Tag Archives: Devin Smith

CLEVELAND BROWNS FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK POSSIBILITIES

 

FRANCHISE QB?

If I’m Browns G.M. Ray Farmer and I believe that Marcus Mariota is indeed a franchise quarterback and is far better than any quarterback who will, or may be available in next year’s NFL Draft then I trade up to get him! Even if it means over paying for him.

I’m not saying I think Mariota is a franchise QB, because I don’t.

I’m saying if Farmer, head coach Mike Pettine and first year quarterback’s coach Kevin O’Connell, who was Mariota’s quarterback’s coach leading up to his pro day and the NFL Combine feel the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner is the real deal, then who cares what anybody else thinks, go get your QB!

 

MY PICKS

Having said that, it I’m the Browns I’m keeping picks #12 and #19 and filling two HUGE needs on this football team.

At #12 the Browns, if any of these three wide receivers are left, should draft Amari Cooper, Kevin White or DeVante Parker. All three players would give the Browns passing game a much needed boost with size and speed on the outside and a nice target in the redzone! Any one of them would help whoever is playing quarterback for Cleveland in 2015.

At #19 the Browns need to find some help at stopping the run. If either of these defensive linemen are available then Ray Farmer shouldn’t waste any time in turning in one of their names to commissioner Roger Goodell at the podium – Danny Shelton or Malcom Brown. Neither is a sexy pick, but Shelton or Brown would help immediately in containing the opposition’s ground attack and from their dead last ranking out of all 32 teams last year, the Browns are in dire need of that run stopper!

 

OTHER POSSIBILITIES

If all three of the above mentioned wide outs are gone at #12, then the Browns should draft Danny Shelton or Malcom Brown there and then take the best available wide receiver at #19.

Possible candidates there could be: Breshad Perriman, Jaelen Strong, Sammie Coates or Devin Smith from the Ohio State University. Smith would be considered a reach at #19, but he probably won’t be around at #43 in the second round when the Browns pick. So if you’re looking for someone to take the top off of opposing defenses in the passing game and for a standout special team’s gunner, then reaching that high for Smith would be the way to go.

2014 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTOS

Kerry Combs(Def.Backs Coach) and Brutus Buckeye Celebrate Nati Championship 1-12-15 Urban Meyer and Players Interviewed Postgame Nati Championship 1-12-15Cardale Jones Postgame Interview On Field Nati Championship 1-12-15Cardale Jones Mobbed Postgame On Field Celebration-Interviews Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Devin Smith with the OSU Number #1 Pose Postgame Celebration Nati Championship 1-12-15Evan Spencer and Michael Thomas Celebrating on Podium Postgame Nati Championship 1-12-15Shelley Meyer Meyer Shows Us Who's Number #1 Nati Championship 1-12-15Bri'onte Dunn OSU #1 with Newspaper Nati Championship 1-12-15Raekwon McMillian OSU Number #1 Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Urban Meyer and Ezekiel Elliott Celebrate On Field Nati Championship 1-12-15Urban Meyer Postgame Celebration Points To Where He Will Get Tatoo Nati Championship 1-12-15Urban Meyer and Joey Bosa on Podium Talking Postgame Nati Championship 1-12-15Urban Meyer and Devin Smith Postgame on Podium Nati Championship 1-12-15Urban Meyer and Phil Knight Postgame Nati Championship 1-12-15Urban Meyer Postgame Locker Room Interview Nati Championship 1-12-15Luke Fickell and Kenny Postgame Locker Room Intverview Nati Championship 1-12-15Urban Meyer, Cardale Jones and Tyvis Powell with Nati Championship Trophy Next Day 1-13-15Taylor Decker and Darryl Baldwin Celebrating Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Ezekiel Elliott and Warren Ball Celebrating After TD Nati Championship Game 1-12-15LeBron Hugs Ezekiel Elliott After Final TD Nati Championship Game 1-12-15AT & T Field Wide Shot Postgame OSU Nati Champions 1-12-15

