Ohio State checked in at No. 4 on four-star quarterback prospect Torrance Gibson's latest top 15. The Buckeyes are behind Tennessee, Auburn and LSU.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Four-star quarterback Torrance Gibson of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage may be one of Ohio State's top quarterback targets in the 2015 recruiting class.

But the Buckeyes aren't Gibson's top school. At least not yet.

Gibson released his top 15 in order Monday night, and Ohio State checked it at No. 4 on the quarterback's list behind Tennessee, Auburn and LSU. Behind the Buckeyes are Clemson, Oklahoma, Miami (Fla.), Florida, N.C. State, Oregon, UCF, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Michigan and Nebraska.

Rated by Rivals.com the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the 2015 class, Gibson has said repeatedly that he has high interest in the Buckeyes. However, Ohio State may not be on top of his list right now because he has yet to visit to Columbus.

Gibson won't announce his college decision until after taking all five official visits, and Ohio State is one of the programs that'll receive one. So while it may be discouraging for the Buckeyes that they're not at least in Gibson's top three, a lot can change once prospects are hosted for official visits during the regular season.

Ohio State is also courting four-star quarterback prospect Brandon Wimbush of Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's prep, and he could be close to making a decision. Wimbush is the quarterback the Buckeyes staff is most heavily pursuing at the moment. 

More extended reading on Gibson: 

• Urban Meyer has locked in on Florida QB Torrance Gibson, wants the dual-threat prospect at Ohio State

• Four schools, including Ohio State, hold 'a slight edge' with four-star quarterback Torrance Gibson: Buckeyes recruiting

Top 15 list pic.twitter.com/3t6vruiAhG

— Torrance Gibson (@quick_tg6) May 5, 2014

When talking about the best divisions in football, it's time to include the NFC South.

The Browns will draft Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson, in the opinion of ESPN's Chris Mortensen. If he's not there, they'll opt for Johnny Manziel or trade out of the pick, Mortensen speculates.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- ESPN's Chris Mortensen believes the Browns will take Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson at No. 4, and that if Robinson isn't there, they'll draft either Johnny Manziel or trade out of the pick.

Mortensen made his remarks on ESPN Monday, and clarified them for cleveland.com after it was widely erroneously reported that he expected Manziel to be the Browns' first option at No. 4.

Mortensen told cleveland.com that he believes the Browns will draft Robinson, the best offensive tackle in the draft, unless the Rams grab him at No. 2. He said he made his remarks in the context that the ideal scenario for the Rams would be to take Robinson at No. 2 and Manziel at No. 13 -- but that they might not be able to wait until No. 13 for Manziel.

He said he believes the Browns will opt for Manziel if Robinson is gone, or try to trade out of the pick. An NFL personnel man told cleveland.com that Robinson is drawing comparisons to Hall of Fame tackle Walter Jones.

The Rams have shown considerable interest in Johnny Football and some think they might even draft him at No. 2 despite the fact former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford has a base salary of $14 million in 2014.

One league insider speculated that Rams might be talking up Manziel to get the Browns to bite on a trade up to No. 2.

Mortensen also said he doesn't believe Buffalo outside linebacker Khalil Mack is a consideration for the Browns at No. 4.

Kent Roosevelt football coach John Nemec announced his retirement.

KENT, Ohio — John Nemec, who won more than 200 games in 29 seasons as the head football coach at Kent Roosevelt, announced his retirement on Monday.

Nemec, 68, will take a job as Director of Player Personnel on coach Terry Bowden’s staff at the University of Akron. It was a decision made with a heavy heart for a man who has spent the last 38 years of his life as a coach, teacher and administrator at Kent Roosevelt.

Nemec informed the Rough Rider football team of his decision on Monday morning.

“It was pretty emotional for my wife, Mary, and I this morning,” Nemec said Monday. “When I left for work we were crying. When I got home from work we were crying. It was a tough morning.”

Kent Roosevelt Athletic Director Mark Pfaff could not be reached for comment, but told the Akron Beacon Journal that the search for Nemec’s replacement would begin immediately.

A graduate of Gateway High in Monroeville, Pa., and the University of Toledo, Nemec first coached Kent Roosevelt in 1976 after four years at Wapakoneta. He served two different stints as the Rough Riders head coach, and was an assistant coach for six seasons at Kent Roosevelt under Eddie Becker.

In 33 total seasons as a head coach, Nemec posted a 231-113-3 record. The Rough Riders finished 9-2 last season.

“I’m going to miss the kids,” Nemec said. “The most important thing that happened in my career is the relationships I’ve developed. I pride myself on treating the down the line kids that need the help as well as I treated the stars. I’m going to miss those down the line kids, the second- and third-teamers.”

As part of his role as Director of Player Personnel, Nemec will work with what he called “at-risk” student-athletes who need help academically or socially. It will be Nemec’s second job in college football. He served as an assistant coach at Army from 1969-71.

Nemec said the decision was not made hastily, and that administrators have known about the move for the last two months.

“I’ve been thinking about it for the last three years,” Nemec said. “We thought about staying two more years, but I thought two years from now I might not be offered that job from Akron. It’s exciting, and it’s a new challenge.”

Nemec said he will still be keeping tabs on the Kent Roosevelt football team.

“My whole family has been involved with Roosevelt football,” Nemec said. “We have been and will remain Roosevelt football supporters.”

