National Football League

Browns select WR Gordon in draft

Published Jul. 12, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Browns believe they got a bargain in former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon.

Cleveland took Gordon in the second round of the NFL's supplemental draft Thursday. He was the only player selected; the Browns must forfeit their second-round pick in the 2013 draft.

Gordon was suspended for marijuana as a junior in 2011 at Baylor. He transferred to Utah, but decided not to play.

He caught 42 passes for 714 yards and seven touchdowns in 2010.

''I don't know if it is risky, that is kind of where we thought he was as a player,'' Browns general manager Tom Heckert said of spending a second-rounder on Gordon. ''Obviously he's a guy who can come in here and be a starter for us and make plays for us.

''We kind of did our homework on him, no question about it. We brought the kid in, I talked to a zillion guys and I couldn't find one guy to say something bad about the kid.''

The Browns were one of nearly two dozen teams to attend Gordon's workout this week. He measured at 6-foot-3, 224 pounds and ran the 40 in 4.52 seconds.

''I enjoyed my visit there last week, and was very impressed with all of the people I met, including Mr. Heckert,'' Gordon said. ''I have also had the chance to speak with Coach Shurmur on several occasions and I am looking forward to the opportunity to play for him.''

Heckert targeted wide receiver Kendall Wright, Gordon's former college teammate, in the draft. But after Wright was taken the team selected quarterback Brandon Weeden, who will have another target to throw to.

''He is a big kid, he can run and he has huge hands and long arms. An impressive looking kid,'' Heckert said. ''There were some concerns about him, so I drilled him pretty hard and he didn't back down, and he told me everything I thought I needed to hear from him. He promised he would be a guy we loved having in Cleveland. He is pretty fired about being a Brown.''

Cleveland also has a rookie running back in Trent Richardson, the third overall pick in April's draft, to go with Weeden and Gordon.

''Being taken this high in the supplemental draft and mentioned among the likes of the Bernie Kosar is a humbling experience in itself, as well as a dream come true,'' Gordon said.