Fans can picture the scene.
Taylen Green drops back to pass, protected by left tackle Spencer Fano, center Parker Brailsford and right tackle Austin Barber, and throws to receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston.
The vision should become a reality this weekend as the Browns will hold rookie minicamp Friday through Sunday in Berea. The draft picks are the headliners and will be joined by undrafted signees and tryout players.
Former coaches call KC Concepcion a ‘thermostat guy’ with ‘It factor’ who will make impact on Browns
The rookies haven’t practiced in months, and never in the NFL, so there’s an adjustment. Last year’s top pick, defensive tackle Mason Graham, vomited during the first session after eating too much lunch.
Here are six less gross things to watch this weekend.
ONE OF A KIND
Green, a sixth-round pick out of Arkansas, isn’t a candidate to win the starting quarterback job. He needs to improve his accuracy, decision-making and ball security.
But seeing him up close will be arguably the top draw of the weekend. Quarterbacks don’t usually come 6-foot-6 and 227 pounds with 4.3 speed and a big arm, so witnessing how that translates to the practice field should be fun.
GO LEFT
Fano, the No. 9 pick, played left tackle as a freshman at Utah but otherwise has spent his career at right tackle. The Browns made it clear immediately he will be their left tackle.
The move begins in earnest this weekend. Fano will line up on the left side and take his pointers from veteran line coach George Warhop.
At least Fano won’t have to worry about blocking sack king Myles Garrett. That likely won’t happen until minicamp in June.
GOOD TO GO?
Concepcion had arthroscopic knee surgery in March. He said during the draft he felt good and should be ready for the rookie camp, but his level of participation will be worth monitoring.
The Browns will surely be cautious with the No. 24 pick but would like to get him on the field for some drills. At the least, he can begin learning the playbook and how the coaches run practice.
YING AND YANG
If Concepcion is able to go, it will provide the first look at the Concepcion-Boston combination. General manager Andrew Berry took Concepcion in the first round and followed with Boston in the second at No. 39.
The Browns believe the wideouts will complement each other well and provide a much-needed jolt to the passing game. Concepcion isn’t small at 5-foot-11½, 191 pounds but he’s a great separator who’s explosive with the ball in his hands. Boston (6-4, 210) has a large catch radius, is good at contested catches and is a threat in the red zone.
THE OTHER SIDE
Although Berry spent eight of his 10 draft picks on offense, safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren shouldn’t be overlooked. Berry couldn’t believe the University of Toledo product fell deep into the second round and traded up to get him at No. 58.
How McNeil-Warren fits on the depth chart with Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman remains to be seen, but the coaches will get their first chance to see how he looks in their system.
MIDDLE MAN
Brailsford, a fifth-round pick out of Alabama, can make a strong impression as he tries to win the starting center job.
The organization loves his movement skills and doesn’t think his lack of size (6-2, 290) will be a problem. Brailsford won’t be going up against top-level defensive tackles but can show off his athleticism and ability to pick up the system.
