The Cleveland Browns entered the 2011 NFL Draft with the sixth overall selection, but the package offered by the Atlanta Falcons was too tempting to pass up. They moved down to #27, then back up to #21, and wound up with two picks in rounds 2, 4 and 5 each.
In Round 1, the Browns selected Phil Taylor, and big defensive tackle out of Baylor. But Taylor is seen as a prototype 3-4 nose tackle, and Cleveland is switching to a base 4-3 defense. But Taylor is the run stuffer the Browns need to plug up the middle against the rest of the AFC North.
In Round 2, Cleveland selected Jabaal Sheard, a pass rushing end out of Pittsburgh, and Greg Little, a wide receiver out of North Carolina. Sheard should be able to step in right away in the 4-3 defense, and Little provides Colt McCoy with a huge target on the outside.
In Round 4, Cleveland landed Jordan Cameron, the athletic tight end from USC, after first apparently calling Cameron Jordan to inform them they had selected him with their pick. Jordan was nice enough to inform the Browns that he has already been selected by New Orleans, and that they needed to contact Jordan Cameron instead.
Also in the fourth round, the Browns got the ultimate throwback player of the draft in Owen Marecic, who played fullback and linebacker at Stanford. Marecic looks to be a full time back blocking for Peyton Hillis from now on.
A late round sleeper pick looks to be Jason Pinkston, an offensive tackle out of Pittsburgh. Pinkston is a straight ahead run blocker, and Cleveland will want to establish the run game with Hillis to take the pressure off of McCoy next season.
Draft Grade: B+
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