Nothing is certain when it comes to Eric Mangini on draft day. That is, nothing is certain except for the fact that he will be selecting a defensive player with his 1st round pick. Many are predicting it will be Ohio State alum Malcolm Jenkins. Jenkins, a defensive back, was the 2008 Thorpe Award winner and will likely be the first defensive player selecting in the 2009 draft. The Browns need help at cornerback, and Jenkins would be the perfect fit. Of course, they also need help with their pass rush and at linebacker, providing some other possibilities to float around in Mangini’s head. Here’s a Jenkins highlight clip:

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Hall of Fame wide receiver Dante Lavelli died yesterday at the age of 85. Lavelli was a key member of the Browns teams that dominated the 1940’s and 1950’s. He was a close friend and preferred target of Browns quarterback Otto Graham. In addition to the talents he brought to the playing field, Lavelli also helped develop the players union, after he and several other Browns players insisted that they should not have to pay for their own uniforms and they should get money for food on road trips.

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Eric Mangini and other Browns personnel met with Ravens pro personnel director George Kokinis yesterday, but they have not yet offered him the GM position. Kokinis and Mangini are long-time friends, dating back to the old Cleveland Browns that were moved to Baltimore. He is considered a free agent specialist, but would likely leave the job of drafting college players to Mangini and other Browns officials.

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Eric Mangini is back where his pro football career started after agreeing to be the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Mangini was a ball boy for the old Browns back in 1994 and was an assistant under Romeo Crowell after that.

I think this is a big step in the right direction for the Browns, whose win total was in double digits just 2 years ago. The team is there, most of the right players are in place, it’s just a matter of getting them motivated to win week in and week out. Mangini is just the type of coach who can do that.
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