the playoffs, where in the playoffs can we be and who are we playing in the playoffs? That’s all I have to think of.

"To be honest, this year the contract talk has been a little exhausting. It seems like it’s never over. As a basketball player, I’d love to put it behind me and just focus on my game, my teammates and what we have to do to be a better team. That’s really what I’d love to do.''

Johnny Manziel's longtime quarterback guru George Whitfield Jr., a native of Massillon, Ohio, has sold his client on the Browns, and thinks he's worth a trade up to No. 1.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Johnny Manziel's quarterback guru George Whitfield Jr., the Massillon, Ohio native, believes the Browns should trade up to No. 1 to draft his longtime protege.

"I certainly would,'' Whitfield Jr. told cleveland.com at the NFL Scouting Combine. "Not only is he a ruthless competitor, which is on tape and people can see that, I think he's must-see T.V. He can hotwire a program to where the secretaries would come down the hallway high-fiving each other and all of a sudden the grounds crew is replaying whatever he just did.

"Those guys only come along every so often in the world of sports. He's game-changer. I've worked with him and been around him more than most, but I certainly would do it.''

Whitfield Jr., who's trained with Manziel since the summer of 2012 before his Heisman Trophy-winning freshman season at Texas A&M, is the reason Manziel sounded like a Browns' historian in interviews last week with the Houston Chronicle and Ft. Worth Star-Telegram.

While training out in San Diego with the noted quarterback expert, Manziel stressed that he wants to go No. 1 to the Texans, but "if something happens and it's the Cleveland Browns, I'm going to pour my heart out for the Dawg Pound and try to win a Super Bowl for Cleveland. I don't care if they've had 20 starting quarterbacks since 1999. I'm going to be the 21st and the guy that brought them the Super Bowl."

Whitfield, who's enhanced the performances of such star quarterbacks as Cam Newton, Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck, takes full credit for Manziel's appreciation of the Browns. In addition to playing quarterback for powerhouse Massillon from 1992-95 and growing up a Browns fan, Whitfield also spent a year with Jim Tressel at Youngstown State and fully understands Ohio's passion for football.

"Johnny would always ask me even when we met, 'what is that area like?''' Whitfield Jr. said. "He's from Texas, I'm an Ohio kid. He knew about Massillon stadium and he knew 100,000 people come to watch the Buckeyes. He knows the Browns are sold out even when they're not at the top of the division. So he looks up at Ohio and he says, 'that's about the same, right?' I said it could be the lowliest high school program, Bengals, Browns, Buckeyes, Toledo, Youngstown State, everyone's there and he just started grinning and just kind of nodding his head.

"Then, he said, 'tell me about the Dawg Pound, what is that?' And I said, 'man, it's probably the coolest, strongest section of fans in any sport, so you'll have Raider nation and you'll have this and this and this, but I said, 'in the Dawg Pound, if it's bitter cold or it's three degrees and ice, they're there in droves.' I said 'they just want to win. They really, truly just want to win. So we talked about it and he just listened. He's going to be excited wherever he lands, but I know he's kind of gotten teed up about Cleveland. He had a sense it was a football place but I've assured him, it's a football state.''

Whitfield thinks Manziel, one of the top three quarterbacks in the draft along with Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles, would fit well in new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's West Coast offense.

"Just from watching what coach Shanahan's done with other quarterbacks, he's had success with different type of players,'' Whitfield said. "It isn't just what he's done with Robert Griffin III, but he had great success with Matt Schaub when he was with the Texans and he just understands the game. When you get someone like Kyle Shanahan who's that dynamic, and to possibly pair him with someone like this youngster, I think that can be really exciting.''

Whitfield said teams shouldn't be scared off by Manziel coming in at just a shade under 6'0' at the combine. He measured 5-11 3/4 and 207 pounds. His hands were 9 7/8, very good for a smaller quarterback and important in the evaluation process.

"We now know how big 007 is,'' said Whitfield, using one of Manziel's nicknames. "It's the width of a line on a piece of college-ruled paper. He's the same size as when he won the Heisman Trophy and was running and throwing through all of those defenses. I think teams should be wary about betting against that quarter-inch.''

Manziel also addressed the mildly disappointing measurement during his podium interview Friday. He's listed as 6-1 in the Aggies media guide, and had hoped for at least 6'0 at the combine.

"I play with a lot of heart, play with a lot of passion,'' he said. "I feel like I play like I’m 10-feet tall. A measurement to me is just a number.''

Whitfield was eager for teams such as the Browns to interview Manziel at the combine and get to know him.