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Tough defense is what defines the NFC West. The Seahawks are the defending champions, the 49ers are one of the best teams in the league and the Cardinals are coming off a 10-win season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Tough defense is what defines the NFC West. The Seahawks are the defending champions, the 49ers are one of the best teams in the league and the Cardinals are coming off a 10-win season. With the Rams having two picks in the Top 15 of this year's loaded draft, it wouldn't be a surprise to see each team finish 2014 with a record of .500 or above. 

Arizona Cardinals (click here for depth chart)

1. Safety – Yeremiah Bell helped the Cardinals secondary last year, but he left in free agency. It doesn't help that promising youngster Tyrann Mathieu spent the off-season recovering from a torn ACL. His recovery will be one to monitor for the Cards. 

2. Outside Linebacker – Still effective at 36 years old, John Abraham led the Cardinals with 11.5 sacks. Supersized defensive lineman Calais Campbell chipped in with nine sacks. With Karlos Dansby leaving for Cleveland, no one else on the roster had more than 4.5.

3. Quarterback – Carson Palmer's season was the best Arizona has had from its quarterback since Kurt Warner retired following the 2009 season. But Palmer is 34 years old and eventually Arizona will have to find a long-term answer, something that isn't currently on the roster.

San Francisco 49ers

1. Outside Linebacker – It's gotten too difficult for the 49ers to count on the enigmatic Aldon Smith. Arguably the best pass rusher in the league, Smith's past year has also included a stint in rehab and being arrested for falsifying a bomb threat in an airport. A supreme talent is being wasted.

2. Cornerback – Two of San Francisco's top cornerbacks, Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers, joined the Raiders this off-season. The 49ers dominant pass rush covers up a lot of weaknesses, but looking at San Francisco's depth chart, it's one corner short of where it needs to be.

3. Wide Receiver – Michael Crabtree being out for all but five games in the regular season showed a weakness at receiver. If the 49ers are serious about Colin Kaepernick improving as a passer then he needs at least one more wideout.

Seattle Seahawks

1. Offensive Tackle – I'm sure it's possible for 2013 seventh-round pick Michael Bowie to hold down the right tackle spot, but it's not something I'd be comfortable betting on if I were the Super Bowl champs, not in a division loaded with talented pass rushers such as Chris Long, Robert Quinn, Aldon Smith, Justin Smith, John Abraham and Calais Campbell.

2. Cornerback – Teams around the NFL often want to snag players from a deep, talented team. That's what happened to the Seahawks this off-season, especially at cornerback with Walter Thurmond and Brandon Browner. Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell are locked in as starter, and should be fine. But the depth will need to be addressed.

3. Wide Receiver – Now that Golden Tate has left Seattle, the Seahawks will have to count on two injury-prone players, Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin. Another receiver to keep Doug Baldwin in the slot would be a smart move.

St. Louis Rams

1. Offensive Tackle – Injuries along the offensive line have had an impact on the St. Louis Rams recently. St. Louis should have a backup plan for Jake Long, who has been recovering from a torn ACL and MCL.

2. Safety – The Rams' defense looks ready to become one of the NFL's elite. But the safety spot is still a weak link with Rodney McLeod, coming off a rough season, penciled in as starter. 

3. Quarterback – Sam Bradford, former first-overall pick, has had a hard time staying healthy and the Rams have to seriously contemplate his future. His receivers and offensive line have let him down at times during his career, but he has failed to develop. A team ready to make strides in the NFC West can't afford to be held back by the QB. 

Indians place Jason Giambi on disabled list with strained right calf to make room for catcher Yan Gomes.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – George Kottaras hit two homers in his first two at-bats as an Indian on Sunday. No other player has done that in team history.

What did it get him -- a lot of congratulatory texts from his friends and one more day in the big leagues. If you’re George Kottaras, you’re grateful for small blessings.

He is the definition of a day-to-day player and his run could end Tuesday when Josh Tomlin is activated from Class AAA Columbus to start against the Twins.

As it was, Kottaras could have been gone Monday when catcher Yan Gomes returned from the paternity list Monday instead of Tuesday. It forced the Indians to make a move and they decided to put Jason Giambi on the disabled list with a sore right calf instead of designating Kottaras for assignment.

Kottaras is out of options.

“It’s pretty cool that Gomes came back early because he didn’t have to,” said manager Terry Francona. “So we have him in the lineup (Monday vs. the Twins) and there has to be a corresponding roster move.

“Michael Bourn (left hamstring) is still not ready to play, but we think he’s real close. G can hit, but he’s not sure he can do the rest of it. The reason I say what I say about him is because he continues to amaze me by his willingness to see past himself.

“When you leave the room after talking to G, even when you put him on the DL, you just feel like a better person.”

So the Indians opened their four-game series against the Twins with three catchers – Gomes, Kottaras and Carlos Santana.

“We’d love to keep George,” said Francona. “We’ll probably have to talk through it daily for a while to see what fits and how we can make it fit. You can only have 25.”

Kottaras played for Francona in Boston in 2008 and 2009.

“George is aware that we’d like to keep him,” said Francona, “and he’s also a smart kid. He realizes you have to do what you have to do.”

Kottaras, who has played parts of six seasons with Boston, Milwaukee, Oakland, Kansas City and the Indians, is averaging a homer for every 22.4 at-bats.

“He sees about six or seven pitches an at-bat,” said Francona. “He grew up in Canada playing a lot of softball and he has that kind of swing.”

Giambi injured his calf during Saturday’s 2-0 win over the White Sox.

Testing, testing: Bourn was going to run outside Monday to test his hamstring, but rain, hail and wet grounds kept him inside.

