Johnny Manziel must show Browns potential for development

Fate owes the Cleveland Browns a few breaks.

Since rebooting in 1999, the franchise has been on a long slog of disappointment. The Browns could write a thesis on first-round mistakes in the draft (Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, William Green, Braylon Edwards, Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden). They’ve been plagued by internal problems since returning, from staph infections in the locker room to bickering in the front office. They have gone from one coach to another, and from one quarterback to another. The only thing that has stayed the same are those classic uniforms (which are changing next year, thanks to Nike). They’ve made one playoff appearance since version 2.0 began, an exciting loss to the rival Steelers in the 2002 Wild Card Round.

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Johnny Manziel must show Browns potential for development

Kirk Ferentz sees Brandon Scherff as first-round draft pick

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Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz considers Hawkeyes offensive tackle Brandon Scherff compares favorably with a number of the top former Iowa linemen in the NFL, such as the Baltimore Ravens’ Marshal Yanda and former first-round picks Riley Reiff (Detroit Lions) and Bryan Bulaga (Green Bay Packers). And according to the Des Moines Register, Ferentz anticipates Scherff, a senior, to be a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, at the same time.

"It Is not about the combine items, although Brandon’s got freakish strength and explosion," Ferentz said. & quot;But lots of men can not take that to the field. Brandon’s got the power to do this, also. He is a rare man."

Uncommon enough to earn Big Ten Rimington-Rate Offensive Lineman of the Year honours with a vote of the league’s coaches. In a league known for road-grading offensive linemen, Scherff beat out the likes of Wisconsin’s Rob Havenstein, Michigan State centre Jack Allen and Ohio State guard Pat Elflein for the award.

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Kirk Ferentz sees Brandon Scherff as first-round draft pick

Report: UAB to lose football plan

The University of Alabama-Birmingham has fired sports manager Brian Mackin and means to shut down its football plan amid extensive changes to a financially struggling fit section, according to multiple media outlets.

The school will declare the move, which trainer Bill Clark had indicated he firmly worried, in a news conference Thursday, according to Sports Illustrated. The Blazers defeat Southern Miss, 45-24, on Saturday to become bowl-eligible with a 6-6 record under first year coach Bill Clark.

Atlanta Falcons star receiver Roddy White is the most notable NFL players from UAB. He caught 163 passes for 3,112 yards and 26 touchdowns at the school from 2001-2004 to become a first-round pick by the Falcons in the 2005 NFL Draft.

White expressed his support for the plan Saturday after the triumph over Southern Miss:

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Report: UAB to lose football plan

Holgorsen: Kevin White most NFL-ready receiver I"ve coached

West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White is not only a top prospect for the 2015 NFL Draft, he could be ahead of three former first-round picks in terms of being ready to play at the next level.

That’s how Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen sees it, anyway.

"Of all the [receivers] I’ve coached — it’s crazy to say — he may be more suited for the NFL than any of them," Holgorsen said, according to Sports Illustrated.

Holgorsen’s travels from Texas Tech to Houston, from Oklahoma State to West Virginia, have indeed put him around some highly regarded draft prospects at the receiver position. Among them, Michael Crabtree, now of the San Francisco 49ers; Justin Blackmon, Jacksonville Jaguars; and Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams. All three were not only first-round picks, but top-10 picks. And according to one NFL scout, White could be on his way to being drafted in the same first-round company.

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Holgorsen: Kevin White most NFL-ready receiver I"ve coached

Lookout: I do not understand if Oregon"s Marcus Mariota is alpha male

It Is the occupation of NFL scouts, and by extension, the general managers who supervise them, to discover defects in school possibilities.

They all have them — some more noticeable than others — as well as a failure to identify them accurately can establish itself into a wasted draft pick. Therefore, even the top-notch prospects that are considered surefire first-round draft picks will get their share of examination, even supposing it’s more microscopic — or as the case might be, myopic — in nature.

Enter Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, who has 24 touchdowns to only one interception this season, but according to one NFL scout may be overly fine for the NFL. Yep, overly fine.

"Like in case you hit him in the gut, he might apologize to you personally," the scout told Sports Illustrated’s Interior Read. & quot;I simply do not understand if he is that alpha male that you are looking for. The child’s kind of a fly on the wall type of man. Physically, he is actually gifted, but it is likely to have some time. In the event you are expecting him to come in and be your savior year one, I do not believe that is going to be it."

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Lookout: I do not understand if Oregon"s Marcus Mariota is alpha male

Jason Verrett (shoulder) active for Chargers

The San Diego Chargers declared that Jason Verrett (shoulder) is active for the team’s Thursday night game from the Denver Broncos.

Verrett’s availability is crucial for the Chargers as they confront Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ powerful aerial assault, particularly considering that San Diego will be without expert corner Brandon Flowers.

The first-round pick out of TCU is impressive thus far in his rookie effort. He’s compiled 18 tackles and one interception this year.

For the Broncos, second-round wide receiver Cody Latimer is active for the very first time because the season opener.  Latimer has yet to catch an NFL pass.

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Jason Verrett (shoulder) active for Chargers

Former Browns GM: Ty Montgomery a likely first-round pick

There is plenty of distance between college football’s top players and the 2015 NFL Draft — not only the rest of the football season, but the scouting season as well. For now, though, things look good for Stanford wide receiver Ty Montgomery. Reese’s Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage, the former general manager of the Cleveland Browns, likes what he sees from the senior.

