Cleveland Browns 2012 NFL Draft: Examining GM Tom Heckert's Draft Tendencies
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
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Senior Writer
The Super Bowl is over and the NFL offseason is in full swing for its teams. Before you know it the 2012 NFL Combine will be upon us, followed by the opening of the free agent market and then the 2012 NFL Draft.
The Cleveland Browns are looking to fill their needs with free agent signings and with their draft picks. Cleveland currently has three picks in the Top 37 of the 2012 draft and general manager Tom Heckert is one of the most savvy drafters in the league.
He was the guy who helped execute the draft day trade between his Browns and the Atlanta Falcons last year—which is the reason Cleveland has not one but two first round picks this year.
With all the mock drafts that have the Browns trading up, trading down or staying put and picking Player A or Player B, Heckert holds all the keys to the draft and filling Cleveland's roster each offseason.
Since becoming the general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, in 2006, Heckert has drafted in five straight drafts. Six including this year's draft.
With five previous drafts to look at, let's analyze Heckert's drafting tendencies in rounds one through three. (Only three rounds because those are the prospects who are expected to produce somewhat as a rookie.)
In 2006, with Philly, Heckert had one pick in each of the first three rounds. He picked a defensive tackle in the first, offensive tackle in the second and a linebacker in the third round.
In 2007, Heckert traded out of the first round with the Dallas Cowboys and received a second, third and fifth in returned. Without a first rounder, he still chose a quarterback and defensive end in the second round and a linebacker and running back in the third round.
Heckert once again traded out of the first round with the Carolina Panthers, in 2008, and also acquired more picks from the Minnesota Vikings. With two-second rounders, Heckert picked a wide receiver and a defensive tackle. In the third, he picked up a linebacker.
Heckert's final year drafting for the Eagles was in 2009. He moved up two spots in the first round with the Cleveland Browns to pick a wide receiver and then chose a running back with his second round pick. He did not have a third rounder.
Starting in 2010, Heckert was hired and drafting for the Browns. He picked up a cornerback in the first, a safety in the second, traded back into the second for a running back, got a quarterback in the third and an offensive guard in the third round too.
Last year, 2011, Heckert traded out of the Top 10 with the Falcons and then traded back up in the first to grab a defensive tackle. He stuck to defense by picking a defensive end with his first-second rounder and then took a wide receiver with his second-second rounder.
Hope that wasn't confusing but one thing is for sure, Heckert likes to trade around. Whenever he trades up, it is not that many spots and he never gives up high draft pick value of his own to move around—unless its to move out of the first round altogether for more picks.
When you look at his first round picks, Heckert goes with a defensive pick 75 percent of the time. In the second round, Heckert picks offense 60 percent of the time. Then when the third round rolls in, he will go with the best player available since he is 50-50 with offense and defense picks. Regarding trades, Heckert has made a trade in every draft since 2007, so look for at least one trade of some kind in 2012.
In conclusion, Heckert could go defense with one or both of the Browns' first rounders this year, but since he has focused on defense in the past two drafts, it could be one pick on each side of the ball.
The second and third rounds is where Heckert likes to get his playmakers and pass rushers, along with his offensive lineman.
So now that his tendencies have been brought to light, don't be surprised if the Browns trade out of the No. 4 pick since Heckert has never had a first round pick higher than No. 7 and has clearly shown that he loves to trade down to gain more picks in other rounds.
What will happen with all this being said?
This journalist thinks—after doing the research for this piece—Heckert trades down from No. 4 and picks offense and defense in the first round. Then he picks offense in the second and defense in the third round. But this is one guy's speculation, of course.
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