So, it's 1999 and the Browns are a brand-spanking new expansion team. Optimism and excitement are (relatively) high, the team is back after the Modell-Ravens disaster, and it's a fresh start. The Browns had 11 picks in the NFL Draft, and also had a 37-player expansion draft (Who was the first player they picked? Jim Pyne, left guard from the Lions. There's some trivia for you). Here's a look at each of the 11 players the Browns picked in the 1999 NFL Draft:
Principles who were choosing these players: Chris Palmer (head coach), Carmen Policy (president, CEO) and Dwight Clark (general manager).
Round 1 (1st overall): Tim Couch | Quarterback | Kentucky
Background: Couch was a record-setting QB in three seasons at Kentucky. In his senior year in '98, he was the SEC player of the year and an All-American. He completed 67.1 percent of his college passes for 8,772 yards, 76 TDs and 37 INTs. Very, very good statistically. That 1998 season was one of the best ever for a college QB, he completed 400 passes that year. Incredible. But, he was a "system" quarterback in Hal Mumme's extremely pass-oriented Air Raid offense. The Browns fell in love with his gaudy stats and his big arm.
They could have had...: Where do I start? How about everyone? Here's a few names that could have been wearing orange and brown: Donovan McNabb, Edgerrin James, Ricky Williams, Champ Bailey.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: So many busts in this draft. But let's go with Akili Smith (QB from Oregon). Thank God they let the Bengals have him.
End result: Without question, Tim Couch is one of the biggest busts in NFL Draft history. He was horrible, though some maintain he never got a fair deal, playing for an inept offensive staff, playing behind a terrible offensive line and no talented backs or receivers around him. No arguments here. In any case, he was too inconsistent and injuries played a big part in his demise. He spent parts of five seasons (1999-2003) as the Browns starting QB, before being displaced by Kelly Holcomb by Butch Davis in 2003 after the two competed for the job. Couch's final stats as the Browns QB: 62 games played (59 starts) 11,131 yards, 59.8 completion percentage, 64 TDs, 67 INTs and a 75.1 rating. Not good.
Couch's best year was 2002, where he threw for almost 3,000 yards and 18 TD passes and led the Browns to a playoff berth. But he broke his leg in the last regular season game and Holcomb made the start against the Steelers in the playoffs (a loss, in case you forgot). After he was cut from the Browns before the 2004 season, Couch signed withe Packers but was released following the team's last preseason game. In the subsequent years, he made several comeback attempts with several teams, but none materialized. He was out of football for good, to be remembered as one of the worst No. 1 overall picks in the history of the NFL Draft.
Grading the pick: D, only because the Browns didn't take Akili Smith, who was worse. Seriously, though, no matter how you look at it, no matter whose fault it was, no matter the number of unfortunate circumstances involved, Tim Couch and the Browns never worked, aside from parts of that 2002 season, which stands out because its the only time the Browns have made the playoffs since 1999. So for that, I give the D grade. But an F wouldn't be wrong, either.
Round 2 (32nd overall): Kevin Johnson | Wide receiver | Syracuse
Background: A solid possession receiver, Johnson played at Syracuse, where he went as a quarterback, and did play some but lost the starting job to Donovan McNabb, hence the position switch. He was a dynamic kick returner in college and became a dependable receiver. The Browns wanted to give Tim Couch someone reliable in the passing game, particularly someone with good hands.
They could have had...: Offensive lineman Jon Jansen, who was selected five picks later by the Redskins. A solid left and right tackle for years in the NFL. This process of ignoring offensive lineman would continue in Browns' drafts for years, and they are still paying for it.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: Charles Fisher, a DB from West Virginia, who went to the Bengals with the pick after Johnson. He was highly-touted coming out of WVu, but played in just one game and was apparently cursed, tearing three major ligaments in a knee and never played again.
End result: Johnson played for the Browns for four and a half seasons, totaling 315 catches for 3,836 yards and 23 TDs in 73 games.His best season came in 2001, when he caught 84 balls for 1,097 yards and nine TDs. And, who can forget the Hail Mary pass he caught from Couch against the Saints in 1999 to give the new Browns their first win? Johnson was cut by Butch Davis in 2003 and signed with the Jaguars. He played two more nondescript seasons after that with the Ravens and Lions. He was the best receiver on the Browns roster for the entire time he was in Cleveland. He was Couch's "safety valve" and his stats were better than average for three of his four seasons. He was the best receiver on the board when the Browns chose him in the draft, and although he didn't have as long of a career as the top receivers in the game do, he was still productive and was reliable when not much else was with the Browns during this time period.