Kenny Selfie with LeBron James Sidelines Nati Championship Game 1-12-15OSU Band and Crowd Shot At Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Jeff Heuerman and Honorary Team Member Jacob Jarvis(15) Muscular Dystrophy Postgame Nati Championship 1-12-15Evan Spencer Joins the Big Ten Network for a Postgame Interview Nati Championship 1-12-15Braxton Miller Postgame Locker Room Nati Championship 1-12-15Curtis Grant  Postgame Celebration Nati Championship 1-12-15Jeff Heuerman and The Buckeyes Begin Their Celebration at Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Eddie George and Orlando Pace Pregame Photo Nati Championship 1-12-15Mark Dantonio - Michigan St. Head Coach Pregame Photo Nati Championship 1-12-15LeBron James and OSU-AD Gene Smith On Sidelines Nati Championship Game 1-12-15In Game OSU Defense Time Out Meeting Nati Championship 1-12-15Kenny and Cameron O H I O in Dallas. - CopyO-H-I-O Photo From Fans Pregame Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Ezekiel Elliott On Field Pregame Stretch with Helmets Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Devin Smith and Jeff Heuerman Pregame Stretch Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Bonnie Bernstein and Kenny Mayne Pregame Nati Championship 1-12-15Ezekiel Elliott Arrives For Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Cardale Jones Pregame Warm Ups Nati Championship Game 1-12-15Kenny at National Championship - CopyNati Championship National Anthem Wide Shot with Fireworks 1-12-15Kenny and Cameron with National Championship Trophy Media Day 1-10-15 - CopyKenny and Paul Keels with National Championship Trophy Media Day 1-10-15Oregon Cheerleaders Pregame Nati Championship 1-12-15Oregon,Ohio St and Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Pregame Nati Championship 1-12-15Kenny an Candice Coots Oregon 1-12-15Cardale Jones Media Day Close Up Photo 1-10-15Darron Lee on SportsCenter Media Day Nati Championship 1-10-15

MY 1 on 1 INTERVIEW WITH OHIO STATE’S DEVIN SMITH

Listen here to my 1 on 1 interview with Massillon HS graduate and Ohio State senior wide receiver and second all-time leader in touchdown receptions with 30, Devin Smith –

Devin Smith Big Ten Title Game

IS THERE A FORMULA ON HOW TO BEAT OREGON?

The Oregon Ducks have lost only four games over the last three years with 2014 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Marcus Mariota running the offense.

Marcus Mariota In Game Heisman Pose

Photo Courtesy – ESPN.Go.Com

So I went back and looked at those four losses, two against Stanford and two against Arizona to see if there were common denominators in all four losses. Here’s what I came up with:

In all four losses Oregon was held to less than 10 points at halftime.

In all four losses Oregon lost the “Time of Possession” battle by an average of 37:10 to 23:50.

In all four losses Oregon turned the ball over at least once on offense and totaled 8 turnovers in those four games for an average of 2 turnovers per contest.

In all four losses Oregon’s opponent ran more offensive plays than the Ducks did. On average Oregon ran 11 fewer plays per game in the losses (83.5 to 72.2).

In all four losses Oregon’s opponent ran for 200 yards or more as a team and averaged 58 carries for 246.5 yards per game on the ground.

In all four losses Oregon only had a 32% conversion rate on 3rd down on offense.

And in three out of the four losses Oregon was outgained in total yards by an average of 24 yards per game.

 So what should Ohio State take from this?

Urban Meyer Sugar Bowl

If I’m the Buckeyes I’m going back and watching all four losses to try and learn the recipe for success against Oregon from Stanford and Arizona. Then I’m  going to formulate part of my game plan on trying to run a ball control offense, an eat the clock offense with Ezekiel Elliott leading the way, but also using Jalin Marshall, Curtis Samuel, Cardale Jones and maybe Dontre Wilson if he’s healthy on the ground. By establishing the running game and chewing up time on the clock, it should in turn open up the passing game for quarterback Cardale Jones and receivers Devin Smith, Michael Thomas, Evan Spencer and more.

