Check out how social media reacted to when the Browns drafted DE Emmanuel Ogbah from Oklahoma State.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns opened up the second day of the 2016 NFL Draft by selecting Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah with the No. 32 pick.
See how social media reacted to the pick.
Who is Emmanuel Ogbah? Watch the video and find out. Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns selected Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah with the 32nd pick in NFL Draft 2016 on Friday.
Ogbah joins first-round pick Corey Coleman, a wide receiver from Baylor, as the newest Browns.
Ogbah, who is originally from Nigeria, is a 6-foot-4, 275 pounds. Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown said the team had a first-round grade on him.
Check out the video at the top of this post for more info about the Browns' new player.
Thomas was the first Buckeye selected in the second round of the NFL Draft, and the sixth overall.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Breaking down Michael Thomas' selection by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of Thursday's NFL Draft.
Michael Thomas, Ohio State receiver
Selection: Second round, No. 47 overall by the New Orleans Saints.
How it went down: Thomas missed out on the run on receivers in the end of the first round, then had to wait a few slots in the second round before landing with the Saints at No. 47. He was the first Buckeyes selected in the second round and sixth overall.
Thomas was the second receiver selected in the second round, and the sixth overall.
Thomas' career stats: Thomas had a career-high 56 catches for 781 yards and nine touchdowns in his redshirt junior season in 2015. That gave him back-to-back seasons of 50 catches.
He finished his Buckeyes career with 113 catches for 1,602 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Michael Thomas draft profile: What will he be like as a pro?
Bill's analysis: Three years from now we could look back on this draft and say that Michael Thomas was the best Buckeye to come out. That might sound crazy when you look at Thomas' numbers, but he was under-utilized at Ohio State.
He was by far the Buckeyes best receiver last year, and probably the best receiver in the Big Ten and Ohio State managed to get him 56 catches. It wasn't a good passing year for Ohio State, and yet Thomas still found his way into the first round.
Thomas is a big-bodied receiver, and while he doesn't possess the speed of some other receivers taken ahead of him, he knows what it means to be a pro. Thomas is the nephew of Keyshawn Johnson, and has been handling himself like and NFL player for the last two years at Ohio State.
We selected Thomas No. 14 overall in our Ohio State draft
How he fits with New Orleans: A big-bodied possession receiver to add to quarterback Drew Brees' arsenal of weapons. Thomas should get plenty of chances to make plays for an offensive-minded Saints team.
"He has great ball skills and he's a competitive S.O.B.," Urban Meyer said of Thomas on NFL Network. "He's a refuse-to-lose type player and he's gonna have a long career in the NFL."
The Cleveland Browns had a middle first-round grade on Emmanuel Ogbah. They resisted trade offers and made him the first pick of the second round.
BEREA, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cleveland Browns notebook as they finally make a pick in the second round:
1. By resisting the temptation to trade down from the No. 32 pick, the new Browns front office sent a different message Friday night. They had a middle first-round grade on Oklahoma State defensive lineman Emmanuel Ogbah, according to VP Sashi Brown. So they opened the second round by taking him.
2. Sometimes, a team in the same draft spot as the Browns decides they will trade down a few spots and hope to get their guy. It's the "smartest guy in the room" syndrome. They didn't fall into that trap. "He was just too good to pass up," said Brown.
3. Ogbah was a 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive end in Oklahoma State's 4-3 system. The Browns believe he can be an edge rusher from an outside linebacker spot. He had 13 sacks in 2015 and 24 over the last two years. Speed is his greatest asset, with a 4.56 time in the 40-yard dash.
4. In Ourlads Draft guide, Dan Shonka wrote: "Ogbah has a 10-yard time (1.56) that a running back would kill to have." Ogbah had the fastest 40-yard and 10-yard times of any defensive linemen at the NFL combine.
5. So in their first two picks -- Baylor receiver Corey Coleman and Ogbah -- the Browns went for speed. Both have been called "dynamic players" by Brown and coach Hue Jackson. They also talked about the need for the Browns to have "play-making ability" from the guys being added to the roster.
6. Another factor is character. There are no known off-field problems with Coleman and Ogbah. A native of Nigeria, Ogbah moved to Houston when he was nine. He mentioned that his dad is a pastor.
