Geathers was the Browns' second choice in the sixth round, the 186th selection overall in the draft.
UPDATED: 7:53 p.m.
Clifton Geathers has family connections to the NFL, and is the first of the Browns' 2010 draft picks to sign a contract.BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns signed their last draft pick first. Or maybe they're going in order from biggest to smallest.
They signed massive defensive lineman Clifton Geathers, their sixth-round pick, to a multi-year deal, the team announced on Monday. He's the first of their eight draft picks to sign.
On draft day, Browns General Manager Tom Heckert called the 6-7, 300-pound Geathers "a monster" and referred to his untapped potential. Head coach Eric Mangini said during minicamp that Geathers will need to learn to use his size to his advantage.
"He is a giant man ... a big, big man and he has got long arms," Mangini said. "What he has to focus on is when you are that tall and have arms like that, how to use them effectively. Your height naturally brings you up above the offensive lineman. You have to get used to and really train your body to stay low because whoever has the leverage is going to win.
"You love the size, you love the length, those things are really positive things. Understanding how he has to play, which is different than some other guys. You add a couple of inches either way, it changes things. That's what we are trying to do with him."
On draft day, Geathers was refreshingly candid, saying "they tell me I could be the next Julius [Peppers] or Jumpy Geathers [his uncle]." He also said that with enough hard work and determination, "I'll be the best player, probably in the league, if I'm able to do that."
Geathers, who's working at end, toned it down by the time he got to Berea, but still flashed his competitive streak. During rookie camp, he pancaked a free-agent punter on a kickoff drill, and during minicamp, he threw punches at an offensive lineman -- for which he was admonished.
"I'm taking one day at a time," Geathers said. "Just trying to get better each day. I mean, coming from college is a big step. So it's really hard."