The Browns traded back into the third round to nab 5-foot-9, 225-pound bowling ball of a running back, Terrance West. The former Towson Tiger is flattered Cleveland made a move.
"It means that they wanted me," West told media members over the phone. "Now, it's time for me to do my part. They drafted me, now it's time to perform and give them what they want; that's hard running and help winning some games."
West couldn't be stopped during his 2013 junior campaign. He set FCS records in rushing yards (2,509) and touchdowns with 41.
If you ask Towson fans in Northern Maryland, a big chunk of them will tell you running back Terrance West is the most important player in school history. That was 1986.
Postseason berths became the norm once West started carrying the football. The Tigers rode the 23-year-old's outrageous stat-line all the way to FCS national championship game in 2013, eventually losing to North Dakota State.
"We were the underdogs, Towson University," said West. "I had to perform. My team depended on me so I just had to give them my all, and that was to put the points up on the board. I love to score touchdowns. I've been doing that since Pop Warner."
So how was West's running style so effective? Let him do the explaining.
"I'm a physical runner," said West. "I can also make people miss. I can catch out of the backfield. I've great vision. I don't take too many big hits. If there's a big blow, I'm giving the blow; I don't take it."
NFL draft twitter accounts like Dane Brugler, think West could end up being the best running back from the 2014 class.
West's story from high school to the pros is an in-depth one worth telling. And we'll have it for you in the coming weeks on ClevelandBrowns.com.