7. Brown on the team's picks so far: "We want players who are passionate about football and good citizens." Jackson talked about the need for players to understand how pro football "is a grind." Jackson also discussed "changing the culture."
8. The current Browns outside linebackers are Nate Orchard, Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo. I was concerned about Ogbah switching from a 4-3 defense to Ray Horton's 3-4. Ogbah said he has rushed the passer while standing up. A 4-3 defensive end usually rushes from a 3-point stance. It may not sound like a big deal, but it has been a real adjustment for some players.
9. Ultimately, the Browns will be judged far more on how the picks perform rather than how big is the pile of draft picks they have collected. But another common theme (besides speed and character) of the first two picks is production. Coleman led the nation with 20 touchdown passes. He was the Biletnikoff Award winner as the best college receiver in the nation. Ogbah was the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in the last two seasons. His 13 sacks this season ranked No. 4 in the country.
10. Will the Browns draft a quarterback? I think so. They have three third-round picks and three fourth-round picks. My favorites are Stanford's Kevin Hogan and Brandon Allen of Arkansas.
Corey Kluber starts Friday night against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park as the Indians open a three-game interleague series. They are currently 4-2 on this nine-game game trip.
PHILADELPHIA -- The Indians and Phillies will open a three-game interleague series Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Game 20: Indians (10-9), Phillies (12-10).
First pitch: 7:05 p.m.
Broadcast info: SportsTime Ohio, WTAM/1100, WMMS/FM 100.7 will carry the series.
Pitching matchup: Corey Kluber (1-3, 4.67) vs. LHP Adam Morgan (2016 debut).
Fact du jour: Second baseman Jason Kipnis takes a eight-game hitting streak into Friday night's game.
Akron Zips linebacker Jatavis Brown was selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Akron linebacker Jatavis Brown was selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft on Saturday by the San Diego Chargers. Brown, the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year last season, was taken with 175th overall pick.
Brown led the MAC in sacks with 10.5 and was seventh in total tackles with 108. His sack total tied for eighth in the nation and his tackles ranked tied for 13th.
In 12 games, he also had 17.5 tackles for loss, one interception, two passes defensed and three forced fumbles. Akron finished with an 8-5 record and earned a bowl bid for the first time since 2005.
Brown, a native of Belle Glade, Fla., is 5-11, 222 pounds. He was a three-year starter with tremendous speed. At an NFL Regional Combine, he ran a 4.47 40. The Chargers are looking at him to play an outside backer and be involved in pass coverage.
Brown is the first Akron player taken in the draft since CB Reggie Corner by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2008 draft.
Shortly after being drafted, Brown spoke with Chargers.com.
San Diego liked Ohio in this draft. The Chargers also took Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa with their first pick (third overall) and OSU linebacker Joshua Perry in the fourth round (102 overall).
Western Michigan tackle Willie Beavers was the first MAC player drafted, taken by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round, the 121st overall selection.
UMass wide receiver Tajae Sharpe was taken in the fifth round (140th overall) by the Tennessee Titans.
In the sixth round, the Dallas Cowboys selected Central Michigan safety Kavon Frazier (212 overall) and Eastern Michigan running back Darius Jackson (216 overall).
The Browns wrapped up their draft with a linebacker.
BEREA, Ohio -- Sashi Brown and Co. probably aren't about to jump in a van and start solving mysteries, but they did draft a guy named Scooby.
Scooby Wright III, a 6-1, 246 pound linebacker is the final pick of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Browns. Wright, a three-year letter winner, became Arizona's sixth unanimous All-American during his sophomore season in 2014. He earned numerous national player of the year awards, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Rotary Lombardi Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award.
During his three-year college career, Wright compiled 269 tackles, 42 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks. He tied a school record in 2014 with 29 tackles for loss. He played in just three games in 2015 due to injuries.
Also, he did this:
Big dawg going to the dawg pound pic.twitter.com/WILCOR4J66
-- Scooby Wright III (@TwoStarScoob) April 30, 2016
Ohio State had 12 players selected in the 2016 NFL Draft, the most of any school.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State football was on a roll in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Three players in the top 10. Five players in the top 20. Ten players in the first three rounds, an NFL Draft record. Twelve players in the first four rounds, another NFL Draft record.