“I still don’t think it’s as bad as the last time I hurt it,” said Bourn. “I’ll run on the treadmill and try to get out there tomorrow.”

Bourn had surgery on the hamstring at the end of last season. He reinjured it March 16 running the bases against the Giants in spring training. He opened the year on the disabled list and was activated on April 15.

He reinjured the hamstring Saturday beating out a bunt single.

“I have all my strength in it, but it’s just tight,” said Bourn.

The Indians spent much of April and the early part of May playing in cold weather, which hasn’t helped Bourn either.

“I noticed it right when I got here,” said Bourn. “When I was rehabbing in Arizona, it felt fine. Once I got here, in the cold weather, it just tightened up quicker. As it warms up I think I’ll be better.

“I’ve got to be patient with it, but that’s hard when you want to be out there every day.”

Cancer survivor: Charlene Wuthrich, who underwent a double mastectomy in 1988, is the winner of MLB’s honorary bat girl contest for the Indians. She will be honored before the Indians play Oakland at Progressive Field on May 18th.

Wuthrich, a lifelong Indians fan who lives in Sullivan Township, was diagnosed with cancer in 1987. She has been a nurse for 25 years and has twice been chosen as the American Cancer Society’s Nurse of Hope.

Early return: Gomes says wife Jenna and newborn daughter, Brooklyn Mae, are doing fine. The couple’s first child was born around 10 a.m. Saturday.

As for return the Indians on Monday, Gomes said, “I talked to my wife and she said she was cool with me just taking two days. Her parents are here so she was fine with me. All I was doing was holding the baby.

“I’ve been a good cheerleader for the last couple of days. We’ve just excited. The whole experience was unbelievable. I’m extremely proud of my wife. To be a strong as she as was amazing.”

Finally: The Indians 4-3 loss on Sunday to Chicago was their first in 12 games when they had the lead after seven innings.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Ray Farmer both love Johnny Manziel, but Greg Robinson is high on their list and could be their top choice at No. 4, sources told cleveland.com.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson is high on the Browns' list at No. 4, but owner Jimmy Haslam and general manager Ray Farmer also love Johnny Manziel, league sources have told cleveland.com.

Sources close to the team said the Browns are leaning toward Robinson with their No. 4 pick, but that there's also plenty of love at the top of the building for Johnny Football. One NFL personnel man told cleveland.com that Robinson is a can't-miss prospect and that he compares to Hall of Famer Walter Jones of the Seahawks.

"A player like Greg Robinson doesn't come around very often,'' said the source. "If he's there, it would be very difficult for them to pass on him.''

The sources said Haslam and Farmer are high on Manziel, but that there might not be a consensus in the organization. However, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan praised Manziel during minicamp last week, which means he might be in the same camp as his two bosses. Coach Mike Pettine said Shanahan's evaluation of the quarterbacks would carry more weight than his own.

"Everybody’s got their own opinion,'' said Shanahan. "There’s a lot of people in this building, so I don’t think there’s a consensus on anything. They asked me my opinion, I always give it and we see what happens.''

Shanahan suggested he'd be happy to work with the dynamic playmaker.

"It’s obvious how good of a player he is, how fun he is to watch,'' Shanahan said Thursday on the final day of minicamp. "I think (his style) does translate to the NFL. If you can make those plays in college, you can do it in the NFL. The one thing about the NFL, there’s a lot of tape out there. You’ve got to be able to do everything.

"Whatever you do very good, they’re going to eventually be able to shut that down and you’re going to have to do something else. He’s going to be able to make plays in this league. Eventually when they try to contain him, he’s going to have to do everything he didn’t always have to do in college.

 Shanahan isn't concerned about Manziel's 5-11 3/4 height and 207-pound frame.

"The guy can play football,'' said Shanahan. "I don’t care if you’re a big guy or a smaller guy, if you take too many hits in the league, I don’t care who you are, it’s tough to stay healthy. He’s got to take care of himself, especially with the way he plays, but I think he definitely has the size to succeed in the league.''

Manziel's Texas A&M offensive coordinator, Jake Spavital, told cleveland.com that Manziel will flourish in the right system, and will be able to run Shanahan's brand of West Coast offense.

Pettine also noted that Shanahan is flexible enough to work with any style of quarterback, as evidenced by Robert Griffin III's outstanding rookie season in Washington in 2012. Utilizing Griffin's running ability, Shanahan coached him to NFL Rookie of the Year honors and a Pro Bowl season. He threw 20 touchdowns against only five interceptions and earned a 102.4 rating.

But the Browns might decide to go the safer route and draft Robinson, who could eventually take over for Joe Thomas as left tackle. For now, Robinson would play right tackle or guard for the Browns.

The problem is, the Rams might grab at Robinson at No. 2, possibly leaving the Browns with the big decision on Manziel. The Rams are also believed to be interested in Manziel, but one insider said that all the talk about them taking him at No. 2 might be designed to get the Browns to trade up to get him.

Publicly, the Browns have stated that they wouldn't hesitate to draft Robinson, or Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews. One scout said that while Robinson is like Jones, Matthews compares to Thomas, the seven-time Pro Bowler.

"(Robinson is an) outstanding tackle,'' said Pettine at the NFL Annual Meeting last month. "He's a player that has all the measurables. The nice thing that you like about him is the toughness. He's a finisher. He's going to knock you down and he's not going to help you up. I know he's played (guard). If you look at Jonathan Ogden, he was a guard his first year in the NFL and then he ended up transitioning out to tackle.  A lot of people don't realize that. But when you're looking for the best player available and that name pops up, whether you have that player on your roster or you have Joe Thomas on the roster at left tackle, you don't want to say 'we're not going to take him because we have one.'''

