The Cleveland Browns were the only team to make a selection in the 2012 NFL Supplemental Draft, bringing in former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon. Unlike 2011, in which the Oakland Raiders gave up a third-round pick for the right to draft Terrelle Pryor, who might not have even been signed as a free agent by the rest of the league, many figured Gordon could go as high as the second round.
He'll join a Browns offense that has been rebuilt from the ground up, or rather is being rebuilt presently as the two catalysts for rebuilding have yet to play a down in the NFL. That is rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden and rookie running back Trent Richardson. Now, they've got rookie receiver Josh Gordon and also second-year receiver Greg Little.
Cleveland held a press conference on Thursday to talk about why they drafted Gordon, and it seems like they're putting a lot of hope into him. May Kay Cabot had some Tweets from the conference, mainly citing general manager Tom Heckert. For one, Hecker believes that Weeden, Richardson and Gordon are the foundation:
Heckert/Gordon said he hopes Weeden, Richardson and Gordon are foundation of where they want to go offensively.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) July 12, 2012
Heckert also said that Gordon has the making of a No. 1 receiver, saying "He can start in the NFL, that's obviously what we think," according to another Tweet from Cabot. Heckert noted the similarities with Little and his missed time, but noted that Gordon practiced with Utah the entire time he wasn't allowed to play.
On top of all that, Heckert said that they were going to take Gordon in the second round no matter what, meaning that they would likely have done so in the 2012 NFL Draft, and also regardless as to whether or not they heard something about another team potentially targeting him in the supplemental draft.
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