Then things stalled.
Looking to set a new modern draft record for most picks in one draft, the Buckeyes came up just short. Ohio State finished with 12 picks in the 2016 NFL Draft. That was the most of any school this year. Clemson was second with nine selections.
The record is 14, set by the Buckeyes in 2004.
Ohio State is the 23rd team in the history of the NFL Draft to have at least 12 selections, and the first since since that Buckeyes team in 2004.
After quarterback Cardale Jones went with the final pick of the fourth round to the Buffalo Bills, that left three rounds for safety Tyvis Powell and receiver Jalin Marshall to get drafted. Both Powell and Marshall were in most seven-round mock drafts, Powell as high as the fourth round.
There was also the chance that offensive lineman Chase Farris would be selected despite not getting an invitation to the NFL Combine.
In the end, none of them came off the board and Ohio State finished its draft with 12 selections.
Your 2016 @OhioStateFB #NFLDraft Class! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/OBlnTjH1Ul
-- Brutus Buckeye (@Brutus_Buckeye) April 30, 2016
Over the last two years, 15 of Ohio State's 22 starters from its National Championship win over Oregon have been drafted.
The 12 Buckeyes selected this year were:
Joey Bosa, first round No. 3 overall to San Diego
Ezekiel Elliott, first round No. 4 overall to Dallas
Eli Apple, first round No. 10 overall to New York Giants
Taylor Decker, first round No. 16 overall to Detroit Lions
Darron Lee, first round No. 20 overall to New York Jets
Michael Thomas, second round No. 47 overall to New Orleans Saints
Vonn Bell, second round No. 61 overall to New Orleans Saints
Adolphus Washington, third round No. 80 overall to Buffalo Bills
Braxton Miller, third round No. 85 overall to Houston Texans
Nick Vannett, third round No. 94 overall to Seattle Seahawks
Joshua Perry, fourth round No. 102 overall to San Diego Chargers
Cardale Jones, fourth round, No. 139 overall to Buffalo Bills
Some mock drafts had former Ohio State players Tyvis Powell and Jalin Marshall as high as third- or fourth-round selections. Neither of them were picked.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There were mock drafts in the months leading up to the NFL Draft that projected former Ohio State players Tyvis Powell and Jalin Marshall as high as third- or fourth-round selections.
The draft came and went and neither were selected.
According to Bryan Fischer of CBS Sports, only 30 of the 107 players who declared for the NFL early went undrafted.
Perhaps the more surprising snub of the two was Powell, a former Ohio State captain who had hopes of potentially going on the second night of the draft, meaning in the second or third round.
That he wasn't selected at all made for an unexpected fall for the safety who left Ohio State early after his redshirt sophomore season.
Powell left Ohio State because he already had a degree, was already a captain and helped the Buckeyes win a national championship in 2014. As far as his draft stock is concerned, he likely wouldn't have been able to increase it much by returning for another season.
Marshall's early departure from college caught a lot of people by surprise, and after running a poor 40-yard-dash time at the NFL Combine, there was a chance he could go undrafted.
Jalin Marshall signs UDFA deal with Jets
If he would have returned to Ohio State for another season, Marshall, a former five-star quarterback in high school, would have been one of the Buckeyes' top receiving targets in 2016.
Given he's a speedy, versatile athlete and a punt-returner, Marshall may have been able to drastically increase his stock with another year of college.
Here's what Powell posted on his public Twitter account as the draft ended:
It wouldn't be fun if it was easy. #UseTheStairsNotTheElevator
-- Tyvis Powell (@1Tyvis) April 30, 2016
I appreciate y'all for sticking by my side. One thing about God, he doesn't make mistakes...
-- Tyvis Powell (@1Tyvis) April 30, 2016
"I'm going to go in right away, fight for the returner job and make an impact on offense."
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When Jalin Marshall was making his decision about whether to leave Ohio State or return to college for another season, one team fell in love with him.
That team was the New York Jets.
