WR Blackmon is possibility for Browns in first round tonight

By Mary Kay Cabot

Cleveland Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND

One year after passing on receiver Julio Jones in favor of a blockbuster draft day trade with Atlanta, the Browns have a shot at this year’s top receiver, Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon, at No. 4.

Will they pull the trigger? Or will they opt for another premier player such as LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne or Alabama running back Trent Richardson, whom most experts think they’ll pick?

“Last year had nothing to do with the player,’ said Browns general manager Tom Heckert. “It had everything to do with the deal we were able to make. We loved Julio Jones.’

But is Blackmon anywhere near as good as Jones, who caught 54 passes for 959 yards and eight TDs for the Falcons in 2011?

Blackmon could be gone by the time the Browns pick. The Vikings at No. 3 have narrowed their choices to USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil, Claiborne and Blackmon — if they don’t trade the pick.

‘There are no negatives with any of them,’ Vikings GM Rick Spielman said.

Despite some pre-draft criticism of Blackmon’s height (6-1/2) and a DUI in 2010, Heckert has no concerns. He cited the story of Blackmon’s close friendship over the past few years with a little girl who has leukemia.

“He’s a great kid and a great football player in my mind,” Heckert said.

Blackmon had 232 catches for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns the past two seasons with OSU. He’s only the second player to win the Biletnikoff award twice for the nation’s best receiver (the other was 2009 No. 10 pick Michael Crabtree) and was Big 12 offensive player of the year. He was MVP of the 2012 Fiesta Bowl after catching eight passes for 163 yards and three TDs.

“Justin does all of the hard things easy,” said Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken. “He has natural run-after-catch instincts, he plays strong to the ball. He can play the ball down the field, he can bend and he has mental toughness. ... There are some things he needs to work on, but he has the core of what makes a good football player.”

Monken compared Blackmon to Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe, who he coached at LSU. Bowe has averaged 1,000 yards and seven TDs during his five-year career, including 15 TD catches in 2010.

“Dwayne’s a little bit bigger and transitions a little better route-running wise but Justin plays the ball strong and runs after catch like Dwayne does,” said Monken. “He also does a few things better. If you’d like to have Dwayne Bowe right now, you’re going to like Justin Blackmon, I really believe that.”