Grading the pick: B+. Like I said, he was the best receiver on the board when the Browns chose him, and unlike most draft picks by the team during this time, he actually had productive seasons.
Round 2 (45th overall): Rahim Abdullah | Linebacker | Clemson
Background: The first defensive player the Browns took in this draft and their second 2nd round pick. In the veteran expansion draft, the Browns took four linebackers with their first 12 picks. In 34 games at Clemson, Abdullah had decent numbers (198 tackles, 16.5 sacks) and one huge game in the 1998 Peach Bowl, which probably had something to do with how high he was picked. For a linebacker, he was freakishly tall at 6-6 and was notably fast.
They could have had..: Kevin Faulk, a versatile running back/fullback who is still making a difference for the Patriots and who has like 45 Super Bowl rings.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: Nobody notable.
End result: Abdullah played 29 games for the Browns in two years, starting 17. He totaled 71 tackles and two sacks and was cut after the 2000 season and never played in the NFL again, but he did go on to have a good career in the CFL. Awesome. Abdullah is the prime example why the Browns have been what they are since 1999 ... a team that cannot draft impact players in rounds 2-4 (or any round for that matter). So many teams have gotten impact players in Round 2 of the draft over the years, some teams (like the Patriots) even put more time into their second round choice, because the players aren't that different in terms of talent than the first-rounders, but they are a hell of a lot cheaper. As I continues to examine these drafts, it will be evident that the Browns have swung and missed in the second round every year. This was the first time and it has continued into 2009. Call it the Curse of Rahim Abdullah.
Grading the pick: F. Abdullah started for the Browns because the cupboard was bare. He was nothing more than a fringe-special teams player, a guy with impressive measurables but none of those ever translated to the field.
Round 3 (62nd overall): Daylon McCutcheon | Cornerback | Southern Cal
Background: McCutcheon started three years at cornerback at Southern Cal, making the All Pac-10 team twice. Intercepted 10 passes in four years. He was billed as being solid in coverage and someone that didn't take too many chances. Good pedigree and, like I said, a three-year starter at a big-time school.
They could have had..: McCutcheon was the first pick of the third round. Lots of what-ifs here. Want defense? How about linebackers Joey Porter or Chike Okeafor? Or a better corner than McCutcheon, Mike McKenzie? Want offense? How about a solid blocking/pass catching tight end in Steve Heiden? Or running back Shawn Bryson, who had a stellar career at Tennessee.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: Martin Gramatica. I'll take Phil Dawson.
End result: McCutcheon was a solid player for the Browns for years, though at the end of his Browns career he often got burned by faster receivers. In seven seasons with the Browns, McCutcheon played in 103 games, starting 96. He had 12 career interceptions, including two he returned for touchdowns, 63 pass break-ups and two forced fumbles. He was released from the team following the 2005 season and never played in the NFL again. Some of those defenses he played on were so terrible.
Grading the pick: B-. If you can get a seven-year starter at cornerback in the third round of the draft, that is satisfactory. But McCutcheon would have been much more effective had he not been forced to cover the opposition's best receiver each game. In other words, he would have been better as a second cornerback. As far as the draft goes, it was a solid pick in the third round, he was one of the best DBs left on the board.
Round 3 (76th overall): Marquis Smith | Safety/linebacker | Cal
Background: Smith was a safety at Cal, a pretty big safety at that. One of the top-rated defensive back prospects in this draft, ESPN projected him to be taken in the second round.
Who they passed up, in that round...: Mckenzie or Okeafor. How about defensive end Aaron Smith, who was picked in the fourth round.Turned out to be a hell of a player for, who else, the Steelers, who almost always draft well. No surprise they got him in that spot.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round Again, Martin Gramatica. I'll take Phil Dawson.
End result: Smith played three seasons with the Browns, playing in 46 games and starting 20. He played strong safety, and at time, linebacker (due to his size). Totaled 96 career tackles and one career pass deflection. Was cut by the Browns after the 2001 season and never played in the NFL again. A forgettable player who never did anything significant.
Grading the pick: F. Perhaps the most significant thing about Marquis Smith was that Earl Little, a superior player, never got the chance to displace Smith at strong safety. Little was a solid pro, but Smith was the choice because he was drafted by Chis Palmer and his staff. Smith was a hard-hitter, but I question the choice of another defensive back by the Browns in third round, when they just took one a few picks earlier. How about an offensive lineman? Running back? Defensive lineman? Not a good pick by any means.