The Jets spent all day contemplating drafting Marshall, and though they didn't, they quickly signed the former Buckeyes receiver after the NFL Draft came to a conclusion.
"It's funny, because that's the team that was showing me love throughout the whole draft process and one of the first teams I talked to," Marshall told cleveland.com during a phone interview Saturday afternoon. "They are the team that wanted me from the start.
"They had been calling me all day, for real. They said they were looking at drafting me, but they needed a lot of positions. But I'm going to go in right away, fight for the returner job and make an impact on offense."
Perhaps the fact that the Jets drafted another former Ohio State receiver in Devin Smith last year played a part in the relationship they built with Marshall. The Jets also took linebacker Darron Lee in the first round of this year's draft.
Marshall's versatility had to have helped the fit, too. In his two years as a playmaker in Ohio State's offense, Marshall caught 74 passes for 979 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also averaged 12.7 yards off his 52 career punt returns.
"I think that had a lot to do with me signing there, me being able to be comfortable with learning from someone I have always learned from," Marshall said of Smith. "It's going to help me out a lot."
Everything happens for a reason and God has a plan for you.. Continue to grind lil bro, so proud of you! @JalinMarshall #JetUp
-- Devin Smith (@dsmithosu) April 30, 2016
Marshall said that once it became clear there was a good chance he would go undrafted, it started to feel like the recruiiting process. He said half the teams in the NFL tried to sign him -- kind of like when he was a five-star quarterback at Middletown, Ohio -- but the Jets were just the natural pick.
Did the Cleveland Browns call?
"No, why would they? They drafted 20 receivers," Marshall said, laughing.
Many will question whether Marshall should have returned to Ohio State, and maybe he should have. But Marshall said he's at peace with his decision and his sole focus now is on making it in the NFL.
"I'll just say that God has a plan for me and I left, so I can't really go back on that," Marshall said. "I'll just take this opportunity as a blessing and keep on pushing.
"I was upset (I didn't get drafted). Everybody is upset. But I think everything worked out in my favor. God has a plan for me, and if he wanted me to get drafted I would. I think this is the best situation for me right now.
"I just want to be another testimony of a guy who wasn't draft who made it."
See how social media reacted to the end of the Browns' 2016 NFL Draft.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns left the 2016 NFL Draft class with 14 selections, capped by picking Arizona LB Scooby Wright III at No. 250.
See how social media reacted to the end of the Browns' draft.
Wright jumped in a pool and barked...kind of...after getting drafted.
BEREA, Ohio -- Scooby Wright III had to wait a long time to get drafted. When he finally did get picked by the Cleveland Browns with the 250th pick in the draft, he celebrated like a dude who waited a long time to get drafted.
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B:
Big dawg going to the dawg pound pic.twitter.com/WILCOR4J66
-- Scooby Wright III (@TwoStarScoob) April 30, 2016
Admittedly, he has to work on his bark. Still, it's really good to be Scooby Wright III right now.
Browns No. 15 overall pick Corey Coleman believes this draft class will help transform the Browns. Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- No. 15 overall pick Corey Coleman of Baylor believes the sky is the limit with the Browns now that they've added so much firepower in the draft.
They added 14 players during the three days of the draft, including four wide receivers, three linebackers, two offensive linemen, two defensive backs, one defensive lineman, one tight end, and one quarterback.
He's already been welcomed to the team by fellow Baylor alum Robert Griffin, and by Joe Haden and Terrelle Pryor.
"I'm so excited to be here and it's only been two days,'' he said.
As for Griffin, the quarterack told him, "let's go to work.''
Browns draft Corey Coleman No. 15 overall.
In this video, Coleman talks about how excited he is to be a Brown.
Ohio State recruit Demario McCall returned a kickoff for a touchdown and scored twice, but the South beat the North, 49-26, behind Benny Snell's three touchdowns.
DAYTON, Ohio - North Ridgeville's Demario McCall answered an opening kickoff for a touchdown with a 99-yard score of his own, but the South's firepower proved too much even for a North squad with a pair of Ohio State recruits.
Westerville Central running back Benny Snell scored three times Saturday and led the South to a 49-26 win in the Division I-III Ohio North-South Classic all-star football game at Dayton's rain-soaked Welcome Stadium.