Farmer echoed those sentiments, including Matthews in the evaluation. Matthews is also a strong candidate for the Rams at No. 2.

"They’re really good players,'' Farmer said at his pre-draft press conference last week. "We were sitting in the suite at the combine when Greg Robinson ran, and Jimmy (Haslam) turned and was like, ‘how big was he?’ so you go back and you start reviewing the numbers and the size and the movement and then his play, and he's a very, very interesting prospect as to what he can possibly bring to a franchise. Same thing with Jake Matthews. His history and pedigree speak for themselves. I want to drive competition on the roster. So Joe Thomas is a very good football player. He’s been to numerous Pro Bowls, he’s been a successful player for a reason. But having players on this roster that Joe looks over and says, ‘oh, boy, that’s a real guy right there,’ that’s something good for our franchise and good for our football team. I think there’s no way I would tell you that those guys aren’t interesting players for us as well.''

If the Browns decide to trade down out of the No. 4 pick, they might target Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert, who led the Big 12 with seven interceptions in 2013 and returned two for touchdowns. But if the Browns covet Gilbert, one of the top two cornerbacks in the draft along with Michigan State's Darqueze Dennard, they can't move too far back to get him. The Lions reportedly have their eye on him at No. 10.

Nyjer Morgan knows all about baseball being a business.

Clubhouse confidential: With more than four years in the big leagues, Nyjer Morgan was as surprised as anyone that he still had a minor league option left when the Indians sent him to Class AAA Columbus on April 15 to make room for Michael Bourn, who was coming off the disabled list after rehabbing a strained left hamstring.

Morgan rejoined the Indians Sunday when Bourn reinjured the hamstring.

“Hey, somebody was doing their homework,” said Morgan, referring to his option. “But you’ve got to understand, you can’t take anything in this business personal. Once you take it personal, then you might as well forgot about it.

“You have to understand the business part of the game and the rest will take care of itself.”

Morgan hit .200 (16-for-20) with four runs, four doubles, one homer and seven RBI at Columbus.

“I just come to work,” he said. “I know I can play. I just let everything else take care of itself. Its just business.”

Improvement: Starters Danny Salazar, Justin Masterson and Corey Kluber went 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA in their weekend series against the White Sox over the weekend. They struck out 25, walked eight and allowed four earned runs in 20 1/3 innings.

“When you pitch like that, it certainly makes the game seem more winnable when your offense is inconsistent,” said manager Terry Francona.

Stat of the day: Before the White Sox rallied for three runs Sunday to beat the Indians, 4-3, at Progressive Field, Elias Sports Bureau said they lost 53 road games in which they had trailed in the eighth inning or later. Their last victory in that situation was May 16, 2013 against the Angels at Angel Stadium.

Zach McAllister pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, but John Axford gave up a leadoff homer in the 10th as the Indians fall to the Twins, 1-0.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --  It happened again to John Axford and it would appear the Indians have a problem with their new closer. The same goes for their offense.

In the Indians' first extra inning game of the season, Eduardo Escobar homered off Axford  to start the 10th inning Monday night and give the Twins a 1-0 victory at Progressive Field. Escobar hit a 1-0 pitch into the right field seats for his first homer of the season.

It was the second alarming performance by Axford in as many days. That it followed strong starts by Zach McAllister and Corey Kluber is more frustrating than alarming.

Axford entered the ninth inning of Sunday's game against Chicago with a 3-1 lead after an eight-inning, 13-strikeout performance by Kluber. Axford walked two of the first three batters he faced before giving up a three-run homer to Dayan Viciedo for a 4-3 loss.

"It's a shame my performance in the back end the last two days have taken precedence over a great hitting perforrmance by George (Kottaras) and two outstanding starting pitching performances from Kluber and McAllister."

In Sunday's game, George Kottaras homered in his first two at-bats as an Indian.

Axford was working for the third straight day. In most cases, the home team's closer pitches the ninth inning in a tie game, but with Monday's scoreless games going into the top ninth, Cody Allen, not Axford, pitched.

"I went with Cody there because he was already up (in the bullpen)," said manager Terry Francona.

Allen retired the Twins without incident in the ninth. The same could not be said for Axford (0-3), who allowed one run on two hits in two thirds of an inning in the 10th.

The Indians have lost eight of their last 10 games.

"It was great to get back out there," said Axford, when asked about pitching three straight days. "It's something you want. It's something I want. I want to go out there the next day and get the job done.

"I want to erase the slate from the day before. Unfortunately, my second pitch didn't work out. I'll have to think about it tonight and make sure I'm better the next time out."

The win went to Caleb Theilbar (2-0). Glen Perkins pitched the 10th for his eighth save. 

Much of the cold night belonged to the starters, McAllister and Kyle Gibson. McAllister didn't allow a run in 6 2/3 innings. He tied a career high with eight strikeouts, while walking one and allowing five hits.

McAllister, who lowered his ERA from 3.82 to 3.18, has 36 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings this year. He threw 66 percent (76-for-114) of his pitches for strikes.

"You can't pitch much better than McAllister and Kluber did the last two days," said Francona. "Right now we don't have much wiggle room."

Gibson, who beat the Indians on April 5, threw seven scoreless innings. He struck out one, walked three and allowed two hits. He threw just 56 percent (56-for-100) of his pitches for strikes.  