NOTE: At this point the Browns were looking at three picks in the fourth round. With their first pick in the fourth round, the Browns traded it and their first pick in the 5th round to the 49ers for QB Ty Detmer, who would be the new team's first starting QB. With their second pick in the fourth round, the Browns traded it to the 49ers for fullback Marc Edwards, who would become a start for the team. With their third pick in the fourth round, the Browns selected the player listed below (Wail Rainer):
Round 4 (124th overall): Wali Rainer | Linebacker | Virginia
NOTE: At this point the Browns were looking at three picks in the fourth round. With their first pick in the fourth round, the Browns traded it and their first pick in the 5th round to the 49ers for QB Ty Detmer, who would be the new team's first starting QB. With their second pick in the fourth round, the Browns traded it to the 49ers for fullback Marc Edwards, who would become a start for the team. With their third pick in the fourth round, the Browns selected the player listed below (Wail Rainer):
Round 4 (124th overall): Wali Rainer | Linebacker | Virginia
Background: An all-ACC and All-American linebacker from Virginia. Totaled impressive sack and tackles-for-loss numbers and was one of the top linebackers rated in this draft class.
They could have had...: Offensive guard Edwin Mulitalo, who was taken by Baltimore and was a staple on their OL for seven years. Again, ignoring the offensive line comes back to kill the Browns.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: Joe Germaine, QB from Ohio State (went to Rams with 101st pick overall). That guy was terrible. Also, some receiver named Craig Yeast went to the Bengals with the third pick in that round (98th overall). Funny name. That is all.
End result: Rainer played three years with the Browns, all as a starter at middle linebacker (46 total games, 45 starts). In his time in Cleveland, he totaled 244 tackles, three sacks, one INT, six forced fumbles and recovered two fumbles. His best year was 1999, when as a rookie he lead the team in tackles with 136. After the 2001 season, a newly-hired Butch Davis and the Browns traded Rainer along with the 79th overall pick of the 2002 draft for the 76th pick in order to select Melvin Fowler, who went on to become the team's starter at center for several years. Not a bad trade. Rainer had a decent 2002 season with the Jaguars, but was cut in the offseason and spent the next three years as a backup in Detroit.
End result: Rainer played three years with the Browns, all as a starter at middle linebacker (46 total games, 45 starts). In his time in Cleveland, he totaled 244 tackles, three sacks, one INT, six forced fumbles and recovered two fumbles. His best year was 1999, when as a rookie he lead the team in tackles with 136. After the 2001 season, a newly-hired Butch Davis and the Browns traded Rainer along with the 79th overall pick of the 2002 draft for the 76th pick in order to select Melvin Fowler, who went on to become the team's starter at center for several years. Not a bad trade. Rainer had a decent 2002 season with the Jaguars, but was cut in the offseason and spent the next three years as a backup in Detroit.
Grading the pick: B-. Rainer was a solid player at middle linebacker as evidenced by his leading the team in tackles as a rookie. They traded him in 2002 because they needed a young center to take over the position, and did so in acquiring Melvin Fowler. In terms of the actual pick and where he was chosen, it was actually one of the better picks in this draft for the Browns.
Round 5 (148th overall): Darrin Chiaverini | Receiver | Colorado
Round 5 (148th overall): Darrin Chiaverini | Receiver | Colorado
Background: Chiaverini caught 52 passes for 798 yards in his final season at Colorado. A decent college receiver with some height.
Who they could have had...:Defensive tackle Roderick Coleman, taken five picks later by the Raiders. In nine seasons with the Raiders and Falcons, Coleman made a Pro Bowl and totaled 58.5 sacks. If the Browns wanted a receiver, they should have taken one earlier because at this point of this draft, it was slim pickings as far as receivers go.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: Some QB named Kevin Daft from UC-Davis. Never played a snap in the NFL.
End result: Chiaverini played just two seasons with the Browns, playing in 26 games with 10 starts. He totaled 52 catches for 555 yards and five TDs (four of which came in his rookie year). He was cut after the 2000 season and played two more nondescript years in the NFL, with the Cowboys and Falcons. Perhaps it was this stellear NFL career that led Hollywood to believe this guy had skills as an actor, as he played a prison security guard in the remake of "The Longest Yard" a few years ago. How weird.