Wearing a blue bandana to match his college destination of Kentucky, Snell took pictures afterward with friends and future teammate A.J. Rose of Garfield Heights. Snell was the game's MVP and saw Rose play for the first time.
"He's a good runner, and I'm glad to have him as a teammate because we're going to have a lot of fun in Lexington," Snell said.
A multipurpose, Rose scored twice and helped the North remain within 20-19 at the half. He carried the football 11 times, both as a tailback and quarterback, and completed a 21-yard halfback pass at one point. The pass led to his second touchdown run, which Midview's Dimitri Redwood made possible with an interception he ran back inside the 30.
A Wofford recruit, Redwood was the North's defensive player of the game. McCall received the North's offensive nod, scoring twice. His second touchdown came on a 62-yard catch over the middle that McCall said he suggested during practice.
The Ohio State recruit ran five times for 15 yards, while future teammate Kierre Hawkins of Maple Heights was held without a catch.
McCall's first touchdown on the 99-yard kickoff return answered Seth Dawkins' run back of equal distance to start the game. Dawkins is headed to Louisville and was the South's offensive player of the game. Central Crossing's Kameron Teacher was selected the South's best defensive performer.
The North led 13-7 on scores by McCall and Rose, but the South took control by avoiding McCall to open the second half. It recovered an onside kick up the middle and added to the lead with a 7-yard TD run from Zanesville's Leo Crosby.
Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.
Time to share what grade you would give the Cleveland Browns after the NFL Draft 2016. Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns concluded the NFL Draft on Saturday selecting 14 prospects.
Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman was the first selection for the Browns on Friday as No. 15 overall pick. Inside linebacker Scooby Wright III out of Arizona rounded out the Browns Draft Class as the No. 250 pick on Saturday.
Share your remarks below on what grade would you give the team on their draft selections.
McCall pulled his team even early in the North-South Classic all-star football game in Dayton. Watch video
DAYTON, Ohio - Demario McCall didn't get a lot of footballs kicked his way the past few years at North Ridgeville. Too dangerous.
So when the four-star running back and Ohio State recruit saw one coming his way early in Saturday's Division I-III North-South Classic all-star game, his eyes probably got big.
Just seconds after Franklin Heights' Seth Dawkins, a Louisville recruit, gave the South a 7-0 lead by opening the game with a 99-yard kickoff return, McCall pulled the North even by getting to the outside and cruising into the end zone.
"That kick return felt good," said McCall. "It was the start of the game, my adrenaline was rushing. So the moment I got up the field I saw the hole and I took it."
McCall was bottled up most of the game on offense. But he did break loose for a 62-yard touchdown catch and run in the fourth quarter. McCall started in the backfield and ran straight through the line and past whoever was supposed to be covering him. Quarterback Chase Bodeman of Toledo Whitmer made his easiest throw of the day and McCall did the rest.
"We put that in the first day of practice," said McCall. "I was communicating with my quarterback and I said, 'All right, I'm going to run straight up the seam.' And the coach said 'Put it in the playbook' after that.
"They have to play man-to-man (in the all-star game) and they had a linebacker on me. So that's a losing situation for them."
McCall missed most of his senior season to injury but says he's 100-percent healthy now. He was also very ready for Saturday's game.
"I train every morning," he said. "I wake up at 4:30 every morning and I'm in the gym by 5. Right before school. There's not a day that I miss. I was really in shape for this game."
The Indians, in their first 20 games, have had nine decided by one run. While one-run games might make a team better, they also bring stress.
PHILADELPHIA - If April showers bring May flowers, what do one-run games bring managers and the players who play them?
"Stress," said manager Terry Francona.
The Indians played their 21st and final game in April on Saturday night when they faced the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Nine of the Tribe's first 20 games have been decided by one run. The nine one-run games were the second most in the American League next to 10 by the Twins.
Some say playing one-run games makes for a better team. That might be true, but there is tension along the way.
"It's stressful on everybody, especially on the road because you're always one pitch away (from getting beat)," said Francona. "On this road trip, we've played pretty good baseball. We've lost three games and they've all left us standing on the field.