The 6-6, 220-pound Gibson came into the game with 14 walks and 15 strikeouts. In his first start against the Tribe, he walked four in five innings, but allowed only one run. For the season, he's held the Indians to one run in 12 innings.

McAllister was at his best in the sixth after Sam Fuld doubled with one out and stole third. McAllister, facing the middle of the lineup with the go-ahead at third, threw a 94 mph fastball past Trevor Plouffe for the second out. Then he threw a 93 mph fastball past Chris Colabello to end the inning.

Plouffe and Colabello were both retired on called third strikes. Colabello came into the game third in the AL with 27 RBI.

McAllister pumped his first after getting out of that jam.

"I knew it was a big part of the game," said McAllister. "I had to let some emotion out."

The Indians, ranked 12th in the AL in runs, were shutout for the second time this season. They were held to three hits by four Twins pitchers and went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

For the season they're hitting .218 with runners in scoring position. In game where they scored three or fewer runs, they are 5-15.

McAllister, coming off his first start on three days rest in his career, looked strong from the first pitch to his 114th when he was removed with two on and two out in the seventh. He cruised through the first three innings before finding a touch of trouble in the fourth.

The Indians were basically helpless against Gibson.

Michael Brantley doubled and Carlos Santana walked with two out in the first. Lonnie Chisenhall popped out to third to end the inning.

Santana walked with one out in the fourth and stole second for his first steal of the season. Gibson retired Chisenhall and Asdrubal Cabrera on fly balls to left.

The Indians lost their replay challenge in the seventh. Francona felt Yan Gomes had caught pinch-runner Danny Santana straying too far from second base with two out. Second base umpire Doug Eddings called Santana safe and the call stood after MLB's review.

Francona is 2-for-7 in challenges.

cleveland.com gave you, the die-hard football fan, a chance to dictate the first-round in the first cleveland.com Fan Mock Draft. The 32 picks were set and assigned to 32 different cleveland.com readers. Here are the results.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The 2014 NFL Draft is three days away. Everyone has an opinion on who should be picked No. 1 and who the Browns should take with their two first-round picks.

The Twins enter Tuesday night's game at Progressive Field having won three of four against the Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the lineups for Tuesday night's game between the Indians and Twins at Progressive Field:

Twins (15-15)

2B Brian Dozier .240

CF Sam Fuld .247

DH Trevor Plouffe .280

1B Chris Colabello .271

LF Jason Kubel .287

C Kurt Suzuki .309

3B Eduardo Escobar .333

RF Chris Herrmann .125

SS Danny Santana 1.000 (1-for-1)

RHP Samuel Deduno (0-1, 2.89 ERA)

Indians (13-19)

CF Nyjer Morgan .323

1B Nick Swisher .197

LF Michael Brantley .267

3B Carlos Santana .150

RF David Murphy .261

SS Asdrubal Cabrera .211

DH Lonnie Chisenhall .368

C Yan Gomes .253

2B Jose Ramirez .125

RHP Josh Tomlin (---)

Notable:

*Twins have won three in a row.

*Twins lead season series, 3-1 -- all in Cleveland.

*Deduno makes his first start of season after seven relief appearances. He is in the rotation spot of injured Mike Pelfrey.

*Plouffe leads majors with 14 doubles.

*Plouffe is a career .337 hitter (30-for-89) at Progressive Field.

*Indians have lost two in a row and eight of 10. They are 8-16 since late afternoon April 9.

*Indians are 9-8 at home. All losses have come against teams that began Tuesday at or below .500.

*Indians have scored three or fewer runs 19 times (4-15).

*Indians are 2-5 in one-run games. Last season, they were 30-17 in such games.

*Brantley ranks tied for sixth in the American League with 23 RBI.

*Swisher is 2-for-25 with five walks in his last eight games.

*Tomlin makes his season's debut with Indians. He is in the rotation spot of ineffective Carlos Carrasco.

*Indians CF Michael Bourn tested his left hamstring at various speeds in the outfield before batting practice. He is day to day.

CNNSI's Peter King has the Browns ending up with three picks in the first round -- all on offense.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Should the Browns trade down?

CNNSI's Peter King sees that coming. In his mock draft, Mr. Monday Morning Quarterback has the Browns ending up with receiver Mike Evans.

That's at No. 6 in the draft.

King wrote: "Browns get their Texas A&M offensive star, just not the one lots of Browns fans wished it was. But how about a trio of Josh Gordon, Evans and Andrew Hawkins, the former Bengals waterbug, in the slot? The Browns need a lot. This is good value for the spot. It would also give the Browns a ridiculous seven of the top 110 picks."

OK, how about it? Seven picks in the first 110. This trade would have the Browns sending their No. 4 pick to Atlanta. In return, they'd receive Atlanta's No. 6 pick. They also get the No. 68 pick (Atlanta's third-rounder).

Then they'd have three picks in the third round: 68, 71, 83.

Or how about this?

King has the Browns grabbing Blake Bortles at No. 26: "The crash-and-burn that was Bortles’ night in the draft green room ends as (General Manager) Ray Farmer wins his game of chicken with the rest of the league. Can this happen? I am dubious, but I do think a very good player or two will fall precipitously, and as I made my calls in the past few days, I couldn’t find a Bortles lover. One may be in hiding. We’ll see."

King isn't done. He has the Browns trading their second-round pick and a fourth-rounder to Seattle for the final pick in the first round -- UCLA guard Xavier Su'a-Filo.

OK, let's think about this -- because King presents one of the most interesting mock drafts. King also has a lot of credibility because he is well-connected in the NFL.

