The Browns faced a fascinating decision when they were on the clock with their second pick of the first round, No. 12 overall, Thursday night during the NFL Draft.
They could have traded with the Houston Texans to move down from No. 12 to No. 25 in exchange for Houston’s 2018 first-round pick, or they could have stayed put and selected one of several big-name players who were available.
Of course, head of football operations Sashi Brown chose the trade.
Still, this is interesting: Coach Hue Jackson told NFL Network’s Michael Silver which player he wanted the Browns to draft if they had stayed at No. 12. It was Ohio State safety Malik Hooker, who eventually went to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 15.
“To me, he has a chance to be another Ed Reed,” Jackson told Silver, who wrote a behind-the-scenes draft recap story for NFL.com after being embedded at Browns headquarters in Berea and spending time in their war room last week. “When I coached in Baltimore, I saw firsthand what kind of impact a great safety can have.”
So there really was something to the photograph that circulated online showing Jackson shaking Hooker’s hand and wrapping his left arm around the prospect’s shoulder March 23 as they chatted during Ohio State’s pro day in Columbus. And Hooker wasn’t delusional when he told ESPN Cleveland WKNR (850-AM) on March 30 he definitely had a feeling the Browns really liked him as he prepared to visit their headquarters.
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and Alabama tight end O.J. Howard were among the other high-profile prospects available at No. 12.
With the Chicago Bears taking North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2 (after trading up from No. 3 in a deal with the San Francisco 49ers) and the Kansas City Chiefs picking Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes at No. 10 (after trading up from No. 27 in a blockbuster with the Buffalo Bills), Watson was the highest-ranked quarterback left on Cleveland’s board at No. 12, according to Silver’s story.
Although Silver reported Jackson considered Watson the QB in this class best suited to play right away, the coach still preferred Hooker at No. 12.
But the Browns traded down from No. 12, where the Texans took Watson, and then hoped Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers would still be available at No. 25. Peppers was there, they picked him and now he’s their projected starting strong safety and punt returner who, Jackson said, will moonlight on offense, too.
Silver wrote there were “hand-slaps and broad smiles” in the war room when Brown called to submit the pick of Peppers.
In a video produced by the Browns, Jackson can be seen walking down the hallway after they landed Peppers and repeatedly yelling for special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. When Jackson approached his assistant, Tabor reacted as if he had won the lottery. He playfully pushed Jackson, hugged assistant defensive backs coach Jerod Kruse, clapped, fist-pumped and exclaimed, “That’s a big one. Wow!”
This will leave Browns fans asking each other, “Would you rather have Hooker or the combination of Peppers and Houston’s 2018 first-round pick?” It’ll be interesting to see how the decision plays out in the next few years.
Delighted DC
After the Browns failed to help new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in free agency, they spent their first two picks on Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett (No. 1) and Peppers.
Silver described a scene in which Williams greeted Garrett and Peppers when they arrived at team headquarters Friday. Williams told them not to make any grand promises in their introductory news conference that they couldn’t keep, to respect ownership, the franchise and Cleveland and to be prepared to work during rookie minicamp May 12-14.
“I wanted two players out of this draft, and you are my guys,” Williams said. “... “I look forward to being your father, now and for the rest of your life.”
Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith watched film with Garrett and attended his draft party Thursday in Garrett’s hometown of Arlington, Texas.
After the Browns picked Garrett at No. 1, Smith texted Williams and told him he would love to mentor Garrett. Williams showed the text to Garrett and explained he’s known Smith for 25 years and will invite him to one of the team’s upcoming minicamps.
Quarterback talk
Silver’s description about the Browns’ decision at No. 1 is familiar.
Jackson and his coaching staff wanted Garrett, but Brown and some members of the front office wondered if Trubisky should be the pick. Brown has final say on draft decisions and ultimately concluded Garrett was the right choice. The Browns talked to teams about trading up from No. 12, presumably to No. 5 or No. 6, with Trubisky as the target, but the Bears shocked the NFL by jumping up to No. 2 for the Mentor native.
Jackson thought Mahomes had the biggest upside of the QBs, Silver wrote, but the Chiefs made a bold trade to move up and take him at No. 10. At No. 12, Jackson didn’t want Watson.
In the second round, the Browns hoped Florida State running back Dalvin Cook would be there at No. 52, according to Silver’s story, but the Minnesota Vikings traded up for him at No. 41. Connecticut safety Obi Melifonwu sat atop Williams’ wish list at No. 52, Silver wrote, making the DeShone Kizer selection somewhat of a surprise.
Brown said Friday the team didn’t expect Kizer to be available at that spot. If he hadn’t fallen to the Browns, Jackson thought Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs may have been appealing in the fourth round, Silver wrote. The Pittsburgh Steelers took him in the fourth.
The Browns could still sign a veteran QB before the 2017 season, but right now, their depth chart probably looks like this: Cody Kessler, Brock Osweiler, Kizer and Kevin Hogan.
Although the Browns didn’t envision Osweiler becoming a factor for them when they acquired him in March as part of a salary dump trade designed to acquire a 2018 second-round pick from the Texans, Silver wrote “Brown and Jackson have reshaped their perspectives and regard Osweiler as someone who might be salvageable.”
Osweiler made it through draft weekend without being traded.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.