With the first round craziness complete and things settling down a bit, it's a good time to go over just what picks the Cleveland Browns have remaining in the 2011 NFL Draft. The second and third rounds are Friday night, with the remaining rounds finishing up on Saturday.
Here is what the Browns have to work with:
Second Round:
5th pick (37th overall)
27th pick (59th overall)
Third Round
None (6th pick (70th overall) traded to Kansas City to allow the Browns to move from 27 to 21 for their selection of DT Phil Taylor)
Fourth Round
5th (102nd overall)
27th (124th overall)
Fifth Round
6th (137th overall)
Sixth Round
3rd (168th overall--from Denver as a result of the Brady Quinn trade)
5th (170th overall)
Seventh Round
45th (248th overall --compensatory pick)
Note: Browns original 7th round pick traded to Seattle as part of the Seneca Wallace deal.
That gives the Browns eight remaining picks in this year's draft, a number that should net the team a number of players who can contribute right away as long as the front office has an established plan in place and can effectively scout the class out there.
Obviously, Cleveland still has needs at DE, WR, OT, CB and LB, and the second round will go a long way toward addressing those needs. It makes a lot of sense for the team to focus on DE with their first second rounder, and if Da'Quan Bowers does fall in their laps, it will be hard not to draft him as a risk/reward option. The medical concerns are obviously keeping teams away, but his talent level is very high, and if the knee can hold up, he has the potential to be very productive.
It also isn't out of the question that the Browns start feeling out other teams to see if those with quarterback needs are interested in trying to snag TCU's Dalton or Ryan Mallett. If the Browns can trade down in the second and snag another couple draft picks, I don't see that being a bad thing.
This team needs a lot of help, and every bullet in the chamber counts at this point. Regardless, the first four picks of the second round will go a long way toward deciding what the Browns next direction is, and what their strategy will be for the remainder of the draft.