If the Browns come away with Evans, Bortles and Su'a-Filo … and lost only a second-round pick … is that a good night?

Here we go:

1. King's top three picks are Khalil Mack (Houston), Greg Robinson (St. Louis) and Sammy Watkins (Jacksonville).

2. So when the Browns draft, my two favorite players (Mack and Watkins are gone).

3. But when they draft, every quarterback is available. So is Jadeveon Clowney, the South Carolina pass rusher projected as the best athlete in the draft. Most experts have Clowney drafted by No. 4.

4. Should the Browns grab Clowney? The major drop in his stats last season bothers me. But at the NFL meetings in March, coach Mike Pettine had this to say: “Freakish athlete. I think he could change a game. …. As a defensive head coach, I don’t know if I’d be all that upset to turn the card in on Clowney with the fourth pick. … I think if you’re strong and assertive as a coach, you can get that guy to be more focused and get him to be much more consistent. So if you can take a Clowney and get him to play … then you’ve got a guy that can absolutely dominate a game.”

5. Maybe the Browns would take Clowney. King believes they'll trade the pick to Atlanta for the rights to Evans and a third-rounder.

Given the choice, Terry Pluto would prefer Teddy Bridgewater (shown) over Blake Bortles for the Browns at No. 26. AP

6. Then he has the Browns scooping up the falling Bortles at No. 26. I would be absolutely shocked if Bortles drops that far. But yes, I'd take him at No. 26. I'd prefer Teddy Bridgewater. But Bortles that far down in the draft is intriguing.

7. King has Bridgewater dropping out of the first round. He has Johnny Manziel going No. 7 to Tampa Bay.

8. His deal of Su'a-Filo at the end of the first round fits into all the rumors about the Browns wanting to add to the offensive line.

So how about it? Would you do it?

I would, but I'd substitute Bridgewater for Bortles.

Adding a starting receiver, a starting guard and my favorite quarterback prospect  would be a terrific first day for the Browns.

Now, can it really happen?

The Browns don't need to make a splash in the draft. They need to get it right. Winning will make the splash.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Some of the thousand or two NFL draft theories espoused -- and I'm just counting Twitter from 9 a.m. to 9:02 Tuesday -- suggest the Browns might be tempted to make a splash at No. 4.

Really now?

That alleged desire is often attached to owner Jimmy Haslam, the insinuation being that after failing to land his big-name coach in separate job searches he just might instruct his people to bring home a headliner Thursday.

Itâs a theory most often used to explain mock drafts that have the Browns taking Johnny Manziel.

And I believe it to be a completely wrong take, fallout from Haslam's firing of his first head coach, coaching staff, his team president and his team presidentâs hand-picked talent evaluator after one season together.

First, the only reason to take Manziel or any other quarterback at No. 4 is if Ray Farmer, Mike Pettine, Kyle Shanahan and the scouts who have poured months of sweat into their reports think he can lead an annual march to the playoffs.

If Haslam is not taking their advice -- and I believe he is and will in the draft -- the franchise is in much bigger trouble than we thought.

Portraying Haslam as Dan Snyder-in-training is simplistic work. Haslam is ranked next-to-last, just ahead of Snyder, on Yahoo's list of the NFLâs best owners.

We know why both men hold down such undistinguished places; Haslam for his whiplashed pledge to bring stability to town; Snyder for his gross overspending and overreaching in personnel decisions.

Haslam's firing of Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi is viewed as just more evidence of his impulsiveness. That's the national narrative. And in that context, they see him doing something, anything, to get the people who've pilloried him buzzing about the Browns for a good reason this time.

Locally, we see the Banner-Lombardi firings differently -- not so much as more dysfunction but as a move to erase it.

Two coaching searches ending with first-time head coaches no one else was beating down the door to interview made Haslam realize Banner-Lombardi was an obstacle around the league.

The owner who made that decision, I believe, isnât going to pound the table on draft night and demand Farmer draft Manziel or anybody else.

Haslam has said he sees his role as a facilitator. He wants to hear from the talent evaluators who trust their eyes and trust the game film. He wants them to hear from the statistical evaluators who might not be so socially comfortable in a room filled with coaches and old-school scouts.

In fact, Haslam's role should be pretty much played out before Thursday night unless something unforeseen arises on deadline and it demands a tie-breaker.

Owners have every right to pull the trigger on a position as important as a quarterback. The smartest ones don't.

Haslam shouldn't pressure the choice of Manziel or any other quarterback.

To paraphrase from a famous Sam Wyche speech, you do live in Cleveland. You don't live in Jacksonville.

Jacksonville might need a splash. In this town, winning makes the splash. It's just been so long it's understandable if some people have forgotten.

Underestimating the learning curve as Haslam clearly has done as an owner isnât the same as meddling in personnel. They are separate and unequal deficiencies.

The meddling owner who doesn't know what he doesn't know -- and really doesn't care to find out -- is far more dangerous.

That's not Haslam. At least it hasn't been yet.

All but five teams in the NFL started last season with a quarterback drafted in the first two rounds. That stat shows how difficult it is to find a gem at the game's most important position. Sure, it can be done. Tom Brady, Tony Romo and Russell Wilson are examples, but the odds favor teams that use a high selection on the position.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – All but five NFL teams started last season with a quarterback drafted in the first two rounds. That stat shows how difficult it is to find a gem at the game's most important position. Sure, it can be done. Tom Brady, Tony Romo and Russell Wilson are examples, but the odds favor teams that use a high selection on the position.

