BEREA—Can it happen again?
The Browns used their first two picks in the 2010 NFL Draft to address the secondary by taking cornerback Joe Haden and safety T.J. Ward. Both became starters.
They hope the same holds true with the defensive line.
The Browns took defensive tackle Phil Taylor with their first round pick and defensive end Jabaal Sheard from Pitt with their first pick in the second-round.
The Browns are hoping Sheard will be the answer as a pass rusher.
“I want to make the hit and be the guy to hit someone and make the crowd go ‘Oooh’.”
Sheard is described as a speed rusher.
“I think speed sets it up and it makes the (blocker) nervous,” he said. “I think I have both elements of the game with speed and strength.”
Sheard (6-3, 254) was an All-American and unanimous All-Big East Conference first team selection. He was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. He ranked third in the Big East with nine sacks and tied for second with 14.5 stops for loss. He caused four fumbles and had 52 tackles. In his career, Sheard had 19.5 sacks and a total of 37.5 stops for losses. He also had 39 quarterback pressures.
In his career, Sheard had 142 tackles in 47 games to go along with the sacks and tackles for loss.
Sheard said he was a bit surprised the Browns selected him. He said he didn’t come to Cleveland for a visit.
“I had no idea as I haven’t talked to the Browns since the combine,” Sheard said. “I didn’t take a visit.”
Coming to the Browns, Sheard is looking forward to playing the Browns rivals.
“I’ve been around the Steelers playing at Pitt,” Sheard said. “I look forward to playing them.”
Sheard mentioned James Harrison as a player he patterns his play after.
“I’m aggressive on the field.”
Sheard was suspended from the Panthers football team with an aggravated assault charge in July 2010
“I made a mistake and learned a lot from that situation,” he said. “It helped me to learn and help me to get ready for the NFL.”
Sheard admitted he was worried that the incident might have cost him an NFL career.
“I was definitely nervous and felt I let my teammates down,” he said. “That was the first trouble I had been. That’s not the guy I am, off the field, I’m a cool-laid back dude.”
Sheard said his side of the story was different than what was in the paper.
“I ran into a teammates in a scuffle and I defended myself when he hit me,” he said. “We tussled and we both went through the window. The paper made it sound like I threw the guy threw the window.”
After he was re-instated, Sheard was voted as one of the team captains.
Sheard was awarded a bravery medal for helping an elderly lady escape from her burning home in Florida when he was 11 years old.
Hall of Fame wide receiver Paul Warfield announced the Browns’ pick.
