New Cleveland Browns coach Butch Davis seemed to know what he wanted when the 2001 draft got underway last weekend. After picking eight players from the draft pool on Saturday and Sunday, the Browns added eight free agents.

Just about all are speed/skill players.

As you probably have heard, the Browns chose Defensive Tackle Gerard Warren of Florida with their first pick. Now, DT is not usually a speed/skill type of position, but the way Warren plays it it is. Warren is described as a quick, agile, big man who can stop the run.

Davis described him as “an extraordinarily massive, powerful and athletic big man who can penetrate and collapse the pocket.”

The new Browns coach said that his second pick, Wide Receiver Quincy Morgan, “had huge consistency and productivity.” He had 64 catches for over a thousand yards and scored 14 touchdowns in two years at Kansas State. Morgan piles 200 pounds more than six feet high.

Pick number three was Running Back James Jackson of Miami. Jackson was the complement to the ‘Canes’ Edgerrin James. When he was healthy, Jackson could run a 4.38 second 40 yard dash.

The first three picks are expected to contribute right away.

Back on the defensive side of the ball, Defensive Backs Anthony Henry and Michael Jameson were safeties in college, but Davis said they both have the speed to become cornerbacks. Davis said Henry has the natural athletic skills and fundamentals, plus a love of hitting, which can make the Browns a better football team. He added that Jameson probably was played in the wrong place in college. He runs a 4.4 second 40, stands 5 feet, eleven inches and weights 186 pounds.

Jeremiah Pharms was drafted as a linebacker. Davis described him as an excellent outside pass rusher, who also can drop back in the zone blitz and wants to make every tackle.

Also coming to Cleveland from the draft is Offensive Lineman Paul Zukausakas of Boston College and Wide Receiver Andre King.

Davis feels the King is a sleeper who was hidden behind teammates Santana Moss and Reggie Wayne. In the East-West All-Star game, he had seven catches for more than 150 yards and a touchdown.

Of course, you wouldn’t expect Davis to come home from the draft whining that there wasn’t anything left but warm bodies by the time he got his chance. A positive attitude is a must.

On Tuesday, the Browns signed eight free agents, including a couple of specialty guys from Northwest Ohio. One was Kicker Derek Schorejs from Bowling Green. Schorejs has had a checkered pro career already.  He was in Cincinnati’s summer training camp in 1999.

He was a first team All-MAC pick in ‘95. Playing for the Falcons, he connected on 12 of 16  field goals and 24 of 26 PATs for 60 points. He hit a 60 yarder in a game against Toledo. That was the BG record and a record for Doyt Perry Field…it was the second longest field goal in MAC history.

After leaving BG, he played in the semi-pro Mid-Continental Football League from ‘96 through ‘98 and kicked for the Florida Bobcats of the Arena Football League in 1998.

Another of the free agents was Punter Gabe Lindstrom, who had played two seasons for Toledo. He spent summer of 1999 in the Cowboys training camp.

For the Rockets, he punted 78 times in ‘98 for an average of 41 yards for an average of 41 yards. He was academic All-MAC in ‘98.

Prior to joining the Rockets, he was a quarterback and punter for Scottsdale Community College in AZ.

The exhibition season is less than 100 days away.