Browns Get Their Quarterback
By Fred Greetham
OBR Browns Reporter
Posted Apr 23, 2010
They waited patiently until the middle of the third round, but the Browns land Texas QB Colt McCoy. Stationed in Berea, Fred Greetham brings us the reaction from the newest Browns signal caller...
BEREA—How’s that for drama?
After all of the speculation of whether the Browns would trade up in order to get Colt McCoy, they used the pick they had acquired in the Kamerion Wimbley trade to select him.
McCoy said he received the call from Mike Holmgren and Eric Mangini.
“It was awesome,” McCoy said. “My heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t be more excited.
“He asked me if it has been a long day,” he said. “He then said, ‘We want you to be a Cleveland Brown.’ I told him you won’t regret it and we win a lot of games.”
McCoy said since the time he visited the Browns, he felt Cleveland would be a nice home for him.
“I really liked the city,” he said. “It’s a blue-collar town and that’s where I came from.”
McCoy won 45 games in 53 career starts at Texas. He was a two-time AP All-American who finished his career with 47 school records, including most wins, completions, attempts, touchdown passes and passing yards.
Yet he dropped to the 85th spot. To put more emphasis on the situation, McCoy was shadowed by ESPN on Thursday and Friday.
“It was tough,” he said. “I understand that teams have needs and not everybody needs a quarterback. “
McCoy said he will use the snub to drive him.
“I’ll definitely use it as motivation,” McCoy said. “I’m obviously confident in my abilities as a quarterback and I’ll definitely use it as motivation.”
Holmgren said that Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace were veteran quarterbacks he hoped to have bridge the gap while the team developed a young quarterback.
Delhomme had said he would welcome grooming a young quarterback.
“I fully expect to come in there and work with Jake and work my tail off to be the best and to produce when I get the opportunity,” he said. “I spent some time with Jake Delhomme and to learn from him will be really exciting.”
McCoy has been known for his accuracy with a career percentage of 70.33. He threw 112 touchdowns and 45 interceptions.
“I do think my accuracy is my strength,” he said. “I want to be the best and will work to accomplish that.”
The last time the Browns took a quarterback in the third round was when they selected Charlie Frye with the 67th overall pick in 2005.
For the Browns to get McCoy without trading up to get him, the Browns feel they received good value.
“When you look back in three or four years this might be the best pick the Cleveland Browns made,” Mel Kiper, Jr. said on ESPN after the pick was made.
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