"I'm excited for people to have a chance to go toe-to-toe with him,'' he said. "When they get a chance to meet him and see him and talk with him about the heavy things, the light things and let him ask some questions back, I think it will help. I think teams will come away liking him more than they already did, or be able to discern, 'oh this is the real you, and those are headlines.'''

Manziel, who was more subdued in his 15-minute interview than folks expected him to be, fielded at least seven questions about his questionable character and handled them with aplomb. The toughest one was about reports that he saw one counselor last year or alcohol use and another for anger management.

"I don't believe those are true. I went after last spring, coach (Kevin) Sumlin came to me and said they have an in-house guy, and he wanted me to sit down and meet with him,'' said Manziel. "I was more than willing to learn whatever I could from him and sit down and have meetings with him. Those continued throughout the next couple years. Had a great relationship with him. It was really nothing more than that. He was something along the lines of just a counselor.''

Manziel said he's changed his lifestyle and is ready to be the face of a franchise. Among other things, he was known for partying hard, has been arrested for a fight, was sent home from the Manning Passing Academy and had a brush with the NCAA over signed memorabilia.

"Absolutely,'' he said. "I believe whenever I decided to make this decision to turn professional, it was a time to really put my college years in the past. This is a job now. There’s guys’ families, coaches’ families and jobs and all kinds of things on the line. For me, it won’t be a hard thing to kick or a hard deal to not do. I’m extremely focused on whatever organization I’ll be at and really pouring my heart out trying to be football 24/7 with that team.''

Manziel, who won't throw at the combine but will participate in all other drills, said his reputation as a flashy character is blown out of proportion.

"I’m from a small town of Kerrville, Texas, 20,000 people,'' he said. "What gets lost in the people who make me out to be a big Hollywood guy, I'm really just still a small-town kid. Sometimes you get caught up in certain things, but at the same time I'm continuing to learn and continuing to adapt to everything that’s going on in my life. I’m not saying it’s always easy, but continuing to be who I’ve always been is a big thing for me.''

He also hopes to shed his image as pocket-averse.

"I’m looking forward to showing up all the people that are saying that I’m just an improviser,'' he said. "I feel like I worked extremely hard this year to all-around hone in on my game. I'm working out in San Diego, continuing to get better as a pocket passer and as a quarterback in general.''

Whitfield is working with Manziel not only to dazzle scouts at his personal pro day March 27, but to withstand the rigors of an NFL season.

"He's been working hard in the weight room and really with the understanding that he's had success in the SEC, but you still have to continue to build and become bigger and stronger to prepare for 18 weeks, possibly 20-22 weeks if you're team's been successful,'' said Whitfield. "It's getting up off the turf, taking that blind hit, and then really maintaining a level of performance in that back half of the season. He's starting to get all of that stuff down and he and I are continuing to work on the field just on his overall mechanics and under center quarterback play.''

Question is, will all of Whitfield's tutoring on Browns' history come in handy too?

Cleveland.com's Glenn Moore, Chris Fedor and Tom Reed recap the first day of the 2014 NFL Combine.

What if the Browns had acquired Jim Harbaugh as their next head coach? What did you take away from Johnny Manziel's press conference?

Cleveland.com's Glenn Moore, Mary Kay Cabot and The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff answered those questions and more during Friday's episode of Browns Insider, live from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

Among other topics discussed:

• Blake Bortles and his press conference.

• Much ado about Manziel's height?

From now until the draft, read what Mary Kay (@marykaycabot), Tom (@treedpd) and G-Mo (@GlennMooreCLE) have to say on Twitter.

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

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Browns' head coach Mike Pettine says he's unaffected by reports that the Browns tried to trade draft picks for 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, and he's exactly right.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – There’s much to like about Mike Pettine.

While this is often the case with rookie head coaches who stand undefeated, even unscored upon, it’s more so with Pettine since he’s now delivered the only clarity in the muddled story of the Browns’ interest in 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.

"I got a phone call that the report was about to come out, and I shot the messenger a little bit," Pettine told reporters at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis on Saturday. "My first question was, 'How does that affect my tenure as the head coach?' I either used the world 'flying' followed by something or I referenced a part of a rat's body.”

Perfect.

The Harbaugh story fits the personal agendas of many of those involved. That’s what’s so refreshing about Pettine and Ray Farmer. The have no agendas.

Why would Pettine care if the Browns chased Harbaugh? Being of sound mind, he already knows he wasn’t first choice, and that his owner, team president and GM were flying to Florida to talk to Greg Schiano and entertaining the idea of Josh McDaniels in the days before the day before he was hired.