"Everybody knows it. The guys on the field know it. On one hand it's nice to be in every game, but it would be nice to spread one out. But you play the hand you're dealt. I'd rather be in every game than one game you're down and the other you're up."
The Indians are 4-5 in one-run games. They entered Saturday night having played four straight one-run decisions, losing three in walk-off fashion.
Ouch: Mike Napoli was out of the lineup Friday with a stiff neck. Carlos Santana replaced him at first base, which kept Francona from being tempted to use Santana in right field.
He talked about using Santana in right field before Friday night's game to keep his bat in the lineup with this series being played under National League rules.
Tito thinking about Santana in right field
Napoli could use the break. He's 4-for-31 with 16 strikeouts on the trip. Overall, he's hitting .205 (16-for-78) with four homers and 11 RBI.
"It's just a good old fashioned stiff neck," said Francona. "He said he did it before Friday's game."
Goodbye April: In spring training the Indians stressed getting off to a better start this season. They split 20 of their 21 games in April, an improvement over their 7-14 record last year.
"I think we kind of deserve to be where we are," said Francona. "I wish we were 18-0. I don't think we've played our best baseball, which is good. I think things settle down as you go. Right now roles are still being defined. You have guys coming and going.
"When you get into that grind and guys know (their roles) I think that's when we've played our best and I think that's when we'll play our best. I'm glad we're not 6-16, but I wish we were better than 10-10."
Wild trip: Closer Cody Allen and Francona talked Saturday afternoon. Allen has appeared in five games on this trip, going saving three games and losing walk-off decisions to the Twins and Phillies.
All of that happened in only four innings of work. Allen is 0-3 with a 6.97 ERA with seven saves in seven chances. He's struck out nine, walked six and allowed eight runs in 10 1/3 innings.
"We talked a little bit about sending him back out for the 11th inning (Friday)," said Francona. "There is so much conviction in him. There are guys you learn to trust and you don't want to ask too much of them and sometimes I think I do. "
Allen relieved Jeff Manship in the 10th with one out and the bases loaded. He escaped, but came out for the 11th and gave up the game-winning leadoff homer to Ryan Howard.
Finally: The Indians are 1-6 in games decided in the seventh inning or later this year. They're hitting just .206 (45-for-218) from the seventh inning on this year.
The Cleveland Browns signal a new direction with 14 players, including four receivers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns picked seven players who made first or second team All-America in the last two seasons. That wasn't by design, but it does give some hints about how the new front office approached the draft.
I asked Paul DePodesta about that, and the Browns chief strategy officer said he wasn't aware of all the post-season honors in this draft class.
"We know that's not always a great predictor," said DePodesta. "But do they want us to take guys who aren't productive? That would have been better?"
DePodesta smiled as he said it, but it is a revealing comment.
As they say on investment shows, past performance is not necessarily an indicator of future results. But to the Sashi Brown front office, past production at the highest level of college football can be very attractive to the Browns.
They even found four All-Americans on the final day of the draft: Wisconsin linebacker Joe Schobert (fourth round), Rashard Higgins (Colorado State), Baylor tackle Shane Drango (fifth round) and Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright (Arizona).
Add these names to the All-American list: Baylor's Corey Coleman (first round), Oklahoma State's Emmanuel Ogbah (second round), and Penn State's Carl Nassib (third round).
They picked 14 players, which tied a record for most players selected in a seven-round NFL draft.
"This class will start to put a stamp on what we're becoming and what we're all about," said Hue Jackson.
Remember this about the Browns coach. He can open a box of cornflakes, pour it into a bowl with no milk and declare it the best breakfast in the Western Hemisphere.
But the Browns are a beleaguered, beaten-down organization. Jackson takes over a 3-13 team that has been through five different coaches in eight seasons since the team last had a winning record (2007).
So the Browns need a heavy-dose of Jackson's enthusiasm. Fans just have to hope that Jackson is right, that this is the start of something different for the Browns.
THE NEW DIRECTION
Things can change once a young man suddenly becomes a millionaire before playing his first pro games, but there are no draft picks with real off-field problems in college.
"As much as we're focused on talent, we're also focused on character," said DePodesta.