"Ty will likely be a first-round pick because of his combination value as a receiver and return man, and with that said, should be able to get on the field as a rookie and help an NFL team right away," Savage wrote in the latest seniorbowl.com scouting report.

» 2015 NFL Draft to be held April 30-May 2

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Former Browns GM: Ty Montgomery a likely first-round pick

Minnesota"s David Cobb has had 2 200-yard games this season

Two tailbacks have had multiple 200-yard games this season. One is Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah, who is receiving all sorts of acclaim (and deservedly so). The other also plays in the Big Ten and isn’t receiving much (any?) attention: Minnesota’s David Cobb.

Cobb (5-foot-11, 220 pounds), a senior from Killeen, Texas, ran for 220 yards in a win over Middle Tennessee State and for 207 yards in a victory over San Jose State. He rushed for 183 yards in last week’s rout of Michigan and is eighth nationally at 144.4 rushing yards per game.

Cobb’s per-game average has him on a pace to rush for 1,732 yards, which would break the school single-season record by almost 300 yards; first-round pick Laurence Maroney rushed for 1,464 yards in 2005. Maroney had three 200-yard games that season, also a school single-season record, so Cobb could tie or break that mark, too.

Cobb lacks elite speed; he has been clocked in the 4.55 range in the 40. He is a downhill runner, though, and does a nice job picking and choosing his holes.

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Minnesota"s David Cobb has had 2 200-yard games this season

Inquire 5: Who does Marcus Mariota of Oregon remind you of?

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I do not consider there is an Andrew Luck-quality quarterback now playing college football, and we will not see a gift like the Indianapolis Colts quarterback for a long time. However, Oregon QB Marcus Mariota is among the more intriguing quarterbacks we have found in several years.

Mariota features a double-risk skill set similar to Johnny Manziel, the Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M who now plays for the Cleveland Browns. The 2014 NFL Draft first-round pick quite almost went to Oregon, and then-Oregon trainer and present Philadelphia Eagles trainer Chip Kelly said losing out on Manziel, "busted my heart." Rather, Kelly could get a commitment from Mariota in the exact same recruiting group.

Occasionally it is rough to find comparisons for players who run the wideopen Oregon offense, but I reached out to five NFL staff executives to determine which present NFL quarterback does Mariota remind them of as a player.

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Inquire 5: Who does Marcus Mariota of Oregon remind you of?

Lookouts compare Alabama"s Amari Cooper to experts

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Five NFL staff executives went in five different ways when asked who Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper compares to among NFL receivers, but all five set the Crimson Tide’s possible first-round draft pick in remarkable business.

NFL Media analyzer Daniel Jeremiah gathered these five comparisions for his weekly "Inquire 5" attribute: the Atlanta Falcons’ Roddy White, the Chicago Bears’ Santonio Holmes, the Green Bay Packers’ Jordy Nelson, and two high picks in the NFL draft in May — New York Giants first-rounder Odell Beckham and Jacksonville Jaguars second-round pick Marquise Lee.

Cooper would definitely do well to match White’s NFL career. White should reach the 10,000-yard career receiving milestone at some stage this season. Said the NFL personnel guy who made the White comparison: "He Is sneaky quick, really physical, tough and dependable. He is a man you need to get the ball in the clutch."

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Lookouts compare Alabama"s Amari Cooper to experts

14 first-rounders, including 6 of top 10, started in Week 1

A bit less than half of the 2014 first-round picks — 14 of 32 — started their first NFL games this past weekend.

Also of interest: Three undrafted free agents were among the 35 rookie starters.

Seven teams started at least two rookies, with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders starting three each. There were eight teams that started zero rookies: the Chicago Bears, the Denver Broncos, the Detroit Lions, the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, the Philadelphia Eagles, the San Diego Chargers and the Tennessee Titans.

The total of 35 rookie starters was four fewer than in 2013, 15 fewer than in ’12 and 12 fewer than in ’11. In the past 10 seasons, the 35 rookie starters was the sixth-most; it also was behind the 39 that started in 2010 and the 36 in 2008. It was ahead of the 34 in 2006, the 32 in 2007 and ’09 and the 26 in ’05.

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14 first-rounders, including 6 of top 10, started in Week 1

Ohio State star DE Noah Spence set to return after suspension

Ohio State defensive end Noah Spence returns to the team this week after a three-game suspension, adding to an already-talented defensive line.

Spence (6-foot-3, 252 pounds), a junior, missed last season’s Orange Bowl and the first two games this season because he tested positive for ecstasy; originally, he was suspended for a full season, but the suspension was reduced to three games. His family has said Spence unintentionally took the drug when he was given a drink by people he didn’t know at a party.

Spence was listed as one of the nation’s top-10 pass rushers by NFL Media draft analyst Bucky Brooks in May. "Spence shows terrific snap-count anticipation and first-step quickness, but is still unpolished as a rusher off the edge," Brooks wrote. "He is still learning how to sequence his moves, but his impressive athleticism has allowed him to post solid production with a limited arsenal of pitches. If he can add a wrinkle or two to his game in the fall, Spence could be one of the most intriguing prospects to watch down the road."

Spence, who was a consensus top-five player nationally in the 2012 recruiting class, had eight sacks last season, which led the team; he added 14.5 tackles for loss, which was second on the team to linebacker Ryan Shazier, who was the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ first-round pick.

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Ohio State star DE Noah Spence set to return after suspension