The same can be said about wide receivers. My five most talented receivers (Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, A.J. Green and Julio Jones) were all first-round picks. But just like quarterbacks, there are always exceptions such as the Steelers' Antonio Brown, Denver's Wes Welker or even Baltimore's Steve Smith.

Running back is a different story. The value of the position has been diminished as teams continue to go to the committee approach. Teams have been more likely to wait on draft weekend. Only three former first-round picks (Marshawn Lynch, Adrian Peterson and Ryan Mathews) were in the Top 10 in rushing yards during the 2013 season. Eddie Lacy, the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year, was drafted at the end of the second round.

Finding a diamond in the rough is often the difference between a good draft and a great draft. Here a four players (one from each offensive skill position) who haven't gotten a lot of publicity but will make a team very happy on draft day.

Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech

Playing quarterback was never Thomas' original plan. Because of his size (6-6, 248), speed and athleticism, the former basketball star was the No. 1 tight end recruit in his class. He moved to QB, redshirted for a season and then served as Tyrod Taylor's backup in 2010. Taking over the following season, Thomas showed immense potential, and people around college football started thinking about what could be with a physically imposing, but raw, force blessed with a cannon for an arm.

It never came together. Part of it was his fault. Wildly inaccurate in Blacksburg, Thomas never completed better than 59 percent of his passes. The other part was his supporting cast. He had two different offensive coordinators, which didn't help his development. His receivers dropped too many catchable passes, which led to the coaches making many changes at the position. His offensive line too often let him down, which led to bad habits in the pocket. And the running game became a mixture of what Thomas could pick up himself – he led the team in rushing in 2012 - and disappointing runs from the stable of backs.

Thomas has a long way to go as an NFL signal caller. His footwork is inconsistent, he doesn't read the field very well and he needs to learn the value of touch. But Virginia Tech's school record holder for yards (9,103) and touchdowns (53) has tools that can't be taught. 

Any team looking for a developmental QB in the middle rounds would be wise to swing for the fences on the enigmatic Thomas. He has the leadership qualities and work ethic of a starter. Working with QB guru George Whitfield has led to positive strides and an increase in confidence. With more development and a lot of patience, Thomas has the tools to become a starter down the road. Right now he's an athlete masquerading as a quarterback.

View full sizeCentral Florida's Storm Johnson has the talent to be a three-down running back in the NFL.Rick Scuteri, Associated Press

Storm Johnson, RB, Central Florida

Johnson's college career didn't quite go according to plan. He started at Miami, where he was buried on the Hurricanes' depth chart. Not seeing an opportunity for a bigger role, Johnson transferred to Central Florida, redshirting the 2011 season. He still had to wait his turn at Central Florida, playing behind Latavius Murray – Oakland's sixth-round pick in the 2013 draft. Last season, Johnson finally earned the starting job, and rushed for 1,139 yards and 14 touchdowns. He had five 100-yard games and chipped in with 30 catches.

Johnson has good size (5-11, 209) and strength. He's a powerful, determined, between-the-tackles runner, who is at his best when making just one cut. He doesn't possess great vision and ball security is a huge question mark. He doesn't do any one thing great, but a lot well, and thanks to his all-around game, he has the ability to be a three-down back in the league.

Devin Street, WR, Pittsburgh

Every now and then a wide receiver suffers because of poor play at quarterback. It's part of what happened to Marqise Lee at USC. It happened to Keenan Allen in last year's draft.

Now Street is dealing with that. Even though the NFL has formed a new love fest this off-season with Tom Savage, Street's production was affected by Savage's inaccuracy and inconsistent play.

There were other factors, too, as Street was pushed to the second option in the passing game, behind freshman wideout Tyler Boyd. Street missed a few games with shoulder and elbow injuries. He needs to get stronger and show that he can get off the line. He also needs work on his route running. But he's a 40-game starter, with good length, size (6-3, 198), athleticism and reliable hands. In any other draft, he would be a possible second-day pick. This year, he may be waiting until Saturday.

View full sizeTennessee State tight end A.C. Leonard will have to prove he's moved on from the issues that forced him to transfer from Florida.Michael Conroy, Associated Press

A.C. Leonard, TE, Tennessee State

Leonard is not the typical small-school prospect. The highly regarded tight end recruit started his career at Florida. A torn meniscus and the presence of Trey Burton limited Leonard to a pedestrian freshman season -- eight catches for 99 yards. After his freshman year, Leonard was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge after he and his girlfriend at the time allegedly got into an argument that escalated. He pled no contest, but still transferred to Tennessee State so he could play immediately. After a strong sophomore season at the FCS level, Leonard's production dipped this past year, leaving many wondering why he left school early.

He has experience lining up wide, in the slot and next to the offensive tackle, has an intriguing set of physical tools. He's fast, smooth and able to run past defenders and make things happen after the catch. He has reliable hands, which help him make tough catches in traffic as well as snare the ball away from his body.

At 6-2, he's a tight end in a receiver's body. The one-dimensional player has shown little interest in anything other than catching the ball, and will need a few years of development before stepping on an NFL field. 

The Indians designated catcher George Kottaras for assignment to clear a roster spot for Josh Tomlin.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- News and notes from Terry Francona's meeting with the media on Tuesday afternoon.