Putting pressure on Mariota was also a major factor in the four losses which helped lead to those 8 turnovers. Not just by sacking him, but forcing him to throw the ball before he wanted to. So that means the Buckeyes defensive line led by All American Joey Bosa, as well as Michael Bennett, Adolphus Washington and Steve Miller have to penetrate Oregon’s tough offensive line and get in Mariota’s face to hopefully sack him, at least hit him, or if not, force him to make early errant throws that could end up as interceptions. Also when Bosa or maybe linebacker Darron Lee get a chance, within the rules of the game, they need to hit Mariota as often as they can, as hard as they can, to make life miserable for him in all four quarters of the National Championship game. Just like the Buckeyes defense did to Miami’s Ken Dorsey in the 2002 National Championship contest.

That looks to be the formula on how to beat Marcus Mariota and the Oregon Ducks. Easier said than done of course, but the Buckeyes are a confident team and peaking at the right time, so let’s see if Urban Meyer’s troops can execute a game plan like that and if they do, they’ll have a good chance of winning the game and making history by being crowned National Champions in the first ever year of the College Football Playoff.

KENNY’S KEYS TO AN OHIO STATE WIN OVER ALABAMA

1) PROTECT THE PIGSKIN – In a game of this magnitude against a team the caliber of Alabama, turnovers become even more of a factor, especially for a quarterback in Cardale Jones who is only making his second career start. Jones has to realize it’s OK to throw the ball away, punt, let your defense get a stop and live to play another series. Jones can’t turn it over and give Bama a short field to work with.

Cardale Jones Backfield Photo

2) ZONE AMARI – 26% of Alabama’s offense comes from one player, wide receiver Amari Cooper. He eats up man-to-man defenses, so the Buckeyes need to either double team him or play some zone defense so Cooper doesn’t reach the end zone for the 15th time this season. He is a “Big Play Maker” and can’t be stopped one on one.

 

3) GO DEEP – Alabama’s secondary is very suspect against the deep ball. They’ve given up 17 touchdown passes and a number of them on the bomb. Michael Thomas, Devin Smith, Jalin Marshall and if he plays, Dontre Wilson will have a chance to get behind the Tide corners and safties if the Buckeyes O-Line can give Cardale Jones to go down field. If so, Ohio State should score on at least  the one deep pass, if not more.

 

4) PACE AND SPREAD – In a number of Bama’s losses or close games their defense has had trouble with teams that go no huddle and also spread the field. The Buckeyes should be able to do both. If so OSU’s offense will put points on the board.

 

5) DO THE BOSA-NOVA – Joey Bosa has to be the best defensive player on the field and reak havoc in the Tide backfield all game long. If Alabama decides to double team him, then Michael Bennett, Adolphus Washington and Steve Miller then have to win their one on one battles and put pressure on Blake Simms and get in the backfield.

Joey Bosa Big Hit vs Navy

6) BE SPECIAL ON SPECIAL TEAMS – Both teams kickers struggle with field goals, especially outside of 40 yards. Whichever team can get their kicker to split the uprights and also be solid in their return and coverage teams will have a HUGE advantage in the Sugar Bowl.

 

Prediction  –  OHIO STATE 34       ALABAMA 28

PODCAST – INSTANT ANALYSIS – VIRGINIA TECH 35 OHIO STATE 21

My very candid thoughts on Ohio State’s third loss in their last four games dating back to last year, a 35-21 defeat at home against an unranked Virginia Tech team.

Ohio State Logo

PODCAST – BUCKEYES INSTANT ANALYSIS – OHIO ST. 34 NAVY 17

Here’s my “Instant Analysis” of Ohio State’s 34-17 season opening win over Navy at M & T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.

J.T. Barrett Close Up from the Front

Ohio State redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett threw for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns in his debut for the Buckeyes.

Devin Smith - OSU WR - Close Up

Buckeyes wide receiver Devin Smith caught one of Barrett’s 2 touchdown passes, an 80 yarder in the third quarter that was the big play of the game for OSU and propelled them to the 34-17 win over Navy.