If there's one consensus opinion in regards to the NFL Draft that doesn't have to do with Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck or Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, it's that the Cleveland Browns are in a position to change the landscape of the entire first round based on which direction they go with their pick. The most popular picks have been wide receiver Justin Blackmon and quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
That is to say, that's what's most popular in the mock drafts. Tannehill hasn't exactly been a favorite among Browns fans, to say the least. That being said, Browns fans should be happy with the latest mock draft from SI's Don Bank - dubbed Mock Draft 6.0 (creative!) - in which Banks doesn't go with Tannehill. Instead, he's going with Alabama running back Trent Richardson:
We all know running backs aren't great long-term bets in the NFL, but if you're trying to give your third-year quarterback some weapons to work with to help him over the hump, are you really worried about six or seven seasons down the road? Why not get Colt McCoy the best running back available and roll the dice on him?
If Tannehill and Blackmon are the top two picks in the mocks for the Browns, then Richardson is No. 3, so it's not exactly a new revelation. However, Banks' explanation is a good one - why not go with him now and lean on him heavily, to limit how much the game is in Colt McCoy's hands? They already tried to replace him twice this offseason, despite saying that they're content with him under center.
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