This draft class has a player who beat leukemia (Shon Coleman), an immigrant from Nigeria (Oghah), two walk-ons turned All-Americans (Nassib and Schobert), a Princeton graduate who had two major foot surgeries (tight end Seth DeValve), and most of these guys have their degrees.
Not that this automatically translates into victories. It does make them coachable and the Browns hope mentally strong enough to deal with the decades of losing that is the history of the Browns.
They also concentrated on receivers, drafting four of them.
That's a shocker.
The Browns had picked only four total receivers in the previous five drafts combined. That includes Josh Gordon in the 2012 Supplemental draft.
"We have to score the ball from different areas," said Jackson, adding that he also wanted "bigger targets" for his quarterbacks.
He also talked about helping the quarterback by having receivers who can make big plays.
Somewhat surprising, Jackson indicated that he was content with the current group of running backs: Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson.
Jackson has spoke often of scoring touchdowns this weekend. We'll see if he can make that happen.
AN INTRIGUING TEST
Missing on a third-round pick is not a calamity for any organization.
So the only reason so much attention is being paid to the Browns selection of Cody Kessler in the third round is that he is a quarterback.
OK, there is another reason -- Jackson's "you gotta' trust me on this one," comment about the USC passer.
Many draft experts had Kessler rated in the last few rounds, or not picked at all.
This is clearly Jackson's pick.
"He has the uncanny ability to throw the ball with accuracy," said the coach. "I have a history of bringing guys along. Guys who can throw the ball straight and guys who are intelligent, make good decisions and can lead a football team have been successful. I have watched that over the years.
He believes Kessler is has those traits.
After three days, five trades and 14 draft picks, the Browns draft is over.
Who knows if it is a franchise-changing draft.
But it seems to be an intriguing start to a new way of doing business in Berea.
Farris had an outside shot of being drafted. Instead he'll head to Detroit with former teammate Taylor Decker.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the end, it was like Chase Farris and Taylor Decker were destined to play together.
Farris, the former Ohio State offensive lineman from Elyria signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Detroit Lions on Saturday at the conclusion of the 2016 NFL Draft, he told cleveland.com.
He'll join Decker in Detroit. Decker was the first round pick of the Lions, selected No. 16 overall on Thursday night.
In the process leading up to the draft Farris and Decker worked out in Scottsdale, Ariz., with former Ohio State offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley. Farris and Decker lived together, worked out together and chased their NFL dream together.
Now they've both landed with the same NFL franchise.
"It's an exciting feeling," Farris told cleveland.com in a phone interview Saturday night. "For me and Taylor to be at Ohio State together, do all of our draft training together and now we're going to Detroit. It was meant to be."
There was a slim chance Farris could have landed in the back end of the draft on Saturday. He wasn't one of the 14 Buckeyes invited to the NFL Combine, and he wasn't a name we heard a lot about during the pre-draft process, but NFL teams liked him.
Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller had Farris pegged as sixth-round pick in his final mock draft, but Farris ended up one of three Ohio State players to sign an undrafted free agent deal. He joins Jalin Marshall (New York Jets) and Tyvis Powell (Seattle Seahawks).
See Ohio State's 12 NFL Draft selections
Farrris said he watched the first 20 or 25 minutes of Saturday's fourth round, but then watched a movie with his family to take his mind off things. He said talks with Detroit and other teams started picking up around the fifth round, but the call for a selection never game.
He made the decision to sign with Detroit almost immediately after the draft ended.
"They were one of the few teams I had the chance to get a private workout with," Farris said. "They showed interest in me after the workout, and they were one of the teams I thought I was on their radar."
Farris said he also worked out with the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys.
Though he was Ohio State's starting right tackle during his senior season in 2015, Farris said he's heading to Detroit with the goal of being as versatile as possible to have a better chance of landing a roster spot.
Farris was a backup guard in 2014, and saw crucial time in the Sugar Bowl win over Alabama. He said he's been working on snapping this spring too to give himself a shot a playing center if the opportunity comes up.
With so much talk about Ohio State leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, Farris was a bit of a forgotten name.
Now he'll get a shot along with the 12 drafted Buckeyes and the three undrafted free agents to get his spot in the NFL.
