Who is the greatest NFL draft steal for the Cleveland Browns?
According to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, the answer is Brian Sipe. And Farrar backs it up with a compelling argument in his piece chronicling the biggest steal for all 32 NFL teams.
Sipe played well for Don Coryell at San Diego State, so you’d think the NFL would have been higher on his prospects. But he lasted until the 13th round of the 1972 draft, and he spent the first two seasons of his NFL career on the practice squad. Once he got a real shot, he did decently enough — he led the NFL in touchdown passes in 1979 with 28, though he also led the league in interceptions with 26. Injuries, a brutally competitive AFC Central through the 1970s and a jump to the USFL limited Sipe’s ultimate NFL prospects, but that’s not a bad bargain for a 13th-round flier pick.
Browns fans of a certain age fondly recall Sipe leading “Rutigliano’s Siper Bowl team”, the Kardiac Kids of their era.
It’s been a long time since the Browns hit with a multi-year starter who was a big contributor in the later rounds. The last of real consequence was WR Michael Jackson in the sixth round back in 1991.
Some others who at least belong in the argument of the best Browns draft steal since 1967:
- Rob Burnett, defensive end, 5th round in 1990
- Earnest Byner, running back, 10th round in 1984
- Cody Risien, offensive tackle, 7th round in 1979
- Doug Dieken, offensive tackle, 6th round in 1971
