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#19: Cameron Erving, C/G, Florida State

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I have a hard time valuing wide receivers in the first round without elite skill-sets like AJ Green or Calvin Johnson.

Kevin White had that, I'm not convinced Amari Cooper or anyone else in the first round does.

When you're drafting a WR, a position which only affects maybe 7-10 plays per game, you should be damn sure the person you're drafting has enough talent to justify that selection.

I struggle to find the value in that with alot of guys.
WRs, especially good WRs have more affect on a game than just catching a ball. I'd figure somebody who likes to evaluate as much as you would realize that.
 
I think we need to realize that this was our second 1st round pick. This was a luxury pick and something that will add depth and skill on the OL. I think last year we learned what happens when a top OL goes down, we struggle to find someone who could move around the line. With Erving he can play multiple positions and does protect us if Mack leaves. The FO has proven they will take supplemental picks vs over paying to keep one of our own FA. It is a not a sexy pick, but the team has a plan and it involves improving the trenches and being tough upfront. This picks helps us here and really should allow us to focus on skill positions the rest of the draft.
 
I have a hard time valuing wide receivers in the first round without elite skill-sets like AJ Green or Calvin Johnson.

Kevin White had that, I'm not convinced Amari Cooper or anyone else in the first round does.

When you're drafting a WR, a position which only affects maybe 7-10 plays per game, you should be damn sure the person you're drafting has enough talent to justify that selection.

I struggle to find the value in that with alot of guys.

I get what you're saying, but WR's don't affect 7-10 plays... maybe directly they do, but indirectly, defenses have to scheme for elite WR's.. play safeties back, etc.
 
Keep in mind the Browns also have Michael Bowie, player who missed last season due to injury but started 8 games for the Seahawks in 2013. Bowie was a rookie in 2013 and played guard and tackle.

Thomas
Bitonio/Greco
Mack
Erving/Bowie
Schwartz

If only the local media would actually do their job instead of spending all their time looking for the next sensationalist story we would know how this guy is coming along with his recovery.
 
Mack wants to get the hell out of dodge and I can't really blame him.

I get it if he wants to go to a team that gives him a chance to win a Super Bowl right away, but the last time he ran off to Jacksonville. How the hell can a player be pissed about a losing organization and then try to sign with that shitty team?
 
I get it if he wants to go to a team that gives him a chance to win a Super Bowl right away, but the last time he ran off to Jacksonville. How the hell can a player be pissed about a losing organization and then try to sign with that shitty team?
Because, as was discussed at nauseum at the time, the Browns transition tag meant teams were not bothering to sign Mack because they knew the Browns would just match. Jacksonville essentially did him a solid by negotiating a friendly contract for him, in fact, a far more player-friendly deal than he would have gotten in direct negotiations with the Browns. Had Mack had no transition tag he would have been snatched up by a contender. If anything, the risk of the a Browns for some reason not matching and dropping him in Jacksonville showed just how ready he was to be done here. But all this was rehashed last off-season.

As for this pick, it is an obvious sign they either expect Mack to opt out OR they are hedging that he will not be the same upon return. So this way they are covered regardless: of Mack comes back strong they have an immediate excuse not to resign him when he opts out ( which is a no brainer if he is healthy). If he struggles, they cut him, save some cash and plug in Erving. Either way this move seemed tied to trying to replace what Mack brings.
 
I'll just say that two years is a long time and easily enough time to change a player's mind on leaving, but if they really are convinced that he's leaving I'm not sure why they wouldn't try to get something for him now.
 
I get what you're saying, but WR's don't affect 7-10 plays... maybe directly they do, but indirectly, defenses have to scheme for elite WR's.. play safeties back, etc.

Which is why I said ELITE skill-set guys like Green and Johnson, those type of guys force defenses to change.

I'm not sure guys with good-not-great skill-sets and physical gifts like Cooper or other solid wideouts have that same impact, which is why I struggle to value them as highly.

In other words, I don't think guys like Cooper (or Sammy Watkins last year, to some extent) are guys that defensive coordinators change their defensive calls for. I think White had that potential.
 
I was reading a scouting report about Erving, and it specifically cited this play against Miami last year. In this play, he blocks three separate guys in the span of about three seconds. (He is the center, No. 75.) That takes good awareness and athleticism to pull off.

http://i.imgur.com/eFfRYVl.gifv

(Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to embed the gif.)

I wasn't thrilled about drafting an interior offensive lineman with the No. 19 pick, but we have whiffed on so many first rounders. It's nice to have to guys with low bust potential this time around. I expect both to be starters on this team for many years.
 
I was reading a scouting report about Erving, and it specifically cited this play against Miami last year. In this play, he blocks three separate guys in the span of about three seconds. (He is the center, No. 75.) That takes good awareness and athleticism to pull off.

http://i.imgur.com/eFfRYVl.gifv

(Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to embed the gif.)

I wasn't thrilled about drafting an interior offensive lineman with the No. 19 pick, but we have whiffed on so many first rounders. It's nice to have to guys with low bust potential this time around. I expect both to be starters on this team for many years.

That's an unbelievable play... takes so much intelligence, vision, and anticipation to pull off properly.
 
I was reading a scouting report about Erving, and it specifically cited this play against Miami last year. In this play, he blocks three separate guys in the span of about three seconds. (He is the center, No. 75.) That takes good awareness and athleticism to pull off.

http://i.imgur.com/eFfRYVl.gifv

Damn, that was impressive as hell. Great awareness, and very quick feet. And he only played, what, 4 games total at center? That says a lot about his intelligence and awareness.

Liking that pick more and more. Our OL should be very good this year, and our backs won't be rookies any more. We could have a truly dominant running game, which would make things loads easier for whomever is taking snaps.

His versatility is huge going forward, because it means we can actually get by with fewer quality OL.
 
I was a bit shocked at first simply because I didn't expect an o lineman in the first, but the more I think about it the more it make sense.

Obviously the ability to play any position on the line at a high level is huge. It means the browns could either stay him at G, start him at RT and slide Schwartz to G, or play him at C if necessary.

We have no idea on the true extent of Macks in injury and his rehab. For all we know, he may never be the player he was, and perhaps the FO already knows that. Either way, adding a stud OL who can play every position is never a bad thing.

I also don't know why people think the Browns wouldn't re-sign Mack because of this pick. There's going to be a ton of cap room that has to be spent. This could easily become the best o-line in the league. There's no reason to break that up.
 
Erving gives them a player that can play all 5 spots. Better to get him now rather than wait till next year and freak out when Mack walks.
 

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