Day 2: Filling needs
Browns take Texas QB Colt McCoy in 3rd round
Associated Press
BEREA
Colt McCoy’s slide finally stopped in Cleveland. The Browns roped the Texas quarterback before he could fall any further.
Passed over in the first two rounds of the NFL draft, McCoy was selected in the third round with the No. 85 overall pick on Friday by the Browns, who have spent the past decade searching for a quarterback to take them to their first Super Bowl.
McCoy won’t be expected to do that right away, but guided by new Browns president and QB guru Mike Holmgren, McCoy could be the solution to a troublesome position. The Browns have had eight different opening-week quarterbacks since their 1999 expansion return.
The Browns had two earlier chances to get McCoy before grabbing the Longhorns’ four-year starter.
“My heart skipped a beat,” McCoy said of getting the phone call from Holmgren. “I am where I’m supposed to be, and that’s Cleveland. It’s a blue-collar town, and that’s how I am.”
Holmgren never thought McCoy would still be on the board when the Browns’ turn came up again in the third round.
“It was something I really wanted to do,” Holmgren said, adding he pitched McCoy to coach Eric Mangini and general manager Tom Heckert. “If it happened, it happened. Sometimes it just kind of falls to you.”
The Browns have spent the offseason reshaping the quarterback position, which has been an almost constant headache since they returned as an expansion franchise in 1999. They traded Brady Quinn, released Derek Anderson, acquired Seneca Wallace and signed free agent Jake Delhomme.
Now, they’ve added McCoy, who was drafted after fellow college stars Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow and Jimmy Clausen were chosen. He also went one pick after Jordan Shipley, his former Texas teammate and close friend was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals.
In four years at Texas, McCoy passed for 13,253 yards and 112 touchdowns, both school records. He went 45-8 as a starter and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy as a junior and senior.
“We love his leadership. We love his track record,” Holmgren said. “He runs well. He’s intelligent. He’s fiery. He’s everything you look for in the position.”
McCoy said he spoke to both Browns coach Eric Mangini and Holmgren.
“They asked me if it had been a long day, and I said, ’Yes sir,”’ said McCoy, whose selection in New York was announced by Texas coach Mack Brown. “I told them I can’t wait to be a Cleveland Brown and that we’re going to win a lot of games. Cleveland has a little orange in their jerseys just like UT.
“It’s a perfect fit.”
Mangini said he was impressed with McCoy on a personal level during previous visits.
“He taught me more about raising cattle than I wanted,” Mangini cracked. “He has won a lot of big games.”
Earlier, the Browns made their secondary a primary priority.
With speculation swirling that they would take McCoy or Clausen, the Browns chose Oregon safety T.J. Ward with the No. 38 overall pick. Ward, who walked on with the Ducks, is a hard hitter who could immediately move into Cleveland’s starting lineup.
The 5-foot-10, 211-pounder was the second defensive back selected by the Browns, who took Florida cornerback Joe Haden in the first round Thursday.