Grading the pick: D-. He doesn't get an F because I liked "The Longest Yard". Just kidding. His rookie season was good, relatively speaking. But this guy was no more than a special teams player, at best a fourth or fifth receiver. Not a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver, as we was with the Browns. If nothing else, the Chiaverini pick shows just how little Tim Couch had to work with on offense. As far as the pick goes, they took a receiver in the second round (Johnson) and could have addressed needs at the offensive or defensive lines. How about a running back? Again, every position was one of need. But this pick also shows how inept Policy, Palmer and Clark were in evaluating talent.
Round 6 (187th overall): Kendall Ogle | Linebacker | Maryland
Round 7 (207th overall): Madre Hill | Running back | Arkansas
Round 6 (174th overall): Marcus Spriggs | Defensive tackle | Ohio State/Troy
Background: A monster of a man, Spriggs started off at Ohio State but struggled to find playing time, so he transferred to Troy State and got back on NFL scouts' radar. The Browns gave up their second and third picks in the seventh round to move up in this round to select him.
Who they could have had...: Tight end Desmond Clark (Wake Forest). This was a position that had yet to be addressed. This was the obvious move, I will explain below. Keep reading.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: Jeff Hall (kicker). I'd rather have Phil Dawson. Once again.
End result: Spriggs was the definition of a late-round bust, playing two seasons with the Browns (Eight games, two starts). He totaled 17 tackles and two sacks, was cut after the 2000 season and never played in the NFL again.
Grading the pick: F. Well, the Browns took a defensive tackle, just the wrong one in the wrong round. How about this scenario: Selecting Rodrick Coleman in the previous round, and using this pick on a receiver. Chiaverini would probably have still been on the board, as were countless other late-round pick type receivers. Even better, what about this: They needed a tight end, so how about selecting Desmond Clark (or Billy Miller, or Jed Weaver, both who were still on the board) with this pick, and that could have saved them for taking the crappy tight end they did end up with, James Dearth (yes, THAT James Dearth) later in this round. Total swing and miss here by the Brownies on many levels.
Round 6 (187th overall): Kendall Ogle | Linebacker | Maryland
Background: A linebacker from Maryland, was a top 20 player at his position during his senior year in 1998.
Who they could have had...: As I mentioned before, tight ends Billy Miller (still in the NFL) and Jed Weaver were available here. As was Donald Driver, but the whole NFL, aside from the Packers, missed the boat on him. But the answer to this question is one of the aforementioned tight ends. Or, once again, how about an offensive lineman??
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: Nobody notable. In fairness, no linebacker taken after Ogle ever had any sort of impact in the league.
End result: Ogle played one season, appearing in two games and was cut. End of story.
Grading the pick: F. Once again, a complete miss. One could say "It's the sixth round of the draft, teams hope to get lucky." Wrong. Good NFL teams make a habit of uncovering gems in the late rounds of the draft. Yes, they have misses too, but the Brows had significantly more misses than most teams, in this draft and the ones that followed.
Round 6 (191st overall): James Dearth | Tight end | Tulsa
Background: Another physically-impressive pick, Dearth was a quarterback at some school called Tarleton State, but he subsequently transferred to Tulsa where he played tight end and long snapper. Totaled 77 receptions for 992 yards and five TDs at Tulsa.
Who they could have had...: Billy Miller. Tight end taken in the seventh round who went on to have nine good seasons in the NFL. If they would have taken Desmond Clark earlier, they could have selected an offensive lineman here. How about Ryan Young, a 6-5, 300-pounder from Kansas State, who started five years in the league. I may be reaching here, but you get the picture.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: Punter Brent Bartholomew from Ohio State. One personnel decision the Browns did get right during this time was signing Chris Gardocki as the punter. He was solid.
End result: This is actually quite interesting, at least to me. Dearth played in two meaningless games in December for the Browns in 1999, recording no stats and was cut. He was out of the league in 2000. You would think that would be it for him. Wrong. He signed with the Jets in 2001 and started every game for them at long snapper that season. Dearth then went on to serve as the Jets' long snapper for kicks and punts for every game, literally (128 consecutive starts) from 2002 to 2008. He even played tight end in goal line situations and caught a touchdown pass. So, the Jets turned a tight end who never caught a pass and was cut into their long snapper for seven seasons. Pretty good.
Grading the pick: F. For the Browns. A for the Jets. The Browns didn't use Dearth as a long snapper and cut him, not recognizing his talent at that position. They did find their own long snapper, Ryan Pontbriand, a couple of years later and he was one of the best in the NFL. But still, as if you needed another, here is the latest example in this draft of the team's front office lacking in talent evaluation. Wasted pick.
