Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown and Vice President of Player Personnel Andrew Berry
Opening statement:
Brown: "Welcome everyone. We're really excited to be here to introduce our first draft pick before he's able to arrive on campus. (WR) Corey Coleman is a guy that we identified very early, obviously a tremendously productive, dynamic playmaker. We're tremendously excited to have executed our plan coming into the draft and really throughout the offseason. We probably bounced around a little bit more than maybe our fans wanted us to, but we positioned ourselves to pick up what was our top-rated wide receiver but also position ourselves to pick a couple of additional players this weekend. We're really excited to add a dynamic player to our offense. It is something that we haven't had in the past year or recent years, with Corey's speed, tenacity and ability to turn small plays into long plays. We're really excited to bring him here and make him a Cleveland Brown."
On what the Browns liked most about Coleman over all the other WRs:
Brown: "All good receivers, and Andrew (Berry) can chime in on this, as well. We felt that Corey, coming out early, a younger player, still has a lot to develop as a receiver but brings some dimensions that you know you just can't develop in terms of his speed, his ability to attack the ball in the air for a smaller receiver who does not play to his size. He plays above his size. We liked all those things about him, but we knew we wanted to add some speed to the offense to make sure people respected our passing game."
On if the Browns planned to draft Coleman all along, even if the team remained at No. 8:
Brown: "We're not going to talk about what players we had when. We're really pleased to have Corey where we are. We liked the offer that Tennessee came with. We talked with them a bit over the last week or so. I'm happy to execute that plan and positon ourselves to take our No. 1 wide receiver on the board."
On if the additional of draft picks has accelerated the timetable given by Owner Jimmy Haslam:
Brown: "We don't really operate on a timetable here. We're going to make the best possible decisions and when we line up on Sunday to see where our team is. Our expectation is to win now so we're not going to go into the fall thinking that we're putting off a losing season. Every year we go in, we expect to win the AFC North. That's our expectation here. I would not say that choosing these players or amassing this draft capital accelerates any timetable we have in the building."
On if the Browns have a plan for the team's six remaining picks in the top 100:
Brown: "Yeah, we do feel like we have a bank of players in each slot. We feel good about the possibility of a player being available to us at each plate. Our plan obviously has to be flexible because you never know what the draft will throw at you. We do feel like we will add some very good players to our roster."
On Coleman's visit with the Browns and if the team worked him out:
Berry: "We certainly worked him out at his pro day and obviously saw him live on campus. We felt very comfortable with his skillset and how it would translate to our offense."
On Coleman's personality on and off the field:
Berry: "Top notch. I think he will fit well in the locker room, a great personality. He really sort of lit up the building on his top-30 visit. We are very excited to have him here in Cleveland."
On how the trade developed with Tennessee:
Brown: "We have been in talks with a number of teams that were interested in coming up for a handful of players that teams were interested in. Tennessee was the most aggressive. Obviously, they had a lot of draft picks that they could use. We were able to package something that worked for both sides and move forward with it"
On Coleman's ability as a returner:
Brown: "Ultimately, that is (special teams coordinator) Chris Tabor and (Head Coach) Hue Jackson's call, but yes, that is a dimension that he brings as, well, and we like that having lost (former Browns and Chargers WR) Travis (Benjamin) in the off season."
On comparing Coleman to Benjamin:
Berry: "I don't think that we will discuss Corey versus Travis. We are excited to add a player who has elite speed, elite separation ability and great athleticism, has been super productive throughout his college career. We think he can add that super dynamic, big play element to our offense."
On if QB Robert Griffin III and Coleman have a relationship, given their Baylor connection:
Brown: "I don't know. I know that Robert stays in touch with a lot of people down at Baylor. I don't am not sure if he and Corey personally are in touch."
On reports that the Browns were interested in trading up for a second pick in the first round:
Brown: "We don't anticipate that will be a trade that we would make to get back into the first round."
On who the Browns would have taken if the team stayed at No. 8:
Brown: "I am not going to talk about who we would have taken, but there were other teams interested in the pick at No. 8. As I said, a number of them."
On if the Browns looked at the first round as an opportunity to trade down and still get their top choice at WR:
Brown: "That was one of the options that we talked about, which given where we were, was there an opportunity to move back and still pick up a player that you like. It is rare that you are able to pick up the first wide receiver on your board and acquire the number of additional picks that we had. We are really pleased with our ability to execute that plan."
On Jackson's comments about liking big receivers and if there is concern that the Browns need a bigger WR:
Brown: "Andrew can talk about this a lot, but we do talk about every player and their strengths and weaknesses. No receiver is going to be perfect. There are a few out there that obviously embody the size, hands, speed and all those things, but Corey is one a guy that we are really confident will be productive in this league, can separate at an elite level. Once you get the ball in his hands, he can make tremendous plays and should put points up for the (Cleveland) Browns."
On if Brown is OK being considered a 'wheeler and dealer' given the team's activity in the first round:
Brown: "I am OK with it (laughter)."
On if the Browns are open to trading the No. 32 overall pick:
Brown: "I think we are open to making the best possible decisions for the Browns and whatever positions us well enough to win. Every decision we are making here is in line with our plan, which is designed to win. We know we have players that we need to add to this roster. If it so happens that we are able to add some picks and still add a player that we like, we will do that. It depends on what is presented to us."
On if the Browns expect to receive offers for the No. 32 overall pick:
Brown: "We've already gotten calls about it."
On if the RB Ezekiel Elliot going to the Dallas Cowboys was a mild surprise:
Brown: "Yeah, I lost a bet so I owe (Chief Strategy Officer) Paul (DePodesta) some money (laughter)."
On if the Browns were zoned in on Coleman or simply a WR at No. 15:
Brown: "The player, just to answer it shortly."
On if the Browns were offered a trade for pick No. 15:
Brown: "No, the way it works is in the first round is there are usually some calls that happen, but we were more interested in taking the player at that point. We're really pleased with where we are sitting."
On if past decisions to not address the WR position early impacted this pick, particularly considering he was part of the organization during the past two drafts:
Brown: "No, I purely think it was the best available player left on our board. We knew coming into the draft that we'd like to address the wide receiver position, but we are never going to step out of our board rankings."
On the WR was the Browns' biggest need heading into the draft:
Brown: "No, we don't look at it that way, but it's a place that we really wanted to address and add some talent, some youth and some speed."
On if the Browns are done drafting WRs:
Brown: "We won't comment one way or the other. There are some good receivers left in the draft. What falls to us will determine it at the time."
On if Coleman is healed from a sports hernia injury:
Berry: "Yes."
On if Coleman will be 100 percent ready to go next week:
Berry: "He will be ready to roll next week."