Does the Harbaugh news make his situation any more volatile? Impossible. He interviewed knowing Haslam’s first head coach, Rob Chudzinski, lasted 11 months. Nothing has changed.

If anything, Pettine is the big winner with Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi gone. He now reports to the owner.

Haslam didn’t just remove a layer between himself and the football operation. He removed a non-football CEO who had final say over football operations and a GM with a knack of never being publicly accountable for anything.

Lombardi The Leak can’t possibly mind the Harbaugh story being out there a month later. Since he’s close with Harbaugh, he would’ve received credit for the trade, to the extent giving up No. 1 and No. 2 draft picks, missing on a quarterback and more to bring another inflated ego into the organization would’ve deserved accolades.

Even getting the story out there now makes it look like Banner and Lombardi were not only thinking big, but that all the talk of a toxic environment was fabricated. How toxic could’ve it have been, if a top coach was interested, right?

And now it works for them even better. As in, can you believe Haslam fired the two guys who almost landed Jim Harbaugh?

Nice try. It’s more instructive that two coaching searches numbering 20 or so face-to-face interviews resulted in the hiring of two rookies who weren’t interviewing anywhere else. Banner and Lombardi -- with all their years in the league, with all the cap space and draft picks and the financial clout of an passionate owner -- met with a lot of candidates and hired two coaches who weren’t on their list when the search began.

That’s exhaustive, if you like. If you prefer "floundering", you could still make that case, too, especially if you believe Harbaugh was never coming here.

In chasing Harbaugh, Lombardi got to show Haslam how valuable he was as a pipeline to a Super Bowl coach. Right up until it didn’t happen.

Harbaugh denies the trade talk but it fits his agenda, too. He’s in negotiations for an extension. He can call the report “ridiculous” but he knows better. The Niners do also.

The Browns don’t deny it. The statement they issued said their search was extensive and they are happy with Pettine.

The head coach need not concern himself if the Harbaugh story makes the Browns’ search look better. Whether it exonerates Banner and Lombardi for the length of the search. And Haslam for the organizational structure that seemingly dissuaded top coaches looking for power from signing on.

Whether it disproves all the media group-think that said nobody wanted the job. Would Banner have survived if the Browns traded for Harbaugh? Maybe not. Pettine doesn’t have to care about any of it.

"I think that's noise.,” he said Saturday. “It has no bearing on my job moving forward. That's a critical thing. A big part of being an NFL head coach involves dealing with noise and distractions. Add that to the list."

We don’t know if Pettine will succeed, or whether Farmer will be a keener judge of talent than was Lombardi. Banner and Lombardi did some good things.

All we can say is there’s a lot less drama than a month ago when the Browns “nearly” traded for Jim Harbaugh.

As I’ve said, I “nearly” dated in high school. Both cases require more definition.

Haslam swept out his front office after the search. Like Pettine's status being unaffected by the Harbaugh news, that's a rock solid fact. So how functional could things have been?

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- With the playoffs just around the corner, Warrensville Heights boys basketball coach Nate Swift wants his team to be in tough situations that his team could see in the next couple of weeks. If Saturday's 69-66 win over Cleveland Heights was any indication on how his team would respond to adversity, the Warrensville Heights Tigers...

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- With the playoffs just around the corner, Warrensville Heights boys basketball coach Nate Swift wants his team to be in tough situations that his team could see in the next couple of weeks. If Saturday's 69-66 win over Cleveland Heights was any indication on how his team would respond to adversity, the Warrensville Heights Tigers could be a difficult out in the next couple of weeks.

"From playing Cleveland Heights throughout the years, we knew this would be a very difficult game," Swift said. " They were the ones that came out and really set the tone for the game in the first quarter, but we did a great job of bouncing back. Last night, I talked to the team about being a resilient team, and tonight that is what we were. Credit to Cleveland Heights for playing a terrific game, but we made some key plays to get a good team victory."

Cleveland Heights got off to a great start early, using pressure defense and a rocking crowd to create some turnovers and build a 10-point lead after the first quarter. While he loved the energy and passion his team showed early, Cleveland Heights boys basketball coach Andy Suttell says his team has to play with that kind of energy the entire game to play against quality teams like Warrensville Heights.

"We are disappointed with the result, but overall I think we competed very hard," Suttell said. "We were obviously short-handed with Bagley not being able to go, but we did a great job of playing hard and gave ourselves a chance to win the game. I think we showed to ourselves that if we have our full team and we are competing like that, we are going to be a difficult come in the playoffs.