Background: Mildly-interesting story here. In 1993, Hill was actually one of the nation's top recruits and signed with Arkansas, where he had a good freshman season in 1994. He rushed for a school-record 1,387 yards in 1995 (since broken by Darren McFadden) and was first-team All-SEC. But he missed the next two seasons due to a torn ACL and MCL. He came back in 1998 and rushed for 669 yards and seven TDs. Obviously his draft stock took a enormous hit with the two missed seasons. If he wouldn't have suffered that injury in 1995, he could have piled up some big numbers and you could have been looking at a first-round pick. But this guy was damaged goods and the Browns took a shot in the seventh road.
Who they could have had...: Donald Driver. Nah, the Browns were happy with Darrin Chiaverini.
Thankfully they passed on this guy in that round: Donald Driver. Just kidding.
End result: Hill played in five games for the Browns as a below-average kick returner. He was cut after the 1999 season and signed with the Raiders in 2002 but never played.
Grading the pick: D-. Finally, a running back, even if he playing on basically one leg. Oops, its the seventh round and, apparently, the Browns were happy with Terry Kirby as their starting RB in 1999. Oh, they also used Karim Abdul-Jabbar. Remember him? What a tandem. Anyway, Hill never got a single carry. He did return kicks, but his long return was only 27 yards. So much for that. They get a D- for taking a risk on a talented, but damaged, player.
Final analysis
Best pick: Daylon McCutcheon (Third round).
Worst pick: Choices, choices, choices. Tim Couch is the easy answer. But I'll go with Rahim Abdullah.
Biggest blunder: Not selecting a single offensive lineman. Utterly shocking. Also, just one defensive lineman selected. Football games are won up front. No wonder the Browns didn't win much.
Final grade: D+. It's not an F because this was an expansion team, and as I mentioned 30 times in this analysis, every position was a position of need. Also, it needs to be said how hastily the 1999 Browns were assembled ... it was done very quickly, and poorly. Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer wrote a book about it. Good read. The people assembling this team (Policy, Clark, Palmer and his staff) were put in place so fast and almost immediately after they were hired, the expansion draft occurred. To make a long story short, the whole operation was a complete mess and this draft reflects that. So many things can be be criticized. So many positions and players were overlooked and misevaluated.
For the purposes of this analysis, I want to focus on the offensive line. The Browns apparently thought it was a good idea to draft a quarterback No. 1 and not provided him with any weapons or decent protection (some argue they should have traded that No. 1 pick to the Saints, who were offering the world for it in order to draft Ricky Williams). How do you go through any draft and not take any offensive lineman, and just one defensive lineman? Especially in the smashmouth AFC North. Inexcusable. The Browns starting offensive line in 1999 was: Lomas Brown (LT), Jim Pyne (LG), Dave Wohlabaugh (C), Scott Rehberg (RG) and Orlando Brown (RT). All older veterans, aside from Rehberg. They needed to draft at least two lineman to develop and insure their top investment, Tim Couch. As I mentioned previously, ignoring the offensive line and manning the positions with cast-offs and over-the-hill free agents is a trend that continued in Cleveland up until recently (thank you, Joe Thomas). Games are won up front. Look it up. Same goes for the defensive line, although the Browns would try and fix that with the next draft.
Consider this draft a forgettable, regrettable, wasted one. And if you think this was draft was bad, wait until you see how the Browns fared in the 2000 draft ...
For the purposes of this analysis, I want to focus on the offensive line. The Browns apparently thought it was a good idea to draft a quarterback No. 1 and not provided him with any weapons or decent protection (some argue they should have traded that No. 1 pick to the Saints, who were offering the world for it in order to draft Ricky Williams). How do you go through any draft and not take any offensive lineman, and just one defensive lineman? Especially in the smashmouth AFC North. Inexcusable. The Browns starting offensive line in 1999 was: Lomas Brown (LT), Jim Pyne (LG), Dave Wohlabaugh (C), Scott Rehberg (RG) and Orlando Brown (RT). All older veterans, aside from Rehberg. They needed to draft at least two lineman to develop and insure their top investment, Tim Couch. As I mentioned previously, ignoring the offensive line and manning the positions with cast-offs and over-the-hill free agents is a trend that continued in Cleveland up until recently (thank you, Joe Thomas). Games are won up front. Look it up. Same goes for the defensive line, although the Browns would try and fix that with the next draft.
Consider this draft a forgettable, regrettable, wasted one. And if you think this was draft was bad, wait until you see how the Browns fared in the 2000 draft ...
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