Patience pays off

It was almost as though Andrew Berry knew what was going to happen even before it came time for the Browns' general manager to make the club's initial selection in the National Football League college draft Thursday night.

Picking 26th in the opening round gave him the luxury of letting the draft come to him before having to make command decisions. Looking to further improve a defense that had been dramatically improved through free agency, there was no question he eyed that side of the football.

He obviously didn't expect it to unfold in the manner it did. Thirteen of the first 17 selections targeted the offensive side of the football, including five quarterbacks. It dropped some well-regarded defensive players down to the Browns. It was almost as though it was destined. 

No need to trade up, one of the options Berry had at his command. The lottery was going too well to sacrifice the future. Many of the top defensive players on his board remained. Why make a move that made no sense. As they say, sometimes the best moves you make are the ones you don't make.

Patience was the order of the evening for the GM as the the city of Cleveland played host in prideful fashion to a national television audience. Well thought of edge rushers, linebackers and members of the secondary remained as the draft closed in on 26.

"We fielded calls in both directions, which is pretty typical with any draft" said Berry. "As the board fell, there were a number of players we liked within range we were picking. Ultimately, we felt kind of comfortable sweating it out, so to speak."

When Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville opted for offense just ahead of the Browns, 10 players connected to the Browns from a mock-draft standpoint remained. Included were linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, edge rushers Jayson Oweh, Gregory Rousseau, Carlos Basham Jr., Azeem Ojulari and Joe Tryon and cornerbacks Asante Samuel Jr. and Greg Newsome II.

All were at one time or another linked to the Browns in the burgeoning world of mock drafts, which has become a cottage industry in the last several years in the wake of the enormous popularity of the draft. 

As it turned out, Berry wasn't kidding when he suggested the Browns can't have enough cornerbacks when he selected Newsome at No. 26, a quality choice after Patrick Surtain II, Jaycee Horn and Caleb Farley had fallen off the board earlier. 

(Full disclosure: I was rooting for Owusu-Koramoah, whose versatility within the framework of the back seven fits perfectly with what the Browns want to do on defense. But I can't quarrel with the Newsome pick.)

It was an apparent sign Berry was satisfied with the composition of his pass rush, choosing instead to tighten up even more a secondary that suffered mightily through most of the 2020 season, It also provides insurance if Greedy Williams, who missed all last season with a shoulder problem, isn't ready for the season. 

Newsome, a three-year starter at Northwestern, was ranked the third-best cornerback by a number of draft gurus. The six-foot, 195-pounder, who turns 21 in a few weeks, is noted for his ability to play press coverage, disrupting routes. He was labeled a "route magnet" by one guru and is also considered strong at the point of attack in the ground game.

He allowed no touchdown passes in an abbreviated Big Ten season last year, but has intercepted only one pass in his college career despite coming up big in passes defensed. However,  his durability is in question, having missed three games due to injuries in each of his three seasons.

Newsome, who posted a 4.38 40, comes by his talent naturally. His father, Craig, also a cornerback, was selected in the first round of the 1995 draft by Green Bay and was part of the Packers' Super Bowl XXXI victory as a rookie.

"He fits culturally, being smart, tough and accountable" said head coach Kevin Stefanski of Newsome,  citing the club's credo. "He fits schematically. . . . He makes plays on the ball. There are a lot of things about his game we're very excited about."

Added Berry, "He was one of the guys we targeted through the draft process. He fits our profile for the Cleveland Browns." Echoing his coach, he added, "He fits the smart, tough, accountable profile we want out of our players."

And then the kicker: ". . . There was not a major discernible hole within his skill set. He has a high level of competency across all areas we value with the position." He must have not have been paying close attention to Newsome's injury history and lack of interceptions.

His addition to a crowded secondary allows defensive coordinator Joe Woods the opportunity to mix and match, playing as many as six defensive backs against teams that favor the pass, including division foes Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Baltimore, Kansas City, Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona and Green Bay. 

Several of the other shunned top-rated defenders remain on the board entering day two's two-round extravaganza Friday night. It wouldn't surprise if Berry, whose next pick is No, 59 in the second round, eschews his patience in round two if another of his targets continues to fall and moves up to snatch him..