Warrensville Heights point guard Jalen Jackson played a big role in the comeback, as the senior point guard had a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists. With his team facing an early deficit early, the senior knew his job as the point guard is to settle his team down and get things back on track.

"They did a great job of setting the tone early, and we have to come out better than we did," Jackson said. " However, as the point guard on the team, I knew I had to settle the team down and get playing our basketball. We responded well in the second half, and were able to get the win against a tough team."

With the win, Warrensville Heights clinched at least a share of the Lake Erie League title. If Bedford loses to Euclid on Monday, then the Tigers win the league outright. While his team has bigger goals when it comes to the playoffs, Jackson said being able to call themselves Lake Erie League champions is a special accomplishment for the program.

"We have not won a league title since 2002, so this is a big deal for our program and the players," Jackson said. "We can enjoy this win because it is a big moment, but we have to get ready for the playoffs."

Besides Jackson, Charles Franklin had a big game with 18 points. Jeremy Holmes led all scorers, scoring 24 points in the loss for Cleveland Heights.

Warrensville Heights will host its first playoff game as the Tigers take on St. Martin de Porres on Wednesday. Cleveland Heights will start its playoff run against Aurora on Wednesday.

Listen to Browns Insider tonight at 8 p.m. from Indianapolis and the NFL Combine.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Will Teddy Bridgewater or Johnny Manziel be available for the Browns at No. 4? Who needs a good showing at the combine this weekend?

Cleveland native Jonathan Newsome, former Ball State defensive end, is tired of the Browns' dismal seasons and would love to help make a change.

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- Cleveland Browns fans are all too familiar with the painful numbers associated with their favorite team.

The franchise has not won a championship in 50 years. The Browns are 77–163 since they returned in 1999, and they have had only two winning seasons during that span.

Former Ball State defense end Jonathan Newsome, here at the NFL Combine 2014, is as disappointed and frustrated as most Browns fans and the chance to do something about it is a dream.

"Playing for the Browns would be special," said Newsome, a graduate of Glenville High School. "I'm a Cleveland guy. I love Cleveland. I'll always be a Cleveland Browns fan. I'd play my heart out for the Browns. I want us to win so bad."

Winning and playing hard has not been that difficult for Newsome because of the success he had in high school. He was a three-star recruit at linebacker for Ohio State. He transferred to Ball State after two years in Columbus. Issues began when Newsome missed spring practice in 2011 due to academic issues, and he was arrested in August of 2012 for marijuana possession and suspended for the first two games of season.

Newsome knows he's fortunate to receive an invite to the combine because of his history. Even during his dark days, he knew he would overcome.

"I always believed I'd be here no matter what," Newsome said. "I always kept the faith. No one owes me anything. I own up to everything I did. "[Learning] from my mistakes made me a better man. "

Newsome's high school coach, Ted Ginn Sr., also saw the changes in his former player.

"Sometimes when kids go through things early in life it forces them to mature," Ginn said. "I talked to him a few weeks and he talked about the different things he's been through. He got caught up, and now that he's got good understanding of life. It's all about maturity and what you want to do in life.

Newsome refined himself but those off field issues were questioned during his interviews here at the combine. Newsome welcomed the concern from executives and coaches. And he was encouraged to hear Browns general manager Ray Farmer's comments that most players "have some dirt under their fingernails'' and it's a matter of weighing the plusses and minuses.

"I would have never thought some of these coaches were as understanding as they are, but they were once 19 and 20 years old and they made mistakes too," Newsome said.

Newsome's success on the field put him on the All-MAC first-team this past season. He led his team in tackles for loss (11.5) and sacks (8). Newsome is ranked as the 25th outside linebacker in the draft because of his leverage and speed. He has good lateral pursuit, and he has the ability to drop back in coverage.

More than likely Newsome will play linebacker on the next level, despite being a defensive end at Ball State. He hopes to prove he can play multiple positions.

"I can be a defensive end or an outside linebacker," said Newsome, who measured at 6-2 1/2 and 247 pounds. "I can play wherever you want me to play. Who ever drafts me will get a playmaker and a baller. A good locker room guy, and a pass rusher. It would be a smart pick."

Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot and Glenn Moore recap the third day of the 2014 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Day 3 of the 2014 NFL Combine is over. Teddy Bridgewater, Sammy Watkins and Michael Sam all spoke with the media Saturday. Also, Mike Pettine talked about what he's looking for this weekend.

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