Cleveland scores on first day with Thomas, Quinn

By ROB TODOR
VINDICATOR SPORTS EDITOR
It was Christmas in April for Cleveland Browns fans Saturday, who enjoyed the franchise's best first-round haul in the NFL Draft in nearly 30 years.
Cleveland, coming off a 4-12 season (their sixth year of losing at least 10 games in the eight since they returned to the league), selected Joe Thomas, a 6-foot-6, 313-pound left tackle from Wisconsin, with the third overall pick.
In doing so, the Browns bypassed Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, a native of Dublin, Ohio, who grew up a Browns fan and was considered one of the top five overall picks in the draft. In fact, Cleveland general manager Phil Savage was said to have considered taking Quinn before settling on Thomas in the days leading up to the selection.
Turns out, Savage -- and Quinn -- had to wait just a few hours to be united.
Team after team passed on Quinn, including Miami, who surprisingly took Ohio State receiver Ted Ginn Jr. at No. 9.
As the draft got deeper into the first round, the Browns engineered a trade with Dallas for the Cowboys' pick at No. 22. Cleveland sent its second-round pick Saturday and its first-round choice in 2008 to the Cowboys, and selected Quinn, sending off a thunderous applause from fans in the Browns' headquarters.
"I could not have imagined that [Quinn] would end up falling back in our lap at pick 22," Savage said. "And I don't think Brady himself or his people would have anticipated this type of situation."
In 1978, the Browns selected linebacker Clay Matthews and tight end Ozzie Newsome in the first round.
The Steelers also enjoyed a productive first day of the draft, taking a linebacker they coveted, Florida State's Lawrence Timmons, with the 15th overall pick.
None of the five players from the Valley were selected in the first day of the draft. Ohio State center Doug Datish (Howland) and Michigan linebacker Prescott Burgess (Warren Harding) are expected to go sometime today.