• The Indians designated catcher George Kottaras for assignment to clear a roster spot for Josh Tomlin, who will make his season debut at 7:05 p.m. Kottaras leaves Cleveland with a .667 batting average and 3.417 OPS. Of course, he appeared in only one game for the Tribe. He became the first player in franchise history to homer in each of his first two at-bats with the club.
• Francona said center fielder Michael Bourn, sidelined with a left hamstring injury, could return within the next couple of days. Bourn will run the bases on Wednesday. He has been taking batting practice and he ran sprints in the outfield on Tuesday. "We don't want to force a guy to the DL," Francona said. "It's only been three days and he's only probably two away."
• Lonnie Chisenhall has been taking ground balls at first base for the last week and a half. He has also taken fly balls in left field. "He's a pretty good athlete," Francona said. "I think it's a good idea. You have a left-handed hitter that can do multiple things, it can only enhance your career. There's no downside."
• Francona referred to closer John Axford's struggles as a bump in the road. "It's easy when you're watching a game or you're a fan or media [to ask], 'Why did you go to him?'" Francona said. "He's our closer. … When you start running from guys as opposed to trying to get them back to where they need to be, that can be unsettling for a team."
• Francona was asked if the scuffling offense is the team's most alarming concern. "We're inconsistent in a few areas," Francona said. "Defensively, we need to play better, especially when you're not scoring runs in bunches."

Join cleveland.com's Zack Meisel for a live in-game chat as the Indians take on the Twins at Progressive Field.

Jenkins confirmed with Cleveland.com on Tuesday evening that he committed to Penn State, chosing the James Franklin and the Nittany Lions over the Buckeyes and 15 other schools.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Four-star offensive tackle Sterling Jenkins of Pittsburgh (Pa.) Baldwin was down to Ohio State and Penn State.

Now he's down to only the Nittany Lions.

Jenkins confirmed with Cleveland.com on Tuesday evening that he committed to Penn State, chosing the James Franklin and the Nittany Lions over the Buckeyes and 15 other schools.

Rated by Rivals.com the No. 6 offensive tackle in the 2015 recruiting class, Jenkins is the second coveted offensive tackle to commit to Penn State over Ohio State. The Buckeyes were also heavily involved in the recruitment of New Jersey offensive tackle Steven Gonzalez before he chose Penn State.

Four-star quarterback Brandon Wimbush of Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's Prep is expected to make his decision on Tuesday night, and it's another battle between Ohio State and Penn State. The Nittany Lions are also expected to land the Wimbush, Ohio State's top quarterback target in the class. 

Stay tuned with Cleveland.com for continued coverage throughout the night. 

NFL and college football beat writers from across the country came together for a national NFL mock draft Monday. Here's a look at their Round 1 picks.

NFL and college football beat writers from AL.com, Cleveland.com, MassLive.com, MLive.com, NJ.com, NOLA.com, PennLive.com and Syracuse.com came together for a national NFL mock draft Monday. Here's a look at their Round 1 picks:

Hudson's Mitch Guadagni orally commits to play college football for Toledo.

HUDSON, Ohio — Hudson junior quarterback Mitch Guadagni announced on Monday his oral commitment to play college football for Toledo.

Guadagni also had scholarship offers from Akron, Buffalo, Kent State and Western Michigan.

“I decided it was the best fit for me,” Guadagni said. “I really love Toledo. I can’t see myself anywhere else.”

He’s the second Northeast Ohio player to announce his commitment to Toledo in the last two weeks, joining Columbia offensive lineman Brandon Heidecker, who committed on April 26.

Rated a 3-star prospect by Scout.com and a 2-star prospect by Rivals.com, Guadagni is the fifth member of the Rockets 2015 recruiting class, and the first quarterback. The Rockets have three quarterbacks listed on their roster, and will have Avon’s Tommy Glenn walk on in the 2014 recruiting class.

“They have some great quarterbacks right now with Phillip Ely and Logan Woodside,” Guadagni said. “I would love to learn from them and have a chance to play at some point.”

Guadagni threw for 2,029 yards and 22 touchdowns for a 10-2 Hudson team that reached the Division I regional quarterfinals last season. He also ran for 913 yards and seven touchdowns.

In addition to his offers, Guadagni was drawing interest from some bigger programs, including Boston College, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and West Virginia.

But coach Matt Campbell and the Rockets left an impression.

“I wasn’t seeing any offers and they all wanted me to come throw for them this summer,” Guadagni said. “I understand that, but at some point you want to feel like the No. 1 guy at that school.

“Who knows where I’ll be on the depth chart, but I knew Toledo was the right fit for me. They showed me that I’m the No. 1 guy in this class and they showed me that throughout this process.”

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's Prep QB Brandon Wimbush, Ohio State's top quarterback target in the 2015 recruiting class, picked Penn State over the Buckeyes on Tuesday evening.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Four-star quarterback Brandon Wimbush of Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's Prep, Ohio State's top quarterback target in the 2015 class, announced his commitment to Penn State on Tuesday night.

Rated by Rivals.com the No. 6 quarterback in the 2015 class, Wimbush chose Penn State over the Buckeyes, Miami (Fla.) and Boston College.

It was the second time in the same evening Ohio State missed out on a coveted prospect to Penn State, the first of which was four-star offensive tackle Sterling Jenkins of Pittsburgh (Pa.) Baldwin.

Though Ohio State's top target at the quarterback position was seemingly Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage product Torrance Gibson, Urban Meyer and his staff made a major push for Wimbush in the recent weeks.

It turned out that it wasn't enough to overcome James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, who now have 15 commitments in the 2015 recruiting class.

Ohio State only has two commitments in this year's class.

Check back with Cleveland.com shortly for more analysis on Wimbush's committment and what it means for Penn State.