Marcus McNeill

Most of the mock drafts indicate that the Browns are going to draft a defensive player, but if the team decides to spend its first pick on the offensive side of the ball, several prognosticators suggest that Auburn's Marcus McNeill might be the man they take. McNeill's 6'9" and close to 350 lbs. The scouting report on him begins with the phrase "a massive mountain of a man who is an imposing physical presence..." and builds up from there. McNeill is one of the best run blockers in college football, and for that reason, a lot of people see him as best suited to play right tackle. Negatives include a tendency to rely too much on his size, a perception that he may lack a killer instinct, and some concerns about conditioning.

McNeill is usually ranked as the second best offensive tackle in the draft, behind UVa's D'Brickshaw Ferguson. There's zero chance that Ferguson will be available with the 12th pick, but McNeill just might be. I may be in the minority, but I still think the O-line is the Browns' most critical need, and I think I'd be sorely tempted to take this guy if he was still on the board when the Browns' turn came.