"It's definitely just a blessing," Farris said. "I'm thanking God for the amazing gifts and opportunities."
The Browns abandoned the Ray Farmer school of drafting wide receivers and went after playmakers. Watch video
BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns haven't just moved on from the Ray Farmer's school of not drafting wide receivers. They peeled out of the parking lot with tires smoking like seniors on their final day of class.
Farmer, the team's former General Manager fired hours after the 2015 season ended, notoriously avoided picking wide receivers during his two drafts. In fact, he picked just one, Vince Mayle, who failed to make the team's roster out of training camp last season.
The current Browns braintrust of Sashi Brown, Paul DePodesta, Andrew Berry and Hue Jackson went the opposite direction, picking four wide receivers and a tight end among their 14 picks, led by the selection Corey Coleman out of Baylor with their first pick, No. 15 overall.
"I think Andrew and I are believers, with Paul and others, that you need playmakers on the roster," Brown said on Saturday night. "So, for us, I think we share a vision of really, really talented at all spots, but certainly we felt like that was an area where we wanted to improve this year, and it so happened that early and then late again there were some wide receivers that were available to us that we liked and did add."
"I said when I got here that I was looking to improve that position," Jackson said. "I wanted to get some bigger targets on our football team, but I'm also very happy with the group we had. But I think you can never have too much talent or competition at that position because I think it helps improve your quarterback position. As I said, the quarterback's the guy that kind of drives the engine here and we're going to do everything that we can to put him in the position to succeed and there's a lot of different ways to do that. The offensive line plays a huge role in that but so does the wide receivers and running backs and tight ends. You have to have targets for him to throw at and we've accomplished that in this draft."
Jackson comes to the Browns from Cincinnati where weapons were everywhere. If it wasn't A.J. Green, it was Marvin Jones or Mohamed Sanu or even Brandon Tate doing damage at the receiver position. Coleman said on Saturday that it meant a lot to him to come to a team that now, based on their draft actions, clearly values his position.
"I am real close to Hue," he said. "We talked before the draft a couple of times. I came on a visit here. He is really smart, really intelligent and I am just really happy to be here. I know that he is going to do something really special for this organization."
Alongside Coleman, the Browns also added Ricardo Louis out of Auburn in the fourth round and UCLA's Jordan Payton and Colorado State's Rashard Higgins in the fifth round.
"I would say with Corey and Ricardo, the first thing that just sort of jumps out is their speed and their ability to generate explosive plays," Berry said. "Really, you can almost group the four into two separate categories. With Rishard and Jordan, quite honestly, they have size and they catch everything in their catching radius to be quite honest. We feel really good about the mix that we added, think they have complementary skills sets and we're excited to see them get out on the field and compete."
Payton, the the 154th overall selection, is familiar with Jackson from when he coached one of his mentors.
"I am very familiar with who he is," Payton said. "He is from L.A. also. He coached one of my biggest mentors and a guy who I really model my game after, T.J. Houshmandzadeh. I am excited."
Payton said he didn't meet Jackson when Jackson coached with the Bengals, but he watched them a lot.
"I didn't get to make it out to any games," he said, "but I obviously watched every game. Chad Johnson was also a huge mentor and very close to my family. We watched the Bengals a lot."
Led by Coleman's 20 touchdowns last season, the four receivers drafted by the Browns combined for 36 touchdowns in 2015. Browns receivers have caught 16 touchdown passes the last two seasons combined.
"I think what's important is you've got to score the ball," Jackson said. "You have to score touchdowns and you have to put yourself in a position to score touchdowns. Schematically, we will be as good as we can be, but at the same, you need to have players that give you the flexibility to do that from a lot of different areas from a lot of different places, whether it is from air or from land. I think we have accomplished that from this draft to go along with the guys we already have here. It is going to give us a chance to put out the best of the best that we have. I think that is what is important."
"We're on the same level," Coleman said of his interactions with Jackson. "We both have the same goal, we're trying to win. He's a great guy, a great coach and he knows what he's doing."
Does that thought of working with Jackson get Coleman excited based on how he's seen him use his receivers?
"It does get me really excited, man."
