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- Troy BallardIt was almost a sure-fire deal before the NFL's supplemental draft — the Cleveland Browns were going to select former Baylor Bear wide receiver, Josh Gordon.
Cleveland's general manger, Mike Holmgren, was incredibly high on this kid. From the get-go, he had nothing but praise for Gordon, despite his questionable decision making thus far in his career.
That questionable decision making?
Smoking da good stuff. Ganja. Hemp. Mary-Jane. Weed. Dope. Hash. God's green herb. Bongin' it up.
That's the short and sweet of it. But this is the slightly more detailed summary — before Gordon's 2011 season, he tested positive for marijuana and was suspended indefinitely from Baylor. He then made the choice to transfer to Utah, but due to financial restrictions, decided to test his value in the NFL's supplemental draft.
Hence him being drafted by the Browns in the second-round. That's the gamble.
For those unfamiliar with how the supplemental draft works, here's a quick breakdown: there are seven-rounds (just like the actual draft), and it is for college players that were ineligible to be drafted during the regular NFL Draft. Teams do not have to make selections. However, if a team, like Cleveland, drafted Gordon in the second-round, that means that in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Browns have forfeited the team's second-round pick.
Again, that's why it's so high-risk.
Cleveland has burned next season's second-rounder on a player that a) hasn't played in an entire year, b) has displayed incredibly poor judgment in the past, c) has to basically learn the entire playbook and get NFL-ready in less than a month.
However, even with all that being said, this could actually end up being a super-solid selection for the Browns.
Gordon was projected as a late first-rounder, early second-rounder before his suspension from Baylor. He has all the physical tools to be an NFL receiver, not to mention that he has excellent speed for his size.
But quite possibly most importantly, the drafting of Gordon has continued a trend in Cleveland since the end of last season — a total offensive makeover. Including the actual NFL Draft, the Browns have drafted four players at key postions on offense.
The additions of Brandon Weeden at quarterback, Trent Richardson at running back, Mitchell Schwartz at tackle and now Gordon at wide receiver mark the beginning of something new and exciting in Cleveland.
Holmgren understands that whatever the team was doing before wasn't working, so he's throwing the old out the window and bringing in the new. This newest ballsy (that's the best word for it) move of drafting Gordon is another signal of things to come.
The Browns are making moves to contend. Whether that be next season, or three-years down the line, this team is gearing-up. With this new transition, players like Gordon are worth the risk — Cleveland has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
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