If you don’t know who Paul DePodesta is, he’s the guy played by Jonah Hill in Moneyball. After his work with the San Diego Padres, DePodesta was eventually recruited by the Cleveland Browns to be their “Chief Strategy Officer.” I’ve personally never heard of a coach or front office person switching sports before. Which attests to Cleveland’s faith in DePodesta’s abilities. (Or my complete lack of sports knowledge).
There is no guarantee that DePodesta had a say in each and every player drafted in 2016, but the changes Paul made to the Padres organization would have been during events like the draft.
I see the draft as DePodesta’s imprint on the organization. His attempt to take the team to the next level like he did for the Padres.
For the third year in a row, the Cleveland Browns finished NFL draft sunday looking and feeling good.
Big Names
Corey Coleman, WR Baylor – Round: 1 – Average sized but blazing fast. I can’t help but think Coleman was drafted with Robert Griffin in mind as bigger targets like Laquon Treadwell or Josh Doctson were available at this point. Coleman was an endzone hog with 20 touchdowns in 2015 for Baylor.
Emmanuel Ogbah, DE OK. State. – Round: 2 – Great on paper at 6’4”. 275, and a 40 in the 4.5 range. Ogbah created 12.5 sacks in 2015, batted down 4 passes, and forced 3 fumbles. Looks to be a beast lining up next to Danny Shelton.
Carl Nassib, DE Penn State – Round: 3 – A 6’ 6” walk-on who earned a playing scholarship at Penn State, Nassib led the country in sacks and forced fumbles in 2015. Doesn’t have the speed of Ogbah, but Nassib’s size and work ethic showed up on the field.
Lots of potential
Jordan Payton, WR UCLA – Round: 5 – UCLA’s career receptions record holder posted solid senior numbers against top level Pac-12 competition.
Spencer Drango, OG Baylor – Round 5 – Four-year starter at left tackle at Baylor. CBS Sports’ Dane Brugler compares Drango to Dallas stud OG Zack Martin.
Rashard Higgins, WR Colorado St. – Round 5 – Higgins produced video game numbers in 2014 (96 catches, 1750 yards, 17 TDs). Reminds me of Green Bay’s Davante Adams.
Scooby Wright III, ILB Arizona – Round: 7 – Wright isn’t really tall, fast, or strong. He was a force to be reckoned with at Arizona. His sophomore year he totalled twenty-nine stops for a loss, six forced fumbles, and fourteen and a half sacks, All at inside linebacker. Reminds me of Zach Thomas, former Miami Dolphin. Wright also made profootballfocus.com’s 16 best picks of the 2016 draft. That’s high praise from the guys that really know football.
Everyone else
Shon Coleman, OT Auburn – Round 3
Cody Kessler, QB USC – Round 3 – Seen as a reach when guys like Connor Cook were still available. Cleveland management clearly sees something unique in Kessler. I’m a huge USC fan but USC QB’s haven’t been truly successful in the NFL since Carson Palmer. Kessler’s best season came in 2014, with 39 TDs and only 5 INTs.
Joe Schobert, OLB Wisconsin – Round 4 – Another player on profootballfocus.com’s 16 best picks in the 2016 draft.
Ricardo Louis, WR Auburn – Round 4
Derrick Kindred, FS TCU – Round 4
Seth Devalve, TE Princeton – Round 4 I did not know Princeton had a football team.
Trey Caldwell, DB Louisana-Monroe – Round 5
Gridiron Seasonal 